questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "71%"
},
"options": [
"20 %",
"15%",
"71%",
"37%"
],
"question": "What percentage of American respondents is in the survey?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index"... | A recent Living Social survey showed that Americans may live up to their poor reputation while travelling abroad. But what's more surprising is that many of those surveyed self-identified themselves as 'ugly' Americans and the world's worst travelers.
Those in the U.S. ranked themselves as the worst travellers by a shocking 20 per cent, followed by 15 per cent saying the Chinese were the most substandard tourists.
Americans topped the list as being the worst-behaved travelers in a survey of 5,600 respondents, 4,000 of whom were Americans. Other respondents were in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. But even American respondents considered their compatriots as the worst travelers from a list of 16 nationalities.
Canadians and Australians also put Americans in the No. 1 spot. Irish respondents pointed to U.K. residents and U.K. respondents gave Germans the nod. On the other hand, 37% of Americans opted for "none of the above" in answer to the worst-tourists question, displaying more tolerance and open-mindedness than the other nationalities.
Other survey questions had respondents admitting _ from hotels. Four in ten U.S. survey-takers said they'd stolen something - mostly towels (28%) and bathrobes (8%). Other popular pinched items included pillows, remote controls, Bibles and sheets.
Not surprising is that Americans have less time off from work than other nationalities. Americans reported getting 16 days off, compared with 28 days for the Irish, 27 days for Australians, 23 days for U.K. workers; and 21 days for Canadians.
In the travel mishaps department, the most common travel disaster reported by Americans was lost luggage on an airline (21%); bad weather (21%); and getting very lost (16%).
As for places Americans most want to see, Disney World and Las Vegas made the top 10, but they weren't at the top of the heap. And New York didn't make the cut. | high537.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "$50"
},
"options": [
"$50",
"$100",
"$150",
"$350"
],
"question": "How much will the magazine pay for a joke to be published?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | Share With Us
Would you like to have your writing published in this magazine? Then let us know! We pay for stories, anecdotes and jokes:
Anecdotes and Jokes $50
What made you laugh recently? A funny sign? A colleague's behaviour? Got a joke? Send it in for Laughter is the Best Medicine! Email: Juliet@sws.com
Smart Animals Up to $100
Send us a tale about the strange behaviour of unique pets or wildlife in up 300 words. Email: audry@sws.com
Power of Love Up to $150
Acts of generosity can change lives or just give you that warm feeling full of love. Share your moments 100--500 words. Email: susan@sws.com
My Story $350
Do you have an inspiring or life-changing story to tell? Your story must be true, unpublished, original and 800--
1000 words. Email: nanjc@sws.com
For more information, please visit: http://www.sws.com./share | high12822.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Fred Smith got the idea of an overnight mail service from his own experience."
},
"options": [
"Sony Walkman achieved great success with its recording function and speaker.",
"Bill Bowerman was experimenting with rubber for large s... | Several years ago ,Masaru Ibuka ,chairman of Sony ,was at a company planning a meeting. Suddenly he hdd a brilliant idea. He stopped the meeting and asked everyone present what would happen if Sony removed the recording function and 'speaker and sold headphones with a tape player instead. Almost everyone thought he was crazy. Still ,Ibuka kept thinking about his idea and worked at improving it The result, of course, turned out to be the wildly successful Sony Walkman.
Good ideas often start with a seemingly silly question. Bill Bowerman was making breakfast one day. As he stood there making waffles for his son, he wondered what would happen if he poured rubber into his waffle iron. Later ,he tried it and the result looked something Like the bottom of most sports shoes we see today. Still, when he took this idea to several existing shoe companies, he was laughed at In fact, every single company turned him down. Though rather discouraged, Bowerman insisted and went on to form his own company, making NBKE athletic shoes.
Sometime good ideas grow out of frustration .When Fred Smith was a student at Yale University, he had some paperwork that he needed to have delivered across the country the next day. Smith was amazed to find out that overnight delivery was impossible. He sat for a long while ,lost in thought Why couldn't there be a reliable overnight mail delivery service? He decided to design one. Smith did just that and turned his design into a class project His business professor gave him only a C for his efforts. However, Smith was not through. He improved the idea in that class project and finally turned them into one of the first and most successful overnight mail service in the world -- FedEx.
We know that each of these ideas led to a very successful product or service that has changed the way many of us live. The best questions are usually open-ended and are often silly, Children aren't afraid to ask such questions ,but adults frequently are. Think how different the world might be if people never asked " silly" questions! | high23427.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The sale is beyond satisfaction before J.K. Rowling unmasked."
},
"options": [
"The English edition sells better than other editions.",
"The sales have come across decline in recent weeks.",
"The sale is beyond satisfaction b... | Sales of crime novel The Cuckoo's Calling have rocketed since its author Robert Galbraith was unmasked as JK Rowling, according to The Bookseller.
It said 17,662 hardback copies were sold between 14 and 20 July, up from just 43 copies the previous week, according to Nielsen BookScan data. The Cuckoo's Calling was the week's bestselling hardback novel, despite some booksellers running out of stock.
The Harry Potter author was identified in a newspaper article last week. On a website Rowling said 8,500 English language copies had been sold in all forms, including e-books, before her unmasking.
The author added that she had received two offers from television production companies. "The situation was becoming increasingly complicated, largely because Robert was doing rather better than we had expected him to," she said. "But we all still hoped to keep the secret a little longer. Robert's success during his first three months as a published writer (discounting sales made after I was found out) actually compares favourably with JK Rowling's success over the similar period of her career."
However, the Bookseller reported the hardback had sold fewer than 500 copies in its three-month period on sale before the Sunday Times' expose. The recent sales were not enough to send The Cuckoo's Calling to the top spot in the official UK top 50, instead landing it in third place.
The Rowling revelation coincided with the paperback release of The Casual Vacancy -- her first official post-Potter work--which sold 19,548 copies in the same week, making the book number two in the sales chart. Neither title managed to draw John Grisham's The Racketeer from the top of the chart, which shifted 24,222 copies -- a 19% drop on the previous week.
Elsewhere on the Robert Galbraith website, Rowling has revealed the reason she chose her pen name. She said she picked Robert because US senator Robert F Kennedy was her "hero" and she had never used the name in one of her earlier books.
"I can only hope all the real Robert Galbraiths out there will be as forgiving as the real Harry Potters have been," she wrote. A follow-up to The Cuckoo's Calling has been finished and should be published next year, the author added. | high17782.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "when she was a university student"
},
"options": [
"after she left college",
"when she was a university student",
"before she got her degree",
"when she worked inNew York City"
],
"question": "Ruth Mckenney star... | Ruth Mckenney was born in 1911 in prefix = st1 /Mishawak,Indiana. She grew up inCleveand,Ohio, and at the age of fourteen she got her first job working nights in a printer's shop. She also worked as a waitress, but after dropping two fruits salads on the floor, she was fired.
While Miss Mckenney was studying in a OhioStateUniversity, she found an outside job as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. In fact, she left college before she got her degree in order to devote all her time to newspaper work. She later worked on papers in Akron, Ohio, andNew York City.
In New York, Miss Mckenney began to write stories about the amusing experiences she shared with her sisiter. These were published in theNew Yorkmagazine, and later in a book called "My Sister Eileen". This book was an immediate bestseller, and soon became a hit play. Miss Mckenney has also written a guide toEnglandand a number of serious books on American labor.
Miss Mckenney married Richard Bransten in 1937. They had one daughter, and it came as no surprise when the author named her Eileen.
Ruch Mckenney died in 1972. | high19977.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she was far away from her family and friends"
},
"options": [
"there were more customers than usual waiting to be helped",
"it was freezing cold in California at Christmas time",
"she was working all alone at the ticket count... | Last Christmas was a very difficult time for me. My family and all of my close friends were back home in Florida, and I was all alone in a rather cold California. I was working too many hours and became very sick.
I was working a double shift at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter, it was about 9:00 PM on Christmas Eve, and I was feeling really miserable inside. There were a few of us working and very few customers waiting to be helped. When it was time for me to call the next person to the counter, I looked out to see the sweetest-looking old man standing with a cane. He walked very slowly over to the counter and in the faintest voice told me that he had to go to New Orleans. I tried to explain to him that there were no more flights that night and that he would have to go in the morning. He looked so confused and very worried. I tried to find out more information by asking if he had a reservation or if he remembered when he was supposed to travel, but he seemed to become more confused with each question. He just kept saying, "She said I have to go to New Orleans."
After much time, I was able to at least find out that this old man had been dropped off at the curb on Christmas Eve by his sister-in-law and told to go to New Orleans, where he had family. She had given him some cash and told him just to go inside and buy a ticket. When I asked if he could come back tomorrow, he said that she was gone and that he had no place to stay. He then said he would wait at the airport until tomorrow. Naturally, I felt a little ashamed. Here I was feeling very sorry for myself about being alone on Christmas, when this angel named Clarence MacDonald was sent to me to remind me of what being alone really meant. It broke my heart.
Immediately, I told him we would get it all straightened out, and our Customer Service agent helped to book him a seat for the earliest flight the next morning. We gave him the senior citizen's fare, which gave him some extra money for travelling. About this time he started to look very tired, and when I stepped around the counter to ask him if he was all right, I saw that his leg was wrapped in a bandage. He had been standing on it that whole time, holding a plastic bag full of clothes.
I called for a wheelchair. When the wheelchair came, we all stepped around to help him in, and I noticed a small amount of blood on his bandage. I asked how he hurt his leg, and he said that he had just had bypass surgery and an artery was taken from his leg. Can you imagine? This man had had heart surgery, and then shortly afterward, was dropped off at the curb to buy a ticket with no reservation to fly to New Orleans, alone!
I never really had a situation like this, and I wasn't sure what I could do. I went back to ask my supervisors if we could find a place for him to stay. They both said yes, and they obtained a hotel voucher for Mr. MacDonald for one night and a meal ticket for dinner and breakfast. When I came back out, we got his plastic bag of clothes and cane together and gave the porter a tip to take him downstairs to wait for the airport shuttle. I bent down to explain the hotel, food and itinerary again to Mr. MacDonald, and then patted him on the arm and told him everything would be just fine.
As he left he said, "Thank you," bent his head and started to cry. I cried too. When I went back to thank my supervisor, she just smiled and said, "I love stories like that. He is your Christmas Man." | high3878.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death"
},
"options": [
"the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death",
"the influence Shakespeare has on English",
"the achievements of William Shakespeare",
"Shakespeare's color1f... | April 23 marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death. Organizations in Britain have planned numerous events to honor him.
In Stratford-upon-Avon, his birthplace, the tourism organization has a great number of free events, including performances of Shakespeare's plays, and a dazzling fireworks display. And the BBC is broadcasting a live show from Stratfore-upon-Avon, celebrating Shakespeare's widespread influence on the world. In England's capital, the London Shakespeare Centre and King's College London are holding a series of public performances, exhibitions and activities. It isn't just England that honors the anniversary of the death of this extraordinary writer. In Washington, D. C., the Folger Shakespeare Library, which houses the world's largest collection of documents relating to William Shakespeare, is displaying a series of exhibitions.
Shakespeare is probably the most famous author who ever lived an is considered a genius by most. He wrote around 37 plays and 154 sonnets , and his work has been translated into over one hundred languages! He penned beautiful metaphors , serious dramas and amusing tales.
Shakespeare also invented many new terms and phrases. If someone's behavior suggested they were not being honest and should not be trusted, Shakespeare called their actions suspicious. If someone was being silly and perhaps looking like a fool, Shakespeare found their actions laughable. And Shakespeare called people who offered their opinions on the quality of something critics. Today, for instance, food critics and film critics give audiences their opinions of food and film. The familiar phrase "break the ice" comes from Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew. The "ice is broken" when a difficult conversation or meeting is calmed by some basic introduction, such as a simple game. More common words coined by Shakespeare include road, gossip, lonely, bump and hurry.
Four hundred years after his death, Shakespeare surely lives on, in everyday speech, as the most famous writer of all time! | high19963.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "kind-hearted"
},
"options": [
"kind-hearted",
"clever",
"active",
"strong"
],
"question": "A person with empathy is often _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Empathy lets us feel another person's pain and drives us to help. Do any other animals feel empathy? Scientists recently found that rats do, too.
Most people don't like rats. In many people's eyes, rats are only bad. But Jean Decety and his partners at the University of Chicago did an experiment. It showed that rats are kind, warm-hearted animals. They can feel each other's pain.
Scientists placed pairs of rats in plastic cages for two weeks. During this time they got to know each other. Then they put one of the rats from each pair into a small container in the cages. The small container had a door. It was so designed as to fall to the side when the free rat touched it. Many of the trapped rats squeaked to show their discomfort. The other rats of the pairs could see their suffering friends clearly.
In most pairs, the free rats would become very worried about their friends. They kept trying to save their friends again and again throughout the month. Scientists put the rats' favorite chocolate in the cages, but the rats didn't eat it until they had saved their friends successfully. Scientists also found that female rats seemed to act more empathetic than male rats.
"The results are the first to show that rats take action in response to another's trouble," Decety said. "Monkeys and chimpanzees have similar behavior. But unlike those animals, rats can be ready used in laboratory studies. They will help us to learn which parts of the brain lead to empathy and helping behavior and whether empathy is natural." | high16488.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "women had no right to vote"
},
"options": [
"women were not allowed to work with men",
"women had no right to vote",
"women could not go to college",
"women could not deliver speeches in public"
],
"question": "... | Jeanette Rankin was born on a ranch in Montana,USA in 1882.In those days,Montana was still a frontier state,and life there was hard.Men and women shared the difficult outdoor work.But young Jeanette noticed men and women were not equal in many ways.For instance, at election time, women were not allowed to vote.Jeanette thought this was not fair, and several years later, after graduating from college, she realized how to help change the situation.
First, she joined with other women.and gave speeches through the state.Thanks to their years of efforts, Montana women were finally allowed to vote.This experience changed Jeanette's life.She wanted do work for the welfare of women and children everywhere.She was now well-known throughout Montana, so she decided to run for the US Congress.In 1916,she became the first woman in the Congress of the United Staters.
Just six days after Rankin first attended Congress in 1917,American President Wilson called for a vote to go to war against Germany, as German submarines attacked American ships during World War I.When Jeanette was called upon to vote,she said,"I want to stand by my country, buy I cannot vote for war.I vote no."Forty-nine other congress members also voted no,but she was the person who was criticized most.Newspapers said her decision came from weakness and she was anti-American.
In the Second World War, Japanese warplanes attacked the American base at Pearl Harbor in 1941.The time came again for the US Congress members to vote for or against going to war.Everyone was waiting for Jeanette Rankin to vote, who rose and said,"As a woman, I can't go to war, so I refuse to send anyone else".Out of 471 members,she was the only member who voted against war.After that,she received thousands of letters.Most people criticized her, but some praised her for her courage.
Shortly before she died in 1973, she was asked if she regretted voting "no"to the two wars."Never,"she answered."If you are against war,you're against war regard less of what happens."
Today, in the US Congress Building,there is a statue of Jeanette Rankin.On the base of the statue are her words:"I cannot vote for war." | high21224.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To outline contrasting types of economic systems."
},
"options": [
"To outline contrasting types of economic systems.",
"To explain the science of economics.",
"To argue for the superiority of one economic system.",
"To... | There are various ways in which individual economic units can interact with one another. Three basic ways may be described as the market system, the administered system, and the traditional system.
In a market system individual economic units are free to interact among each other in the marketplace. It is possible to buy commodities from other economic units or sell commodities to them. In a market, transactions may take place via barter or money exchange. In a barter economy, _ goods such as automobiles, shoes, and pizzas are traded against each other. Obviously, finding somebody who wants to trade my old car in exchange for a sailboat may not always be an easy task. Hence, the introduction of money as a medium of exchange eases transactions considerably. In the modern market economy, goods and services are bought or sold for money.
An alternative to the market system is administrative control by some agency over all transactions. This agency will issue commands as to how much of each good and service should be produced, exchanged, and consumed by each economic unit. Central planning may be one way of administering such an economy. The central plan, drawn up by the government, shows the amounts of each commodity produced by the various firms and allocated to different households for consumption. This is an example of complete planning of production, consumption, and exchange for the whole economy.
In a traditional society, production and consumption patterns are governed by tradition; every person's place within the economic system is fixed by parentage, religion, and custom. Transactions take place on the basis of tradition, too. People belonging to a certain group or caste may have an obligation to care for other persons, provide them with food and shelter, care for their health, and provide for their education. Clearly, in a system where every decision is made on the basis of tradition alone, progress may be difficult to achieve. An inactive society may result. | high15181.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "considerate and understanding"
},
"options": [
"kind and satisfied",
"considerate and understanding",
"angry and unpleased",
"hopeless and boring"
],
"question": "From the text we can see the writer's attitude t... | People are always talking about "the problem of youth". If there is one--which I take leave to doubt--then it is older people who create it, not the young themselves. Let us get down to something basic and agree that the young are after all human beings--people just like their elders. There is only one difference between an old man and a young one: the young man has a beautiful future before him and the old one has a splendid future behind him and maybe that is where the _ is.
When I was a teenager, I felt that I was just young and unknown--that I was a new boy in a huge school, and I would have been very pleased to be regarded as something so interesting as a problem. For one thing, being a problem gives you a certain identity, and that is one of the things the young are busily engaged in seeking.
I find young people exciting. They have an air of freedom, and they have not a dull promise to mean ambitions or love of comfort. They are not anxious social climbers, and they have no devotion to important things. All these seem to me to link them with life, and the origins of things. It is as if they were in some sense from outside space and lovely contrast with us suburban people. All that is in my mind when I meet a young person. He may be ill-mannered, self-confident, but I do not turn for protection to boring cliches about respect for elders as if the age is a reason for respect. I accept that we are equals, and I will argue with him, as an equal, if I think he is wrong. | high6900.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Xi is set to discuss important bilateral problems"
},
"options": [
"Xi's five-day official trip",
"China-US cooperative partnership",
"Xi is set to discuss important bilateral problems",
"China and the US have more comm... | WASHINGTON----Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington,February 13,2012.Vice-President Xi Jinping said he would explore important problems in an active and practical manner with his America hosts on Monday during his five-day official trip here after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in the afternoon.
In a written statement given upon his arrival,Xi said as the international situation experiences complex and complete changes,China and the United States have more extensive common interests and shoulder more important common responsibilities on the present world stage.
The purpose of the current visit is to "carry out the important _ reached by President Hu with President Obama during his visit to the United States in January last year and to advance the building of the China--US cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit",said Xi.
According to Xi,bilateral relations have moved forward in spite of some twists and turns during the past several decades.
"This has brought enormous benefits to our two countries and two peoples,and has had a positive, far-reaching impact on peace,stability and the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large".
Xi said that"whether we can seize opportunities,tackle challenges and build a cooperative partnership at the new historical starting point matters to the future of our two countries and the world as a whole."
Xi said he looks forward to engaging in extensive dialogue and exchanges with Americans from various sectors to enhance cooperation and strengthen friendship.
Xi is scheduled to meet US senior government officials,including Henry Kissinger,Brent Scowcroft,Zbigniew Brzezinski,Madeleine Albright and Henry Paulson this evening to listen to their advice on China-US ties.
Meetings between Xi and US Vice-President Biden and President Obama are scheduled on Tuesday. | high523.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "By describing his own experiences."
},
"options": [
"By describing his own experiences.",
"By explaining a certain term.",
"By presenting a certain fact.",
"By giving figures."
],
"question": "How does the autho... | When I am feeling down, I listen to uplifting music to lift my spirits. When I want to calm down, I listen to Indian classical instrumental music. Many times, I look at contemporary Indian art - either in real art galleries or in virtual art galleries on the Web to improve my mood. I particularly like the paintings with vibrant colors or ones which present a calm landscape using gentle colors.
Art therapy uses the creation or viewing of art to help people discover and express their feelings. Unlike art for art's sake, which focuses on the finished piece, art therapy focuses on the process of creation itself. Art therapists believe that the act of making a piece of art _ internal activity that contributes to physical, emotional and spiritual healing. For people who are not able or ready to create art, going to an art museum or looking through art books or virtual art galleries can also be helpful. Simply viewing art refreshes the spirit and promotes relaxation.
Art therapy is helpful in healing in various ways. The aesthetic quality of the work produced can lift a person's mood, boost self-awareness, improve self-esteem and increase self-confidence. Also, research shows that physiological functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration , become slow when people are deeply involved in an activity they enjoy.
Because art therapy uses a language other than words, it is often employed in treating patients with physical or emotional illnesses who have difficulty talking about their fears or hopes, or about their anger and other strong emotions. The creation of art helps people get in touch with thoughts and feelings that are often hidden from the conscious mind.
Stress reduction is also a significant benefit. Studies have shown that repressing strong feelings can lead to a buildup of stress, and that stress can intensify pain and the symptoms of various diseases. Because art therapy helps people access their unconscious mind and release pent-up emotions, it has been found to be very useful in treating those suffering from stress and stress-related illnesses. | high12836.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "slimming down of the family"
},
"options": [
"how to lose more weight",
"the harm of being too fat",
"the reason of being too fat",
"slimming down of the family"
],
"question": "This passage mainly tells about_.... | As Paige watched the other kids playing football in her local park she longed to join in. But at nearly nine stone (1stone equals 6.35 kilograms), the 11-year-old was too big to enjoy her favorite sport, she was well on her way to being another overweight member of her family. Mandy, her mum was 17th 10 lb and Anne, her grandma 15th 10 lb.
Mandy, 39, and Anne, 67, both have a sweet tooth and share a love of all things stodgy. Recent figures show that two-thirds of kids will be dangerously fat by 2050, and overweight kids often become obese adults and live shorter lives as they are at higher risk of everything from heart disease to cancer and type-2 diabetes. Mandy says she knew things had to change for her and her family. Mandy's mum Anne had an even greater motivation for wanting to slim down. Last autumn Paige went along to the Slimming World to keep her mum and grand ma company. In the first week on the Slimming World eating plan, Mandy lost a whopping 9.5lb. Mandy asked Paige to join in. They believed the Free2Go plan is balanced and nutritious and doesn't deprive Paige of anything.
Supporting and encouraging each other the whole time, Anne, Mandy and Paige all whittled away their waistlines. Mandy says: "My back problems have cleared up." Anne has also noticed a real difference in her health. She says: "I feel like I've got my old energy back." Paige is almost as delighted with her new wardrobe as she is about her foot balling skills. Mandy adds: "I'm just so proud of Paige. I felt awful because I knew her weight problems were a result of my bad eating habits. But when I see her now it's like she's a different person." | high23355.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "rewriting the sign"
},
"options": [
"sitting together with him",
"rewriting the sign",
"teaching him some principles",
"raising money for him"
],
"question": "We can learn from the text that the man helped the b... | One morning, a blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, "I am blind. Please help me." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took out a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote something on it. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by could see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Are you the one who changed my sign this morning? May I know what you wrote?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth, I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was, "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."
Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was a blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. It reminded you to be thankful for what you have. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling. | high245.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "we might be controlled by other people's ideas"
},
"options": [
"it will be hard for us to think naturally and fast",
"we might be controlled by other people's ideas",
"we will follow the ideas of others naturally",
"we... | Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish choose to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes . Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.
The word "critical" here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen--beyond the pictures on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning.
Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker. If you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.
Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today's world: fast foods, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence , you may learn _ from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banesh Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein, Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, "Please go slowly. I don't understand things quickly." | high12188.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In a social science book."
},
"options": [
"In a medicine dictionary.",
"in a kids' story book.",
"In a social science book.",
"In a science textbook."
],
"question": "Where can you find this passage?",
"que... | We all know what it is like to be unable to turn your head because of a cold in the muscles of your neck, or because an unexpected twist has made your neck ache. The slightest move makes you jump with pain. Nothing could be worse than a pain in the neck.
That is why we use the phrase to describe some people who give you the same feeling. We have all met such people.
One is the man who always seems to be clapping his hands--often at the wrong time--during a performance in the theater. He keeps you from hearing the actors.
Even worse are those who can never arrive before the curtain goes up and the play begins. They come hurrying down to your row of seats. You are comfortably settled down, with your hat and heavy coat in your lap. You must stand up to let them pass. You are proud of yourself-control after they have settled into their seats...Well, what now...God, one of them is up again. He forgot to go to the men's room, and once more you have to stand up, hanging on to your hat and coat to let him pass. Now, that is " _ ".
Another, well--known to us all, is the person sitting behind you in the movies. His mouth is full of popcorn ; he is chewing loudly, or talking between bites to friends next to him. None of them remain still. Up and down, back and forth, they go--for another bag of popcorn, or something to drink.
Then, there is the man sitting next to you at lunch, smoking. He wants you to enjoy it too, and blows smoke across your food into your mouth.
We must not forget the man who comes into a bus or subway and sits down next to you, just as close as you will let him. You are reading the newspaper and he gets closer so that he can read the paper with you. He may even turn the paper to the next page before you are ready for it.
We also call such a person a " _ , always getting close to where it does not belong, like neighbors who watch all your visitors. They enjoy learning about your personal business. People have a strong dislike for "rubber necks". They hate being watched secretly. | high1909.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Whole grains."
},
"options": [
"Fatty meats.",
"Whole grains.",
"Cream sauces.",
"Cheeseburgers."
],
"question": "Which of the following is what you should eat more?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"ans... | Each of us can live strong,healthy,energetic lives for a long time to come.The key?Actually,there are many of them.
Eat fewer calories,but more food
Slimming down can help prevent disease,and cutting way back on the amount you eat may even slow the aging process.When nutrition researchers invited themselves over for dinner in kitchens across the globe-from Greece to Japan to the state of Pennsylvania--they discovered a stomach-satisfying secret to good health:Pile your plate high with vegetables and fruits,add respectable parts of beans and whole grains,and ignore high-calorie food like cheeseburgers,cream sauces,and fatty meats.
Use exercise as an anti-aging vaccine
Exercise can help you gain a better quality of life as you age.It's no secret that physical activity strengthens muscles,burn calories,and puts a happy bounce in your step.But recently,researchers discovered a new,extra benefit:Exercise acts as a powerful way against the aging process itself. When exercise physiologists put healthy people aged 60 to 85 on Weight-training programs for six months then tested them for signs of free-radical damage,they were surprised by the results.By the end of the study,low-intensity exercisers had a drop in free-radical damage,while high-intensity exercisers had a slight increase.
Find something interesting to do
Life is always busy no matter what your age.But the truth is,when people are retired,time usually does become more available for adults after 60.With this time come choices.The easy one is merely to relax:watch more TV,eat out more often,talk on the phone as much as you want.The better choice? Discover something more meaningful to devote yourself to and do it wholeheartedly. | high8093.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "200 grams"
},
"options": [
"50 grams",
"100 grams",
"150 grams",
"200 grams"
],
"question": "A red knot wading bird of 100 grams will probably weigh _ before making its nonstop migrating flight.",
"quest... | As skies are filled with millions of migrating birds, European scientists say the seasonal wonder appears to be strange: The fatter the bird, tile better it flies.
The results of their study led to a theory opposite to a central one of aerodynamics , which says that the power needed to fly increases with weight.
For birds, obviously, the cost of flying with heavy fat is much smaller than we used to think. Researchers found that red knot wading birds double their normal body weight of 100 grams before making their twice-a-year nonstop flight between the British Isles and the Russian Arctic. Distance: 5,000 kilometers.
Another study in the magazine Nature measured the advantage of flying in an aerodynamic group which allows birds to save energy by flying smoothly and quietly in the lead bird' s air stream.
Flying in groups, their heart rates were 14.5 percent lower than flying alone, according to Henri, a French scientist. The findings help explain how birds complete difficult migrations. Researchers had thought that thinner, stronger birds would have the best chance to survive.
The first study suggests that building up fat to be burnt as fuel during the migration is worth more than the energy it takes to carry the additional weight.
In the study, researchers said their team studied the birds flown at different body weights during 28 simulated flights. They forced a small amount of special water into the birds' bodies so that they could measure the amount of energy burnt during the flight. | high21542.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "All of its documents are computerized."
},
"options": [
". More clerks are employed there.",
"All of its documents are computerized.",
"Facilities of the museum are restored.",
"Workers are more creative than before."
... | The American Family Immigration History Center is an exciting new interactive area at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum where more than 100 million Americans may search for their family's beginnings in the New World. Now, for the first time, the passengers records of the ships that landed some 22 million immigrants, crewmembers and other passengers at the Port of New York and Ellis Island from 1892 to 1924 have been computerized, making it easier than ever to discover your own family history.
Five years in the making, the center was developed and funded by the Statue of the Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., which was responsible for the restoration and preservation of the Statue of the Liberty and Ellis Island, and the creation of the Immigration Museum.
For visitors to the Museum, the excitement begins at a welcoming kioskwhere you can enter ancestors' names and see if their arrival records are included in the database and are available in the History Center in the Museum's West Wing. Once inside the Center itself, in the very place where your ancestors (grand-grandparents) may have ended their long journey, you and your family can log on the one of 41 computers, type in name, and, within seconds, set in motion your own special journey of discovery.
Imagine the excitement you'll share with your family as you use the latest technology to sort through a vast computerized archive with millions of records, and see your family's own personal story in America come to life before your eyes.
Millions of hours were spent creating this vast database and, if you find your ancestors' names, you'll discover answers to questions you've always wondered about... What ship did my family members take? When did they arrive? How old were they? Were they married? Then, take these valuable records and create your own Family History Scrapbook, preserving forever the story of the past while keeping the legacy of your family alive. | high20884.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Punishment has double functions."
},
"options": [
"Punishment has double functions.",
"A thief may be referred to as an impolite person.",
"Punishment is not regarded as a deterrent.",
"There is lots of communal living ... | The idea of "law" exists in every culture. All societies have some kind of law to keep order and to control the interactions of people with those around them. The laws of any culture tell people three things: what they can do (their right), what they must do (their duties), and what they may not do. In addition, there are usually specific types of punishment for those who break the law.
Although all societies have laws, not all have the same idea of justice--which is "right" and "wrong" and how "wrong" should be punished. In most Western cultures, it is thought that punishing criminals will prevent them from committing other crimes. Also, it is hoped that the fear of punishment will act as a deterrent that prevents other people from committing similar crimes; in other words, people who are considering a life of crime will decide against it because of fear of punishment. In most non-Western cultures, by contrast, punishment is not seen as a deterrent. Instead, great importance is placed on restoring balance in the situation. A thief, for example, may be ordered to return the things he has stolen instead of, as in Western societies, spending time in prison.
Another difference in the concept of justice lies in various societies' ideas of what laws are. In the West, people consider "laws" quite different from "customs". There is also a great contrast between "sins" (breaking religious laws) and "crimes" (breaking laws of the government). In many non-Western cultures, on the other hand, there is little separation of customs, laws, and religious beliefs; in other cultures, these three may be quite separate from one another, but still very much different from those in the West. For these reasons, an action may be considered a crime in one country, but be socially acceptable in others. For instance, although a thief is viewed as a criminal in much of the world, in a small village where there is considerable communal living and sharing of objects, the word thief may have little meaning. Someone who has taken something without asking is simply considered an impolite person.
Most countries have two kinds of law: criminal and civil. People who have been accused of acts such as murder or theft are heard in the criminal justice system, while civil justice deals with people who are believed to have violated others' rights. The use of the civil system reflects the values of the society in which it exists. In the United States where personal, individual justice is considered very important, civil law has become "big business." There are over 600,000 lawyers in the United States, and many of them keep busy with civil lawsuits; that is, they work for people who want to sue others. If a man falls over a torn rug in a hotel and breaks his arm, for instance, he might decide to sue the hotel owners so that they will pay his medical costs. In a country like Japan, by contrast, there is very little use of the civil justice system. Lawsuits are not very popular in Japan, where social harmony is even more important than individual rights, and where people would rather reach agreement outside court. | high11481.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Many children ended there due to illegal trade."
},
"options": [
"Many children ended there due to illegal trade.",
"The children in it are all orphans.",
"It is a worldwide profitable organization.",
"It has many branc... | When his book Little Princes began, Conor Grennan was planning a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month volunteer service at the Little Princess Children's Home, an orphanage in Nepal.
Arriving there, Conor was immediately welcomed by all the children even though he had no previous experience in working with children. He quickly grew to love the job. But it wasn't long before Conor came to learn that the children were not orphans at all--they were actually children who had been separated from their parents by a child trafficker .
This realization turned Conor's global journey into a strong desire to try to find a way to reunite these children with their families. As a part of his efforts, Conor did a great amount of work when he was back in America. He started up a nonprofit organization called Next Generation Nepal (NGN), raising funds in order to buy a house in Nepal for another children's home. Then, back in Nepal, he began a life-changing trip into remote villages.
It is really amazing to read about Conor communicating with the children and to read his descriptions of each of them. He made me truly care about the kids. I wanted them to be able to reunite with their families, too! Unfortunately, this was simply not possible for some of the children. But there were some lucky ones. Jagrit, for example, had thought for years that both his parents were dead. So, Conor was surprised when he visited Jagrifs village and was introduced to the boy's father!
Conor successfully found many of the families of the children and also found his future wife while in Nepal. | high2757.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "By keeping humans busy."
},
"options": [
"By doing funny tricks.",
"By keeping humans busy.",
"By serving their owners.",
"By playing with their owners."
],
"question": "How do dogs bring happiness and health to... | Your dog is as smart as any two year old, according to a new study. Dogs bring much happiness to their owners, and even improve human health. Most two year olds keep us busy in life -- an important part of living a long and happy life. According to Stanley Coren, Ph.D.of the University of British Columbia, our dogs are smarter than we thought.
Dr.Coren reviewed many studies to find out that dogs are as smart as 2 to 2.5 year olds. Forget about one word orders -- according to Coren, the smartest dogs can learn up to 250 words. Most dogs understand an average of 165 words. "The upper limit of dogs" ability to learn language is partly based on a study of a Border Collie named Rico who showed knowledge of 200 spoken words, and 'fast-track learning', which scientists believed to be found only in humans and language-learning apes .
Dogs are also great at tricking. During play, they have the ability to trick humans and other dogs in order to get treats. "And they are nearly as successful in tricking humans as humans are in tricking dogs, saysCoren.
Dogs can also count to four or five, which might explain how they know when their toys are missing. Coren explains,"Their astonishing flashes of smartness and creativity are reminders that they may not be Ensteins, but are sure closer to humans than we thought."
Animals can do much to keep us happy, health, and protect us from harm. Stories of dog heroes can be found using a simple Internet search. Pets teach us sense of duty, keep us from loneliness, and can help with treatment of the disabled. Dogs are smarter than we thought -- as smart as a two year old. | high10210.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Sleep"
},
"options": [
"Sleep",
"Dreams",
"Good Health",
"Work and Rest"
],
"question": "A good title for this passage is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | After a busy day of work and play, the body needs to rest. Sleep is necessary for good health. During this time, the body recovers from the activities of the previous day. The rest that you get while sleeping enables your body to prepare itself for the next day.
There are four levels of sleep, each being a little deeper than the one before. As you sleep, your muscles relax little by little. Your heart beats more slowly, and your brain slows down. After you reach the fourth level, your body shifts back and forth from one level of sleep to the other.
Although your mind slows down, from time to time you will dream. Scientists who study sleep state that when dreaming occurs, your eyeballs begin to move more quickly (Although your eyelids are closed). This stage of sleep is called REM, which stands for rapid eye movement.
If you have trouble falling asleep, some people recommend breathing very deeply. Other people believe that drinking warm milk will help make you _ There is also an old suggestion the counting sheep will put you to sleep! | high5038.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He meant to introduce the topic of stress"
},
"options": [
"He wanted to talk about health problems in America.",
"He meant to introduce the topic of stress",
"He hoped to emphasize the stress in America",
"He wanted to... | America's No.1 health problem? A report published by the American Institute of Stress claims the biggest threat to health today is neither cancer nor AIDS. The report says: "It has been estimated that75-90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems"
It is no exaggeration to say that people today are being attacked by stress. According to the National Consumers League, " Work is the top source of stress for adults who have problems and stress in their lives (39%),followed by family (30%).Other sources include health (10%), concern about the economy (9%)and concern about international conflict and terrorism (4%)."
However , stress is hardly unique to the United States .A British survey in 2013 estimated that "over half a million individuals in Britain believed in 2012 that they were experiencing work -related stress at a level that was making them ill ." As a result of "work -related stress, depression or anxiety ,"there are "an estimated thirteen and a half million reported lost working days per year in Britain ."\
The picture is no less bleak in mainland Europe .According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work , "work-related stress has been shown to affect millions of European Workers across all types of employment sectors ." One survey revealed that there are "about 41 million workers affected by work-related stress each year."
What about Asia ? A report issued by a conference held in Tokyo concluded: " Job stress is a common concern among many countries in the world , both developing and industrialized countries ." The report observed that "several countries in East Asia , including China and Korea, have rapidly industrialized and economically grown .These countries now have a lot of concerns on job stress and its harmful effects on workers' health." | high4326.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It might be loaded with vegetables or fruits."
},
"options": [
"It could be stolen.",
"It might be loaded with vegetables or fruits.",
"Neighbors might borrow it.",
"Its owner would be warned by the guards."
],
... | It's that time of year when people need to lock their cars. Is it because there are many criminals stealing cars? Not indeed. Rather, it's because of good-hearted neighbors who want to share their harvest.
Sharon recently had a good year for tomatoes. She and her family had eaten and canned so many that they'd begun to feel their skin turn slightly red. That's when she decided it was time to share her blessings. Eventually she found a neighbor willing to have the tomatoes."Feel free to take whatever you want,"Sharon told her. Later that day, Sharon found that her garden had indeed been harvested. She thought it a good way to help someone and the food didn't go to waste.
A few days later, the neighbor knocked at the door, holding a loaf of bread:"I want to thank you for all of the tomatoes, and I have to admit that I took a few other things and hoped you wouldn't mind."Sharon couldn't think of anything in her garden that had been worth harvesting and said so."But you did,"the neighbor said."You had some of the prettiest zucchini."
Sharon was confused. She hadn't even planted any zucchini. But her neighbor insisted that there were bright green zucchini. Sharon's curiosity got the better of her and she had to go to see where the zucchini had grown. When the neighbor pointed at the long green vegetables, Sharon smiled."Well, actually, those are cucumbers that we never harvested, because they got too big, soft and bitter."
The neighbor looked at Sharon, shock written all over her face. She hesitated a few times, and then smiling, held out the bread, part of a batch she had shared all over the neighborhood,"I brought you a loaf of cucumber bread. I hope you like it." | high19552.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The prevention of weight gain"
},
"options": [
"The decrease of strokes",
"The prevention of weight gain",
"Fewer heart attacks",
"The drop in medical care cost"
],
"question": "Which of the following benefits d... | Salt plays an important role in our daily diet. Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict -how just three grams less a day would affect heart disease in the United States.
The result: Thirteen percent fewer heart attacks. Eight percent fewer strokes. Four percent fewer deaths. Eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease. And two hundred forty billion dollars in health care savings. Researchers found it could prevent one hundred thousand heart attacks and ninety-two thousand deaths every year.
The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo at the University of California San Francisco was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams,or one-half teaspoon, less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia University. Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodiu , which is how foods may list their salt content.
The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies, while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative.The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants. Critics call it government interference.
Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas, like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children's Research Institute shows that the calorie information on the menu can influence what parents order for their children. Ninety-nine parents of three to six year olds took part. Half had calories between the two groups for foods that the parents would have chosen for themselves. McDonald's menus clearly showing how many calories were in each food. Parents given the counts chose an average of one hundred two fewer calories when asked what they would order for their children. Yet there was no difference in calories between the two groups for foods that the parents would have chosen for themselves.
Study leader Pooja Tandon says even small calorie reductions on a regular basis can prevent weight gain over time.The study was published in the journal Pediatrics. | high3449.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "884-0658"
},
"options": [
"884-0658",
"692-2367",
"573-8115",
"692-7841"
],
"question": "If you want to be a volunteer for this Thanksgiving dinner, you may call _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | GREENWICH--Recently, a group of concerned Greenwich residents gathered to discuss how they could help those who may be alone during the holiday season.Armed with plenty of ideas and a sincere desire to do good, this group now refers to themselves as "A Random Act of Kindness".As members of this group, we are to put together a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day that will provide a free meal to those who are alone or can't provide for themselves.This task will require many resources to make it successful.We are gathering a small army of volunteers to devote their time to helping prepare, cook, serve, clean, organize and promote this event.We hope that you can help us.The following is what we have planned to do;
*A 2 - hour free dinner that will take place at the Greenwich VFW with 2 seatings, one from 1 p.m.to 2 p.m.and the other from 2: 30 p.m.to 3: 30 p.m.by reservation only on Thanksgiving Day.
*Amy McPhail and Julie Carroll are accepting names of volunteers as well as food donations for the cause; Amy can be contacted at 692 -7841 for donations and Julie can be contacted if you'd like to volunteer at 884 -0658.
*A bank account has been created through Glens Falls National Bank to accept money donations and checks can be made payable to "A Random Act of Kindness" and sent to Glens Falls National Bank c/o Dan Flynn.
*Ellen Pemrick ( Caterer) .Beth Anthony ( Beth's Cafe) and David Hughes (Glens Falls Hospital) will be consulted to make sure the highest quality of food can be served.
*We are looking to serve between 150 and 250 people at this event.We are serving the following: turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie.Beverages will include: milk, water, coffee & apple cider.
If you are interested in donating any of the above items, please drop off your donations at the VFW in Greenwich any evening between November 14 and November 24.If you have any problems dropping any items off during that time, please contact George Perkins at either 692 -2367 or 573 -8115.Any non-perishable food donalions not used for the dinner will be donated to the local Greenwich Food Pantry.
Any help you can provide for us would be gready appreciated.Everyone's generosity to the Greenwich community and its residents is very much appreciated.Reservations for dinner are now being accepted by calling Pal Perkins at 692 -2367 until November 13. | high12407.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Films will be shown during it."
},
"options": [
"It's more popular to the public.",
"Films will be shown during it.",
"It has a much earlier origin.",
"It's held every other year."
],
"question": "In what way is... | It is a beautiful evening in May.The lights shine and float across the surface of the water.The yachts are like floating nightclubs moving to the sound of the music, the laughter, and joyous mood of the parties.If it's May in Cannes, then it must be the Cannes Film Festival.
The Hollywood Oscars are the most famous film awards in the world.They receive the most publicity and they are the awards of which the public is most aware.However, they occur on one night of the year.and no films are shown.The Cannes Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all.genres from around the world.It lasts for almost two weeks, shows many films and is regarded by many who work in the film industry as the most important film.festival in the world.
In the 1930s, the French minister for education put forward the idea for an international film festival.In 1947, the festival was held in Cannes with sixteen countries taking part and the Cannes Festival, as we know it today, was born.A committee chooses films from countries all over the world.During the festival, a panel of judges chooses the best films in many different categories, for example best film, best short film or best film made by a student.
The setting for the festival adds to its beauty.Cannes is located on the French Riviera, which enjoys an average of 12 hours of sunshine a day in May and has mild winters.The festival benefits from the weather and all the usual attractions can be seen.at the festival.Cannes is also famous for its luxury restaurants and shops.It's not unusual to be sitting in a restaurant and to look across at the next table and see film stars and directors with their friends. | high23802.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Minnesota"
},
"options": [
"Minnesota",
"the Gulf of Mexico",
"Wisconsin",
"Iowa"
],
"question": "Where is the source of the Mississippi?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | The Mississippi is the major river system in the United States. The Yangtze is China's longest river.
Although a world apart, the two waterways share conservation concerns that provide a cultural bridge between students in the United States and China, as well as from around the world.
The Mississippi flows almost 3,800 kilometers from a small lake in Minnesota, gathering the waters of 250 other rivers and streams before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.
In mid-May, as spring flowers began to open, about 41 students from a dozen colleges, mostly in the Midwest, explored a section of the river in Wisconsin and Iowa, to learn about the environment, and each other.
The students, from the U.S., China and around the world, came to join the River Spirit Exchange program.
The cross-cultural educational experience - set up by the University of Wisconsin, Madison-based Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students - focuses on the Mississippi and China's longest river, the Yangtze.
This three day get-together featured story-telling, hiking, camping and canoeing, all part of a larger lesson about conservation projects that can be used on both the Yangtze and Mississippi.
While the students learned about the problems challenging the Mississippi and Yangtze, Jeb Barzen, a wildlife biologist, explained they should also learn about the importance of bridging each other's culture.
The president of the Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students, Xiaojun Lu, said the Mississippi and Yangtze Rivers are uniting these students from opposite ends of the earth.
Organizers say the success and spirit of this first gathering of students will lead to other trips, including one down the Yangtze. | high15368.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Nuclear energy is more environmental-friendly than other green energy sources."
},
"options": [
"Nuclear energy doesn't produce any greenhouse gases.",
"Nuclear energy can help prevent the climate damage.",
"Nuclear energy is... | Nuclear energy has always been controversial. But since the tsunami and nuclear disaster in Fukushima (Japan) last year the issue is back in the headlines. And the world is divided-- some countries are planning more nuclear plants, while others have promised to shut theirs down.
After Fukushima, Germany decided to switch off all its nuclear plants by 2022. Switzerland and Italy are also phasing out nuclear power. But France and the United States remain staunch supporters of atomic energy. In fact, almost 80% of France's electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. And in the US, the Obama administration said it "continues to support the expansion of nuclear power, despite the crisis in Japan."
Nuclear supporters claim nuclear power can help the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power doesn't create greenhouse gases. So, pro-nuclear countries argue that nuclear power allows them to generate energy without contributing to climate change. Britain's chief scientific adviser (John Beddington) supports this view. He recently said that the world doesn't have the luxury of ignoring nuclear energy.
Nuclear power is also relatively cheap. Renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and wind power may be clean, but they're expensive; and right now, they require a lot of investment. This higher cost of using "green energy" is usually passed onto the consumer. So, while many people may prefer their energy to come from a renewable source, not so many are prepared to pay higher energy bills. _ is of particular concern while the world economy is in such bad shape.
The main argument against nuclear energy is that it isn't safe. For a start, nuclear waste is very difficult to dispose of, and remains toxic to humans for thousands of years. And even before Fukushima, there were several high-profile nuclear disasters. The most famous is probably the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in the Ukraine. The radiation from the meltdown spread all over Europe, affecting thousands.
The nuclear energy issue is very complex. And it doesn't look like it'll be resolved anytime soon. As a Japanese commentator recently said, "it's been a bad year for the 'nuclear village', but I don't think they're down and out yet." The battle continues. | high912.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the type of a product is determined by its consumers"
},
"options": [
"goods are classified differently in different counties",
"the type of a product is determined by its consumers",
"Frenchmen often drink but Americans some... | The traditional distinction between products that satisfy needs and those satisfy wants is no longer adequate to describe classes of products. In today's prosperous societies, the distinction has become unclear because so many wants have been turned into needs.A writer, for instance, can work with paper and pencils. These are legal needs for the task.But the work can be done more quickly and efficiently with a word processor. Thus a computer is soon viewed as a need rather than a want.
In the field of marketing, consumer goods are classed according to the way in which they are purchased.The two main classes are convenience goods and shopping goods.Two lesser types are specialty goods and unsought goods. It must be emphasized that all of these types are based on the way shoppers think about products, not on the nature of the products themselves. What is regarded as a convenience item in France(wine,for example)should be a specialty goods in the United States.
People do not spend a great deal of time shopping for such convenience items as groceries, newspapers, toothpaste, aspirin, and candy. The buying of convenience goods may be done routinely, as some families buy groceries once a week. Such regularly purchased items are called staples. Sometimes convenience products are bought without enough thinking; someone has a sudden desire for an ice cream sundae on a hot day. Or they may be purchased as emergency items.
Shopping goods are items for which customers search. They compare prices. quality, and styles, and may visit a number of stores before making a decision.Buying an automobile is often done this way.
Shopping goods fail into two classes:those that are recognized as basically the same and those that are regarded as different. Items that are looked upon as basically the same include such things as home appliances, television sets, and automobiles.Having decided on the model desired, the customer is primarily interested in getting the item at the most favorable price. Items regarded as essentially different include clothing, furniture, and dishes. Quality, style and fashion will either take precedence over price, or they win not matter at all. | high14076.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she didn't get well paid at the end of the week"
},
"options": [
"the clothes made there didn't suit her taste",
"she really didn't like such a boring job",
"she wanted to get the right grades at school",
"she didn't ge... | My first job was working for a women's clothes manufacturer at the age of 15. It made me realize what I didn't want to do for my future employment.
The only advantage of this job was receiving a wage at the end of the week and sometimes getting clothes for free if they were to my taste. I carried on doing this for only a year, as my studies at school were getting more serious and I wanted to study more to get the right grades.
After I had finished college, my first real job was working for a play publisher in central London. I remember writing a letter of application for the post of administration for Samuel French Limited. I had put so much effort into writing it, not realizing that this would be my first step in the process of finding out what I really wanted to do for my future employment. I didn't think I would get the job, but as it turned out, I got a telephone call quickly and started a week later. I remember being excited that I would be working for a publisher in London. Although I had thought I would prefer to work for a book publisher, a play publisher was just as enjoyable.
Looking back now, not all first jobs turn out to be enjoyable. Some of my friends worked in supermarkets while they were at college just to earn a bit of money. I remember thinking how much happier I felt working in a clothes factory than in a supermarket.
Years later, I can see how good it is to experience work at an early age, as it gives people the opportunity to decide what kind of career will be most suitable for them one day. The boring task of a job will make a person want to pursue an education to get into the right type of employment, which was what I had realized in the end. | high9602.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth."
},
"options": [
"Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth.",
"Eating garlic is good for our eyes.",
"Swimming after a meal is dangerous.",
"Carrots prevent people from catching c... | "Old wives' tales" are beliefs passed down from one generation to another. For example,most of us remember our parents' telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking,but others have not passed the test of time.
Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration. Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic is good for you,too. It can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
Unfortunately, not all of Mom's advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems?Well, yes and no. Sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don't _ there is still a lot of truth in the old wives' tales. After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated from thousands of years of experience in family health care. We should respect this body of knowledge even as we search for clear scientific support to prove it true or false. | high1538.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "what you can make out of it after graduation."
},
"options": [
"whether you are interested in the subject.",
"if you can lead a happy life.",
"what you can make out of it after graduation.",
"How much you can learn in t... | When you consider what subject to study in college, chances are that you and your parents will think about what you can make out of _ after graduation. You will likely ask the question: "Can I find a well-paid job or simply a job with a degree in this in the future?"
This consideration also influences students when they come to choose between studying science or humanities at college. People generally believe that the humanities, which include literature , history, cultural studies and philosophy, do not prepare students for a specific vocation . Science subjects, however, are considered vocational courses that produce scientists, engineers and economists .
"I've decided to take finance as my college major. My parents and I think this subject will help me get a good job or start a business," said Huachen Yueru, 17, a science student at Wuxi No. 1 High School.
Even those who choose a liberal arts education often pick the humanities subject which they think will best help them later find a job.
"I'm going to study Spanish in college, which I believe will open doors to a high-paying job for me," said Liu Chao, 18, a Senior 2 student at Dalian No 20 High School. He said few of his classmates show interest in subjects like philosophy and history, which are seen as "less promising" in job markets.
The popularity of liberal arts subjects among college students has also been decreasing in the United States. American scholars and universities are concerned that in the ongoing economic crisis liberal arts subjects will be hit hardest. As money tightens , they worry that the humanities may become "a great luxury that many cannot afford", according to the New York Times. | high6257.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to see whether people's personality affects their life span"
},
"options": [
"to see whether people's personality affects their life span",
"to find out if one's lifestyle has any effect on their health",
"to investigate the ... | Why do some people live to be older than others? You know the standard explanations: keeping a moderate diet, engaging in regular exercise, etc. But what effect does your personality have on your longevity ? Do some kinds of personalities lead to longer lives? A new study in theJournal of the American Geriatrics Societylooked at this question by examining the personality characteristics of 246 children of people who had lived to be at least 100.
The study shows that those living the longest are more outgoing, more active and less neurotic than other people. Long-living women are also more likely to be sympathetic and cooperative than women with a normal life span. These findings are in agreement with what you would expect from the evolutionary theory: those who like to make friends and help others can gather enough resources to make it through tough times.
Interestingly, however, other characteristics that you might consider advantageous had no impact on whether study participants were likely to live longer. Those who were more self-disciplined, for instance, were no more likely to live to be very old. Also, being open to new ideas had no relationship to long life, which might explain all those bad-tempered old people who are fixed in their ways.
Whether you can successfully change your personality as an adult is the subject of a longstanding psychological debate. But the new paper suggests that if you want long life, you should strive to be as outgoing as possible.
Unfortunately, another recent study shows that your mother's personality may also help determine your longevity. That study looked at nearly 28,000 Norwegian mothers and found that those moms who were more anxious, depressed and angry were more likely to feed their kids unhealthy diets. Patterns of childhood eating can be hard to break when we're adults, which may mean that kids of depressed moms end up dying younger.
Personality isn't destiny , and everyone knows that individuals can learn to change. But both studies show that long life isn't just a matter of your physical health but of your mental health. | high14710.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they lack confidence"
},
"options": [
"they doesn't sleep well",
"they lack confidence",
"they doesn't know about the company",
"they are afraid to miss the chance"
],
"question": "People feel nervous while atte... | A recent research shows that most people while attending their very first or second interview face the problem of interview nerves. This interview nerves simply make them nervous and depressed. This mainly happens due to lack of confidence and belief in oneself. Most of them even suffer from sleepless nights.
They feel as if interviews are nothing but a questioning by an unknown person who will judge them by their answers. They simply can't understand or _ that the interviews are as beneficial for them as for the company.
To overcome these problems, people need to make their mind set for facing the interview full of confidence. This can be done by building up confidence that this job is for me only. They need to make preparations for the estimated questions to be asked in the interview. They also need to be familiar with a few details of the company like its products, vision, recent achievement, etc. This is just to have an upper hand in the interview so that you can explain that you are the right candidate for the company. One must be completely relaxed before the interview. Because stress is one of the major reasons which reduces one's performance ability.
Another way of getting over with your nerves is by a well known therapy called as hypnosis. Hypnosis is a very effective therapy which is generally used for curing nerves of Examinations, Interviews, Meetings, etc. Hypnosis mainly activates your subconscious mind so that you are extra alert and attentive what you are doing. Thus this gives you a lot more confidence to deal with.
Now here are some of the tips you must follow for your interview.
* You must be fully prepared for the interview and you must possess everything required.
* You must maintain a complete eye contact with the interviewer, because it will show your confidence.
* You must not do any nervous acts like being fidgety, fixing your tie or touching your clothes dress again and again.
* Be positive while talking and use your hands to express yourself.
* With hypnosis you can come in terms with such a situation and will be well prepared to face a barrage of questions that come your way. | high9164.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "diet as well as exercise enough"
},
"options": [
"try not to fit the clinic definition of obesity",
"diet as well as exercise enough",
"get little exercise every day",
"focus your attention on diet only"
],
"que... | More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese . In fact, over obesity has reached such proportions that one big-city mayor has gone about banning large-sized, sugary soft drinks and the First Lady has been on a campaign to control the dietary offerings in public schools.
Even many adults who do not fit the clinic definition of obesity are still overweight, and a large percentage are looking for the best ways to lose weight.
Reducing pounds largely comes down to the two-sided factors of diet and exercise. Not carrying out the first one enough, and not getting enough of the second one, ends up giving the individual a recipe for being overweight.
Advising someone to eat less and exercise more might be the easiest advice possible, but it's also, partially, an oversimplification. Dieting has more to do with the types of food you eat than how much you eat. Reduce the amount of red meat in your diet. If you don't want to eliminate red meat altogether, choose cuts of meat with less fat content. Limit your intake of salt and starches. If you've got to have potato chips alongside your sandwich at lunch, choose the baked potato chips that contain less fat than the deep-fried chips. You might find you're really not sacrificing that much in terms of taste.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, egg whites, fish and nonfat dairy products will certainly aid in the mission of losing weight. Drink more water and less sugary drinks. If you have to have a soda, a diet soda is a better option, but seltzer is an even better choice than that.
It's important--if not always easy--to make sure you get at least some physical activity each and every day. If your feet won't allow for a regular jogging regimen, then make sure you take lots of walks. Next time you need to mail a letter, walk to the mailbox instead of driving. Try to work in a daily walk in your neighborhood. | high7149.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "push the kids to memorize pieces of information"
},
"options": [
"prefer a lot of interaction and stimulation while teaching",
"teach in a lively way to motivate kids' interest",
"push the kids to memorize pieces of informati... | Pushy parents and teachers who "hothouse" the under-5s risk causing damage to the children's long term development, a leading education expert said.
Lilian Katz, Professor of Education at the University of Illinois, said that four-year-olds engaged in reading and writing went on to perform worse academically than those engaged in imaginative learning. They scored higher in tests at the age of 5, but children whose first year at school was stimulating _ them four years later.
The findings suggest that the government's structured approach to early years' learning could be storing up problems for children. They also raise serious questions about the plan for all children to be able to read by the age of 6.
In many countries formal teaching does not start until children are 6 or 7 and have improved their social and manual skills. Children start learning to read and write at 6 in the United States, France and Germany, and at 7 in Finland and Sweden.
Professor Katz said that in many schools the courses were "boring children to tears". Much academic teaching required children to learn by memorizing pieces of information out of context, she said. Teaching in reception class should instead allow children to develop their intellect by exploring their environments and asking questions.
"Research suggests the benefits of formal academic instruction for four- and five-year-olds seem to be promising when they are tested early, but considerably less so in the long term. When these children are followed over a period of three or more years, those who had early experience in more intellectually engaging curricula were more likely to do well in school than their peers, who had received early academic instruction." She advocates teaching children through first-hand experience and play, in mixed-aged classes. This can include puppet shows, drawing or running a pretend shop in the classroom. | high12361.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People with formal schooling plus work experience"
},
"options": [
"Students with a bachelor's degree in humanities.",
"People with an MBA degree from top universities.",
"People with formal schooling plus work experience",
... | If you know exactly what you want, the best route to a job is to get specialized training.A recent survey shows that companies like graduates in such fields as business and health care who can go to work immediately with very little on-the-job training.
That's especially true of booming fields that are challenging for workers.At Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, for example, bachelor's degree graduates get an average of four or five job offers with salaries ranging from the high teens to the low 20s and plenty of chances for rapid advancement.Large companies, especially, like a background of formal education coupled with work experience.
But in the long run, too much specialization doesn't pay off.Business, which has been flooded with MBAs, no longer considers the degree an automatic stamp of approval.The MBA may open doors and command a higher salary initially, _ .
As further evidence of the erosion of corporate faith in specialized degrees, Michigan State's Scheetz cites a pattern in corporate hiring practices.Although companies tend to take on specialists as new hires, they often seek out generalists for middle and upper-level management."They want someone who isn't constrained by nuts and bolts to look at the big picture, " says Scheetz.
Time and again labor-market analysts mention a need for talents that liberal-arts majors are assumed to have:writing and communication skills, organizational skills, open-mindedness and adaptability, and the ability to analyze and solve problems.David Birch claims he does not hire anybody with an MBA or an engineering degree, "I hire only liberal-arts people because they have a less-than-canned way of doing things, " says Birch.Liberal-arts means an academically thorough and strict program that includes literature, history, mathematics, economics, science, human behavior-plus a computer course or two.With that under your belt, you can feel free to specialize."A liberal-arts degree coupled with an MBA or some other technical training is a very good combination in the marketplace, " says Scheetz. | high11668.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People shop in nearby stores without having to drive, so small businesses are declining."
},
"options": [
"More people prefer to travel on public transportation which costs less than driving cars.",
"People return to the traditiona... | "Extra? Extra!Gasoline hits four dollars a gallon!"
No one will really be shockedexcept, perhaps, the old-timers who tell about the good old days when gas was three gallons for a dollar, and people drove around "just for the fun of it".
As a matter of fact; the price of gas has been rising fast and steadily for several years, and many adjustments have already been made.
There was, for a time, considerable unemployment in the auto industry, and three quarters of the garages and service stations have gone out of business. However; the bicycle and motor-scooter business has flourished ; and many people have found employment there: Now that Federal Motors has brought out its new Lilliput, which travels forty miles on a gallon, the auto business is picking up again. The factories that haven't switched over to two-wheel transportation are working on their new smaller models. There is talk, too, about bringing out new steam and electric automobiles that will be just as economical as the old cars.
In the meantime, streetcars are gradually replacing buses all over the country because of the greater economy of electric power. And many people who have seldom used public transportation are now riding the streetcars while their automobiles rust in their garages. There's no market at all for their big, luxurious cars, for only the wealthy can now afford to operate them. Many people are now shopping in their own neighborhood, and small businesses are thriving.
Ministers, educators, and editorial writers are pointing out that there has been a great improvement in family life. Families now stay at home more for their fun, and children and parents are becoming better acquainted. The stores report a booming business in parlor games, hobby materials, books, musical instruments and albums.
People have lost their pale indoor look. The revival of the lost art of walking has brought a healthy pink back to many a cheek. This return to the heels has revolutionized the clothing styles; people now need to be ready for all kinds of weather:
These conditions, however, may not last. Already our clever chemists are at work on new synthetic fuels which, they say, will put us right back where we wereon wheels. Shall w e wish them success or not? | high5986.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to travel safely"
},
"options": [
"to fly freely",
"that the planes arrive on time",
"to fly at a fast speed",
"to travel safely"
],
"question": "The writer thinks that the most important thing for the passenger... | People who travel a lot fly with BA because they know they will get what they want and what they need. First of all, they want to go safely, and they also want to go quickly, across the country, across the sea, or right across the world -- and they know BA will take them where they want to go, when they want to go. BA flies all the newest and fastest planes, to more towns and cities, in more countries of the world, than any other airline.
Do you want to go to Paris, Washington, or Beijing? BA will take you there, at all time of the day and night, right through the week. BA flies not only to the big cities, we also fly three or four times a week to towns and cities in the very heart of Asia, Africa and South America.
People who travel a lot fly with BA, because they know that they will leave on time, and arrive on time. They know the food they will receive and the films they will watch will be of the very best.
. When you fly, fly with BA. | high16107.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "saying things out aloud"
},
"options": [
"saying things out aloud",
"taking notes",
"studying the middle",
"sleeping on it"
],
"question": "You can notice your mistakes by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_qu... | How to Study Smarter, Not Harder
Here are some of our favorite study tips that will help any student study smarter, not harder:
Recite As You Study
Reciting--saying things out loud should first take place as you read through each paragraph or section. Test yourself. This will help you to understand as well as learn faster because it is more active than reading or listening. It will also help you to notice your mistakes and the topics you have trouble understanding.
Take Fuller Notes
Notes should be in your own words, brief and clear. They should be tidy and easy to read. Writing notes will help you better than just underlining as you read, since it forces you to rewrite ideas in your own words.
Study the Middle
The best time to review is soon after you've learned something. You are more likely to remember the material at the beginning and the end of the lesson, so make sure you focus on the middle when you review.
Sleep On It
Study before going to bed, unless you are very tired. It's easier to remember material you've just learned after sleeping than after an equal period of daytime activity, because your brain continues to think even after you've fallen asleep.
Combine Memory and Understanding
There are two ways to remember: by memorizing and by understanding. Multiplication tables, telephone numbers, and math formulas are better learned by rote. Ideas are best learned by understanding.
The more ways you have to think about an idea, the more meaning it will have; the more meaningful the learning, the better you can remember it. Pay attention to similarities in ideas and concepts, and then try to understand how they fit in with things you already know. Never be satisfied with anything less than a completely clear understanding of what you are reading. If you are not able to follow the thought, go back to the place where you first got confused and try again. | high4440.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "let people know more about spring peepers"
},
"options": [
"tell people what spring peepers look like",
"let people know more about spring peepers",
"explain why spring peepers sing",
"show environmental harmony in natu... | Spring peepers are found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near pools in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States. These loud animals are rarely seen, but as temperatures begin to rise in March and April, the males certainly are heard. Their peep...peep... peep creates an other-worldly whistling sound that, to many, is the first sign of spring, compared with that of some birds.
Spring peepers are brown in color1 with dark lines that form an X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large special toes for climbing. These creatures are active at night, coming out to feed on ants, beetles, flies, and spiders.
When the warmer weather arrives, male frogs attempt to attract a mate with a spring song. The frogs normally perform in singing. The one who starts each round usually has the deepest voice. The "vocal sacs" under their mouths allow the frogs to "sing". They fill their vocal sacs with air until they look like a balloon, and then they let out a "peep" as they release the air. They "peep" about once every second. These sounds can often be heard as far as a half-mile away
After a female and male peeper mate, the female lays her eggs in water and spends the remainder of the year in the forest. During the winter, they sleep under logs or behind loose bark on trees. The music dies down during the cold months, but the sounds of peepers will soon be heard again, sounding the coming of spring. | high19234.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Not all the participants were required to tell the truth."
},
"options": [
"People who tell lies are healthier than those who don't.",
"Being honest can help cure sore throats and headache.",
"Not all the participants were re... | Telling fewer lies benefits people physically and mentally. Anita Kelly, study author and professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, recruited 110 adults for her study. She divided them into two groups and asked one group to stop lying for 10 weeks. Lies included big ones and tiny ones--any false statement--but participants were still allowed to leave out the truth, keep secrets and avoid questions they didn't want to answer, etc. The other group wasn't given any special instructions about lying.
It turns out that both groups reduced their lying, but those who were specifically told to tell the truth improved their health more. "We found that the participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health," said Kelly.
When participants in the no-lie group told three fewer white lies than they did in other weeks, they experienced, on average, fewer mental-health complaints and physical complaints. They were less likely to feel tense or sad and also experienced fewer sore throats and headaches. They also reported that personal relationships improved. Additionally, participants found themselves being honest about their daily accomplishments, and they stopped making up excuses for being late or failing to complete a task, for example.
"It's certainly a worthy goal to have people be more honest and interact with others in a more honest way," says psychologist Robert Feldman. "That would be beneficial. I'm a little doubtful that it makes us all healthier, but it may make us healthier in a psychological way." | high17219.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because for the writer all was interesting."
},
"options": [
"Because the writer felt lonely.",
"Because the writer had nothing to do.",
"Because for the writer all was interesting.",
"Because the writer missed his pare... | Do you like keep a diary? When I entered the university, I began to keep a diary. I can find the first day in the university was filled with excitement and also sadness.
As I was afraid that parents were worried about me,I pretended to be OK in front of them.But after saying Goodbye,I turned my back,tears falling down.Then I entered the new dormitory,feeling a little sad.I still remember, the first night was terrible! The following days were better, and I started to taste the freedom and happiness with a lot of friends all day.And the everyday diary was full of joy! I recorded almost everything happened during the days.I even recorded what I had eaten.For me, all was interesting.
So far, I have recorded about 220 diaries.The diary is just like a treasure.Many years later, when I open the diary, I am opening the door of memory, going back to those good old days.However, _ One of my friends ever said to me,"I don't keep a diary. I prefer to put things aside in my mind. Only those time--tested are worth remembering forever,And as for the rest to be forgotten,just let them go..."Maybe,he is right.I think everyone has his own way to remember some special things.No matter what you sort to,the important key is to preserve the time of your life forever.Some day,when you date back to it,you'll remember the past. | high21973.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "to look into the matter"
},
"options": [
"to change his job",
"to have Bi Fujian fired",
"to look into the matter",
"to make him apologize"
],
"question": "According to the passage, CCTV's response when the inc... | A popular CCTV host's "improper remarks" that were caught on video at a dinner party have led to an investigation into the incident and a suspension of his programs.
The video, released online on Monday, showed host Bi Fujian using vulgar words about Chairman Mao Zedong while singing in the style of Peking Opera, enraging some netizens and causing a stir on the Internet.
CCTV said on its micro blog on Wednesday that it will investigate the incident, which it said many have found disturbing.
Bi's programs will stop being broadcast until at least Sunday, as his comments in the video have seriously damaged the broadcaster's image, Huaxi Metropolis Daily quoted a CCTV staff member as saying.
The CCTV employee said it is uncertain whether the programs can be broadcast again after Sunday, the report added.
Bi, 56, is popular for a hosting style that engages the audience. He has hosted the CCTV Spring Festival Gala since 2012, as well as a popular talent show involving Westerners speaking Chinese. The cancellation was the first decision after Nie Chenxi was named CCTV president on Tuesday, the report said, adding that Nie had ordered all staff members to strictly correct work styles.
A micro-blogger named Zhou Junchi said that free speech doesn't mean it is OK to defame others, adding that Bi's comments were not proper for a popular host. Cheng Manli, a professor specializing in communication at Peking University, echoed Zhou, saying Bi should pay more attention to his behavior and speech as a public figure.
"It does not mean we cannot share our opinions, but using ugly words and sarcasm to comment on Chinese leaders who have passed away is improper," Cheng said.
"The actions and words of celebrities are easily broadened in today's Internet era, which is open and can have a huge influence, so it is a must for the public figures to _ the quality of their speech and behavior. Otherwise, their images will be affected, such as the stars who were recently punished for drug use," she said.
"Everyone should take responsibility for what he or she says in public and online. It's better, I think, to share different ideas in a normal way," she suggested. But she added that the party in the video seemed private, "so its release is also improper to some extent."
The video was recorded by someone sitting on Bi's right, but who it is and why the video was put online is unknown. | high10576.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Re-remembering -- Remember what you have forgotten"
},
"options": [
"Forgetting -- You can never really forget",
"Drawing -- The better way to remember things",
"Re-remembering -- Remember what you have forgotten",
"Rep... | The secret in re-remembering is to allow the full power of your memory to flow freely without "trying" to remember any one specific thing.
I recently sat down to a relaxed and enjoyable dinner with some friends. At the beginning of the meal, a friend told us that his car had just been broken into and his briefcase had been stolen. He was frustrated because his diary and a number of other items important to him were in the briefcase. He said he could remember only four items that were in his stolen briefcase, that he knew there were many more, that he had to give a full report to the police within two hours, and that the more he tried to remember the more blocked he became.
Several of us at the table who were familiar with Memory Principles then took him through the following exercise; instead of continuing to allow him to think of what he could not remember, we asked him when he had last had his briefcase open. It turned out that it was at the office just before he left work, at which point he suddenly remembered that he had put two important magazine articles in the briefcase. We then asked him when he had last had the briefcase open before leaving home for work. It turned out to have been the night before, and he remembered having put in two more articles as well as a tape recorder, in preparation for the following morning. Finally we asked him to describe the inner design of his briefcase, and as he went through a detailed description, he remembered pens, pencils, letters and a number of other items that he had completely "forgotten" before.
Within 20 minutes, he remembered 18 additional items. The secret is to "forget about" whatever you are trying to remember and " _ " all experiences that connect in any way with the item you are trying to remember. This method works at once almost in all cases, and takes the form of a created Mind Map around the "missing" center.
This memory method, like the others, improves your memory as well as your creativity, and in addition gives you confidence when you realize that, no matter what you have forgotten, there is still a chance to solve any memory mystery ! | high5992.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the rich countries"
},
"options": [
"the rich countries",
"scientific development",
"the local government",
"the world economy"
],
"question": "From the passage we know that the development of high technology is... | Cyberspace, data superhighway, multimedia, for those who have seen the future, and the linking of computers, televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever. Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia, little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor. As for all the new high technology, the West concerns itself with the "how", while the question of "for whom" is put aside once again.
Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy. Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries, and transnational corporations take full advantage of it. Terms of trade and exchange, interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods. The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets -- with a destructive impact on the havenots.
For them the result is unstable. Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine. As "futures" are traded on computer screens, developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.
So what are the options of regaining control?One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications. Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints ( ,) on developing countries' economies.
Communication technology is generally exported from the US, Europe or Japan;the patents, skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries. It is also expensive, therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain. | high16113.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "sales business"
},
"options": [
"aircraft production",
"shipbuilding",
"sales business",
"defense industries"
],
"question": "Before World War II,women in the USA had jobs mostly related to_.",
"question_typ... | USA's participation in World WarIIbrought major changes to the lives of American women. Before the war,there had been a huge pool of female labour,consisting largely of young,single women. Many jobs were closed to them and they were effectively restrictetl to working in domestic service and selling-goods business. Wartime production requirements,however,combined with the loss of the men who entered the military,provided women with the opportunity to move into a far wider range of jobs.
The response to the US govemment's request for more women workers was amazing and the changes marvelous.ln 1941,there were 14.6 million women workers; by 1944 the number had grown to over 19.4 million. At one point during those wars,more than 50 percent of American women worked and by 1945 half of all women workers were over 35 years old.
Women were particularly active in the defense industries. Between 1940 and 1944 women working in enterprises that produced goods increased by 141 percent. In Detroit in 1943 ,'omenmade up 91 percent of the new hirings in 185 war plants. Over 10 percent of all shipbuilders were women. Most of these jobs came with a "pink-slip" attached,as women understood that they would be dismissed when the men returned from the war. Women were also frustrated by unfair pay differentials,for men were paid more money for doing the same job. With the end of the war and armymen being sent home,women were released twice as fast as men. In 1945, three-quarters of the women in aircraft and shipbuilding were let go,and women in the car industry decreased from 25 percent t0 7 percent. Although women found their work satisfying and liberating,postwar publicity focused on women's duty to help the returning soldiers fit in with society by "making him the man of the home again". When the war ended,many women left work to take up the duties of homemaking and raising children. | high19220.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Practise Speaking English All the Time"
},
"options": [
"How to Speak to Foreigners",
"How to Study English Well",
"How to Organize the Idea in English",
"Practise Speaking English All the Time"
],
"question": "... | Many Chinese students who have learnt English for more than ten years are still unable to speak English very well when they meet a foreigner. They seem to have mastered the basic language structure , but a conversation in English will make them feel uneasy. They are afraid that other people might find out their mistakes.
It's uncommon that many students who are bad speakers of English can write English perfectly. This proves that they are unable to organize their idea in English. The center of the problem is that they lack practice and confidence ( ).
Why should you be afraid? Do you fear those foreigners with whom you are speaking? Don't be shy, they will not laugh at you just for a little mistake you make. The best way to get rid of trouble is to learn to speak by speaking more. I am sure that constant practice will help you succeed. | high4454.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to show his friendliness to her"
},
"options": [
"to show his friendliness to her",
"to show his interest in reading",
"to tell her about the importance of UN",
"to let her write her name and address inside"
],
... | My friends, Emma Daniels, spent the summer of 1974 traveling in Israel. During her monthlong stay in Jerusalem she often went to a cafe called Chocolate Soup. It was run by two men, one of whom - Alex - used to live in Montreal. One morning when Emma went in for coffee, while chatting with her new friend Alex, she mentioned that she had just finished the book she was reading and had nothing else to read. Alex said he had a wonderful book she might like, and that he'd be happy to lend it to her. As he lived just above the cafe, he quickly ran up to get it. The book he handed to Emma just minutes later was Markings, a book by a former Secrcetary-General of the United Nations (UN).
Emma had never read it, nor had she ever bought a copy. But, when she opened it up, she was floored to see her own name and address inside the cover in her own handwriting.It turned out that the summer before, at a concert back in Montreal, Emma had met a Californian who was in town visiting friends. They decided to exchange addresses, but neither of them had any paper. The man opened up a book he was carrying in his backpack and asked Emma to write her name and address inside. When he returned to California, he left the book behind in Montreal, and his friend Alex kept it. When Alex later moved to Jerusalcm, he took the book along. | high2025.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the difficult situation a teenager face"
},
"options": [
"the differences between a teenager and a grown-up",
"the usual opinions of teenagers",
"the difficult situation a teenager face",
"how to deal with teenagers"
... | People say teenagers are no good.They make too much noise in.shops; they drive wildly up and down the streets.And at times,some of these things are true.But there are also hard moments in the life of a teenager.
A teenager is neither a lovely child,nor a respectable grown up person.The members of her family consider a teenager a source of trouble.She feels that she has grown up.But she is told that she is just a child and she knows nothing.She sees her elders doing what they like. When she wants to do what she likes,the elders tell her that she should do only what she is told to do. To be a teenager means to be everybody's servant and nobody's master.Elders in the family and in the neighborhood order a teenager to run errands for them.(...) If he refuses to carry out the orders of his eiders,he is scolded.He may even be punished.He is criticized for all that he says and does.If he behaves like a child,he is told that he is grown up and that he should not be childish,If he behaves like a grown up mall,he is told that he is disrespectful.
A teenager becomes a lonely creature in the family.Children enjoy all the love of the elders in the family.The teenager gets no love and no respect.So she often runs away from home and finds some joy in the company of the girls of her age.
_ .There are too many rules and regulations for us to obey.It hasn't yet occurred to us to run a zigzag pattern.Although we teenagers have miserable time with our family members and elders,we have a very good time with our friends and in schools and colleges.So we teenagers spend most of our good time and have fun with our friends and classmates rather than with parents. | high21967.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "by Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan"
},
"options": [
"by some crazy Internet users",
"to refer to a kind of product",
"by Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan",
"to expresssome special meaning"
],
"question": "From the passag... | If you want to express something so unbelievable that it must have been a special effect, you have a new word to add to your vocabulary.
It's "Duang", an onomatopoetic word which doesn't relate to any particular Chinese character and refers to a special effect.
A video parody adapted from a shampoo commercial featuring Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan spread quickly online, leading Internet users to invent the new word.
The video begins with Chan flashing his black, smooth hair, which would have been perfect except that it was not his real hair.
Next, a self-satisfied Chan admits, to the repetitive, rhythmical sounds of "Duang", "I refused to approve of this product when they first came to me because of my thin hair, but the director insisted, saying special effects could be used to make my hair look healthy on the screen. Now you see, it's all special effects. It's not real."
The original advertisement became the target of punishment by the government for over- spreading the effects of the shampoo after it was broadcast in 2004.
"Duang" has now become one of the hottest topics on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like Chinese social network site among those crazy ones imitating Jackie Chan's speech in different situations.
The actor's Weibo account was flooded with comments containing the word in this sweeping online trend.
The video came at a time when the famous movie star has been under public attention after trying to save the ill image of his son, Jaycee Chan, who was released from prison this week.
Data from Baidu, the major Chinese search engine, also proved the phrase's popularity as it has been searched more than 586,000 times within two days.
The word of geili's sudden rise in 2010 caught the attention of international media when it made up for the word's official translation-geilivable-to describe something cool or awesome.
It's not the first time that online word has become a regular vocabulary in China. | high10562.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It is now one of the world's heritage sites."
},
"options": [
"It is the Europe's largest and greatest palaces.",
"It is the largest royal building in England.",
"It is now one of the world's heritage sites.",
"It was b... | Introduction
Blenheim Palace is one of the Europe's largest and greatest palaces. It was built between 1705 and 1722 as a reward of the British government to John Churchill, 1stDuke of Marlborough, for defeating King Louis XIV's army at Blenheim, a small Bavarian village on the Danube River.
The palace was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, which displayed strength and arm glory. It is the largest non-royal building in England and is now listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Winston Churchill
In 1874, the palace was the birthplace of the duke's most famous _ . Winston Churchill, who was to become the UK's Prime Minister (some would say Britain's greatest 20th-century politician ) and Nobel prize winner for literature. It is also in Blenheim that Winston got married to Clementine Hozier in 1908.
A lasting exhibition is devoted to the man's life, work and writings. Winston and his wife are buried in Bladon Church within the palace.
Opening Hours & Admission
Blenheim is still the home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and is therefore not open all year round (although the park is). The palace opens its doors to visitors from 12 February to 11 December. Entry to the palace, park and gardens cost PS11.50 during the low season and PS13 during the peak season (Easter weekend and from 28 May to 11 September), or PS6/PS8 for the park and gardens only.
The park is open all-year round from 9am to 4:45pm (last entry). Admission is PS2.50 for adults and PS1.50 for children.
Note that numerous discounts exist for seniors, students, children and groups. Please refer to the official website for more details. | high14704.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the changes brought by eco-tourism may be harmful."
},
"options": [
"eco-tourism cause damage to the natural homes of wildlife.",
"it is easy for eco-tourists to build up trust with wide animals.",
"the changes brought by eco... | Visiting animals in their natural homes may sound like a great idea that helps to save them, but is it ?
Researchers writing in Trends in Ecology & Evolution on Oct9 said that the interactions between wild animals and friendly eco-tourists who want to take their pictures may put animals at greater risk of being eaten.
It is clear that many people visit protected areas every year. "Recent data showed that protected areas around the globe have 8 billion visitors per year; that's like each human on Earth visited a protected area once a year, and then some!"said Dainel Blumstein of the University of California, Los Anglels. "This amount of nature tourism and eco-tourism can be added to the long list of ways in which humans cause fast environmental change.
The basic idea of the report the report is that humans change the ways animals act and those changes might affect other parts of their lives, according to Science Daily. Those changes in behavior and activity may put animals at risk.
"When animals spend time in 'harmless' ways with humans, they may let down their guard," Blumstein said. As animals get used to feeling comfortable with humans, they may become braver in other situations, he says . "If this bravery continues when they meet real predators , then they will die more often when they meet them."
Eco-tourism is in some ways similar to making animals live in human homes or in cities. In all three cases, regular interactions between people and animals tame. Evidence has shown that silver foxes that live with people become more laid-back and less fearful; this results from evolutionary changes but also from spending time with humans. Simply put , as Blumstein asked in the Scientific American magazine:"Does eco-tourism make animals _ ?"
And that's not all - humans can also scare away natural predators , creating the so-called "human shield effect" and a safe environment for smaller animals that might make them braver, too. When humans are around, for example, vervet monkeys don't see as many leopards trying to eat them.
Blumstein says they hope to do more research into humans' interactions with wildlife. Scientists will "now have to understand better how different species and species in different situations react to humans and when humans might put them at risk. | high12375.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he is physically disabled as a result of a disease"
},
"options": [
"he is just a world famous violinist",
"he has never performed on stage before",
"he is physically disabled as a result of a disease",
"he has difficul... | On November18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the world famous violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Lincoln Centre in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is not easy for him. He got polio as a child, and has to walk with the aid of two crutches now.
That night Perlman walked slowly to his chair. Then he sat down and began to play. But, suddenly, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it break---it broke with a loud noise.
People thought to themselves, "He would have to get up to either find another violin or find another string for this one."
But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he played from where he had stopped. He played with such passion and such power.
Of course, everyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. But that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that. You could see him changing and recomposing the piece in his head.
When he finished, there was a silence in the room. Then people rose and cheered. We were all on our feet, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done.
He smiled and then he said in a quiet tone, "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can make with what you have left."
His words have stayed in my mind ever since I heard them. That is also the way of life. Perhaps our task in this quickly changing world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left. | high12413.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Some words on the papyrus show Jesus called a Christian \"wife\"."
},
"options": [
"The debate between scientists and religious experts gets this result.",
"Some words on the papyrus show Jesus called a Christian \"wife\".",
... | Scientists and religious experts are debating the value of a small piece of papyrus that found its way to a researcher in the United States. The piece of paper raises an ages-old question about Jesus, whose life and teachings form the heart of Christianity. Could Jesus have been married?
Harvard Divinity School Professor Karen King recently explained the Coptic wording on the papyrus. She says the words mean that Jesus called Mary Magdalene, an early Christian, "my wife." She says he did this while speaking to his disciples, or followers.
"I don't think that this text is that significant. There are so many barriers for it to get over. You've got to show that it's reliable, and there are real questions about whether that text is reliable."
Professor Bock expresses other concerns about the papyrus. For example, he says, there is not enough writing on it to establish the real meaning of the words. He says the word "wife" may not mean "wife" in the traditional way. And, he says the papyrus is just one text showing that Jesus might have been married.
"And then you've got the fact that this is one text out of many, many, many texts that don't indicate that Jesus was married. And I think had Jesus been married, the early tradition about Jesus would have reflected that." | high23816.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Wikipedia"
},
"options": [
"Wikipedia",
"SAS Flash Cards",
"Kindle Reader",
"My Study Life"
],
"question": "If you want to know of Rafael Nadal you can use _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | Today, children start to use computers, smart phones and tablets from a very young age. Many parents and child experts believe that this is very wrong. They claim that early exposure to technology can make individuals lazy and distracted. That may be true, but there it is practically impossible to change the world we live in now. _ . That is Microsoft's Windows 8 App Store. One of its applications is entirely educational, Windows 8. There, students of all ages can find apps that can greatly help them in their studies. We have prepared the 4 best of them.
Wikipedia--Wikipedia is the first place where students search for information. The articles on the popular website are updated regularly and they include many details, figures and resources. With this app, you can access Wikipedia faster than ever.
SAS Flash Cards--One of the most effective ways to learn your school or university material is by using the so-called "flash cards". This app, however, allows users to create an entire set of cards in a matter of minutes. Also, the cards can be divided into different subject categories, which makes studying easier and more fun than ever before.
Kindle Reader--If you don't have a Kindle e-Book reader, you can use your Windows 8 device. Just install this app and the Kindle word will land in your smart phone, tablet or laptop. With the Kin-die Reader W8 app, you can also organize and store all of your favorite books.
My Study Life--This application is the mobile version of the website My Study Life. The app can be very useful for students in terms of school and university organization. There you can store all the information you want like homework, assignments and papers. In addition, you can create your own school calendar that will remind you of your upcoming exams, for instance.
There is one main reason why these Windows 8 apps are appropriate for students. Apart from useful, they are completely free! All you need to do is go to Microsoft's Windows 8 App Store, download the applications you want and install them onto your device. | high6525.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She lost her daughter in a road accident."
},
"options": [
"She was seriously injured in a car crash.",
"She lost her daughter in a road accident.",
"She broke the traffic rules at a bus stop",
"Her vehicle was destroye... | Patricia Blues, 29, has a new aim in life: to keep drivers' hands on their steering wheels and off their cell phones. On November 2, 2007, Blues lived through a horrible experience. A motorist dialing a cell phone drove through a stop sign at 45 miles per hour and ran into the side of Blues' car. Blues' 2-year-old daughter was killed immediately in the crash.
Blues has since devoted her time top pushing for laws that would prevent this type of tragedy from happening again.
Cell phones are not the only distractions that cause accidents. Eating, changing CDs, reading maps, talking to passengers, and just reaching for an object on the floor can be dangerous. Therefore, the emphasis should be on educating drivers to avoid all distractions. However, talking on cell phones might be easier to regulate than eating or changing music. At least 34 states have already passed laws to restrict cell phone use in moving cars. No state has banned it yet, but several US. cities. Worldwide, 13 nations, including Australia, England, Germany, Japan and China have banned drivers' use of cell phones in moving cars.
To date, no scientific evidence has been published showing that talking on the phone affects driving safety. But according to a test by some high school students, "driving while on the phone does affect safety and probably shouldn't be done". | high14062.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Some marketing experience."
},
"options": [
"A university degree.",
"Good appearance.",
"Good computer knowledge.",
"Some marketing experience."
],
"question": "Which of the following is required for marketing p... | Marketing Professionals
A major US corporation in the health and nutritional industry has announced the opening of its direct selling division in Taiwan.
The company offers the most lucrative compensation plan in the industry and has paid over NTD 3.5 billion in commissions in just 6 years in the US. We are a group of top earners.
Applicants should meet the requirements:
(1) Taiwan citizen
(2) Have experience in marketing
(3) Aggressive, energetic, and willing to learn
If you believe you have what it takes to develop this business, please dial 2742-6996.
Job B
An international company requires a Service Technician
To service and maintain electronic medical equipment,applicants should have degree in electronics. The selected candidate will have a training program to be conducted by our manufacturer's trained technical personnel.
Interested candidates please apply immediately with a resume and mail to P.O. Box 594. Or telephone Ms Chang at 2945-0027 for an immediate interview.
Job C
Wanted: Reporters & Editors
Qualifications:
* Strong command of English language
* Chinese speaking and reading ability a must
* A university degree
* Journalism education and/or experience preferred
* Flexible working hours (30 hours per week)
* Good work environment and medical insurance, etc.
Fax resume and work samples, if any, to The China Post at(03) 2595-7952.
Job D
Southeastern Travel Services Tour Guides
Duties: To conduct escorted tours for foreign visitors;to assist with travel and transportation arrangements.
Qualifications: Good appearance. High school diploma.
Good knowledge of English. Outgoing personality.
Dial 2703-2172 after 3 p.m.. Ask for Gary. | high10204.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "must wear the ID badge every school day"
},
"options": [
"can't call their parents if there is an emergency",
"shouldn't call the school after school hours",
"must wear the ID badge every school day",
"will receive a ne... | Please read and discuss the following information.We ask for your support in making 2008~2009 the best school year for everyone!If you have questions,please call us.
STUDENT IDENTIFICATION BADGES
Please remind your child to have his/her school ID badge on every school day from 8:00 a.m.~2:40 p.m..Each student is given an ID badge at the beginning of the school year.
NO PHONE MESSAGES FOR STUDENTS
Only calls about Extreme Emergencies such as death or serious illness will be taken for students.A question about where something is at home or other messages about picking up brother/sister will be given to the student after school.
STUDENT ABSENCES
Parents must telephone the school,6538100,BEFORE,OR THE DAY OF,the student's absence.Notes from parents are NOT accepted.An answering machine is on before and after school hours for you.
OPEN HOUSE
We hope you will come to our Open House at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday,September 11th.We will have a meeting in the Auditorium,and after the meeting,parents will follow your child's schedule.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Please attend the Parent/Teacher Conferences on November 5th & 6th (3:30~6:30 p.m.).Teachers will discuss your child's behavior and grades with you.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Aug.18.............................First Day of School
Sep.1...............................Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
Sep.11..............................Open House
Nov.5 & 6...........................Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov.26~28.........................Thanksgiving Holiday (NO SCHOOL)
Dec.22 through Jan.4...............Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)
Jan.5....................................Return to School
Mar.23~29............................Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)
Mar.30..................................Return to School
May.29..................................Last Day of School | high18658.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "it was needed most"
},
"options": [
"it was needed most",
"the writer became strong enough",
"the writer was away on a business trip",
"the writer was busy on the weekday"
],
"question": "The dog first came to t... | After my husband died suddenly from a heart attack, my world crashed around me. My six children were all under 10, and I was burdened with the responsibilities of earning a living, and caring for the children. I was fortunate to find a wonderful housekeeper to care for the children during the week, but from Friday nights to Monday mornings, the children and I were alone.
One Friday evening I came home from work to find a big pretty German Shepherd on our doorstep. This dog seemed to intend to enter the house. The children liked "German" immediately and begged me to let him in. I agreed to let him sleep in the basement. That night I slept peacefully for the first time in many weeks.
The following morning we made phone calls and checked lost-and-found ads for German's owner, but with no results.
On Sunday I had planned to take the children on a picnic. Since I thought it best to leave German behind in case his owner came by, we drove off without him. When we stopped to get gas, we were amazed to see German racing to the gas station after us. No way was he going to be left behind.
Monday morning I let him out for a run. He didn't come back and we were all disappointed. We were convinced that we would never see him again. We were wrong. The next Friday evening, German was back on our doorstep. Again he stayed until Monday morning, when our housekeeper arrived.
This pattern repeated itself every weekend for almost 10 months. We grew more and more fond of German. We took comfort in his strong, warm presence, and we felt safe with him near us. As German became part of the family, he considered it his duty to check every bedroom to be sure each child was cozy in bed.
Each week, between German's visits, I grew a little stronger, a little braver and more able to handle; every weekend we were no longer alone and enjoyed his company. Then one Monday morning we patted him on the head and let him out for what turned out to be the last time. We never saw German again. | high16675.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The police had to rely on heavy equipment to kill the gunman ."
},
"options": [
"It lasted for more than four hours .",
"50 people were killed during this scary attack .",
"This is the second worst shooting on American soil .... | A gunman opened fire in Orlando's Pulse nightclub early morning Sunday , killing approximately 50 people and injuring another 53 .
Clubbers were enjoying an evening at Pulse , which describes itself as " the hottest gay bar in Orlando , " when shots started to go off around 2 am. A hostage situation occurred , and didn't end until authorities used a vehicle armed to teeth to break down the door of the building and kill the gunman at around 5 am .
Sunday morning's attack surpasses the shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007 and Sndy Hook Elementary School in 2012 to become the worst mass shooting in US history .
Authorities have identified the shooter as 29-year-old Omar Saddiqui Mateen from Fort Pierce , about 120 miles southeast of Orlando . CNN reports Mr. Mateen was previously trained as a security guard .
The federal government and FBI " have suggestions the individual has leanings towards Islamic terrorism , but right now we can't say definitely , " says Ron Hopper , assistant special agent of FBI's Orlando bureau . But Mateen's connection to Islamic terrorism has not been proven , leading authorities to also investigate the shooting as a possible hate crime against the LGBT community .
The Orlando blood donation facility tweeted that the bank was in " urgent need " of donations Sunday morning following the shooting . But within hours , they announced their bank was at capacity due to the long lines of volunteers who showed up to donate .
However , after the initial tweet at 10:40 Sunday morning , criticisms of the United States' stand on blood donation by the LGBT community resurfaced on social media from those who wanted to help but were prohibited due to their sexuality .
" It's legal to buy an AR-15 assault rifle . It's illegal for a gay man to donate blood to victims of the massacre . The world makes no sense . " said John Barcus .
( LGBT : a community of four types of people ; lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender .) | high19546.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Piranhas may attack human beings when the water level is low."
},
"options": [
"Piranhas are the most dangerous animals.",
"Piranhas like to live in the deep seabed.",
"Piranhas may attack human beings when the water level is... | When you travel in South America, you'd better pay attention to the following three kinds of dangerous South American animals.
Piranhas
Although only a small number of piranhas are considered to be dangerous to humans, the red-bellied piranha is definitely one of those. Evidence has shown that a large group of piranhas can absolutely eat a herd of large animals crossing the river, leaving only bones. This fish lives in the freshwater streams of South America, and they can smell the blood from far away and launch attacks swiftly. It is said that they are only dangerous to humans if the water volumes are less and lower.
Anacondas
This South American monster of a creature often appears in the films or your nightmares!They have weighed over 230 kilograms. It is often considered to be the biggest snake in the world. You certainly don't want to get caught alone with this snake due to its method of attacking and killing its victim. It is indeed a remarkably different brand of snake type as it regularly coils around all over its target, increasing the pressure until eventually its victim dies. Its jaws are powered by large muscles that produce enough power for its over 100 sharp teeth to pass through the thick skin of an crocodile. They don't have poison. Sometimes they prefer to camouflage themselves so they look like their surroundings and swiftly draw back when humans are near.
Golden Poisonous Frogs
The golden poison frog might be the most-deadly of the South American animal, which is protected by means of poison. This very small frog, less than 55 mm in length, packs enough punch to take down a pair of African bull elephants. This apparently harmless frog has always been known to have killed people who have touched it directly. It's also been noted that chicken and dogs have died by contacting things on which a golden poison frog had wandered! In intense colors, they normally look attractive to their targets. | high4332.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He is suffering from post-war stress."
},
"options": [
"He is suffering from post-war stress.",
"He was seriously injured in the war.",
"He had been on the battlefield three times.",
"He likes to share his experience wi... | After three military tours in Iraq and three in Afghanistan, Dennis Swols gets angry easily. He is unable to really talk about his time on the battlefield.
But as Swols sits in a clinic at Fort Bragg, his hand drops to the furry head beside him. His mood brightens. Sitting at his feet, Lexy , a 5-year-old German shepherd, gives Swols a few moments of distraction . It's her job. And, according to Swols, she is good at it.
"I have a hard time talking to people about my battlefield experiences and everything," says Swols, who took part in several wars. Now he's been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder .
"I just pet Lexy. Or I'm sitting here and we won't talk about military things. We'll just talk about the dog. My day is better every time I come in."
For Doctor Christine Rumayor, Lexy is a partner and a living, breathing medical tool. The dog can calm a patient and make a therapy appointment a little more enjoyable.
Animal therapy is used in only a few other army medical centers. A small number of dogs like Lexy are being used almost as co-therapists.
The army is struggling to address stress disorders and mental health problems brought by more than ten years of war. One of the big difficulties is getting soldiers to seek treatment. Lexy, it turns out, is particularly good at that.
Rumayor , who uses Lexy in her practice, said there was a resistance at first. "You don't expect everyone to think they can just bring their dog to work," she said.
Walking around the base, she uses Lexy to attract soldiers, and then draws them into conversation.
"There's nothing better than coming to an appointment where you get to have a warm furry thing that you get to pet all the time. People don't want to come in the door. When they see Lexy coming in, it makes them want to come in the door." | high18880.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Williams & Federer were named 2009' s world champions."
},
"options": [
"Roger Federer got his fifth world champions.",
"Serena Williams was named the ITF world champion.",
"Roger Federer won his first Roland Garros title.",
... | Roger Federer and Serena Williams have been named as 2009' s world champions by the International Tennis Federation(ITF) after topping the year-end rankings.
Federer, who wins the honour for the fifth time, completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros before winning his 15th Grand Slam ride at Wimbledon.
And Williams won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, her llth major success.
The pair will receive their awards at the annual 1TF world champions dinner in Paris in June.
Federer regained the world number one ranking from Rafael Nadal after his Paris victory and his Wimbledon win over Andy Roddick saw him surpass Pete Sampras' haul of Grand Slam titles.
He was also runner - up at the Australian Open and the US Open and helped his country retain its Davis Cup world group status.
" It is an honour for me to be named ITF world champion for a fifth time.It was an incredible year for me both on and off the court," said the 28 - year - old Swiss star whose wife Mirka gave birth to twin girls in July.
"To win my first Roland, Garros title, break the all - time Grand Slam record and regain the number one ranking is amazing.It means a lot to me to finish the year again at the top."
Williams takes _ for the first time since 2002.As well as her Grand Slam wins, she won the season - ending WTA Championships in Doha.sealing the top ranking in the last event of die year.
She also took the doubles year award with sister Venus after taking their career total to 10 Grand Slam titles.In doing so, she joins Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis as the only players to become singles and doubles world champions in the same year.
American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were named as the men' s doubles world champions for the sixth time in seven years. | high8520.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Its snow is the thickest of the four."
},
"options": [
"It is a ski hill in Europe.",
"Its snow is the thickest of the four.",
"It is suitable for ski beginners.",
"its ticket prices are getting more expensive."
],
... | There are several ski hills that can be found locally, and not so locally. Here's a bit of an informal snow report for any visitors to the city who may be unfamiliar with the local options for skiing.
Sunshine Village
Sunshine is definitely the premier ski hill in the area. Of all the hills in Alberta, Sunshine is the one that has earned international _ . Ticket prices are cheaper this year than they have been in the past. Adults pay $76.5, seniors $61.5, and children only pay $26.5. At present, they have a snow base of 107 cm. The terrain is a mix of both easy and hard runs.
Lake Louise
Of all the ski resorts nearby it is the largest with 4,200 acres of ski-able terrain. It has the best balance between easy and difficult runs, and it gets snow of 93 cm right now. Adults pay $75.5, seniors pay $54.5, and children pay $24.5. Lake Louise is a great choice for anyone looking to do some easy access backcountry skiing.
Nakiska
While it will be opening shortly, Nakiska is popular to the public. Currently, they have a base of 71cm. The terrain at Nakiska is varied, but slants more towards the easy side. It's the best place for families to go skiing as there is a lot of beginner and kid terrain. Tickets are relatively cheap. Adults pay $64.5, seniors pay $51.5, and children only pay $19.5.
Olympic Park
O.P. was built for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Canada, and it is a world-class facility for almost every winter sport. It has facilities not only for skiing, but also for all kinds of other activities. It has a snow base of 102 cm, but it isn't the primary focus. However, with tickets starting at $5 and capping at $39, it is very inexpensive. | high15354.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because Mozart himself was a genius."
},
"options": [
"Because a study described it in the journal Nature.",
"Because Mozart himself was a genius.",
"Because Mozart's music is enjoyable.",
"Because Mozart's music makes ... | You have probably heard of the Mozart effect. It's the idea that if children or even babies listen to music composed by Mozart, they will become more intelligent. A quick Internet search exposes plenty of products to assist you in the task. Whatever your age there are CDs and books to help you taste the power of Mozart's music, but when it comes to scientific evidence that it can make you more clever, the picture is more mixed.
The phrase "the Mozart effect" was made up in 1991, but it was a study described two years later in the journal Nature that sparked real media and public interest about the idea that listening to classical music somehow improves the brain. It is one of those ideas that sound reasonable. Mozart was undoubtedly a genius himself; his music is complex and there is a hope that if we listen to enough of it, we'll become more intelligent.
_ , with thousands of parents playing Mozart to their children, and in 1998 Zell Miller, the Governor of the state of Georgia in the US, even asked for money to be set aside in the state budget so that every newborn baby could be sent a CD of classical music. It was not just babies and children who were exposed to Mozart's music on purpose, even an Italian farmer proudly explained that the cows were played Mozart three times a day to help them to produce better milk.
I'll leave the debate on the effect on milk yield to farmers, but what about the evidence that listening to Mozart makes people more intelligent? More research was carried out but an analysis of sixteen different studies confirmed that listening to music does lead to a temporary improvement in the ability to handle shapes mentally, but the benefits are short-lived and it doesn't make us more intelligent. | high7613.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "fifty"
},
"options": [
"sixty",
"forty",
"fifty",
"twenty"
],
"question": "The Internet has a history of more than _ years.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | Everyday we talk about and use the Internet, but how many of us know the history of the Internet?
Many people are surprised when they find that the Internet was set up in the 1960s. At that time, computers were large and expensive. Computer network didn't work well. If one computer in the network broke down, then the whole network stopped. So a new network system had to be set up. It should be good enough to be used by many different computers. If part of the network was not working, information could be sent through another part. In this way computer network system would keep on working on the time.
At first the Internet was only used by the government, but in the early 1970s, universities, hospitals and banks were allowed to use it too. However, computers were still very expensive and the Internet was difficult to use. By the start of the 1990s, computers became cheaper and easier to use. Scientists had also developed software that made "surfing" in the Internet more convenient.
Today it is easy to get on-line and it is said that millions of people use the Internet every day. Sending e-mail is more and more popular among students.The Internet has now become one of the most important parts of people's life. | high1262.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Two strangers joined her."
},
"options": [
"Two strangers joined her.",
"Her childhood friends came in.",
"A heavy rain ruined the dinner.",
"Some people held a party there."
],
"question": "What happened when W... | On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner. They settled in at a comfortable East Side cafe and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table.
"Hey, aren't you from Mississippi?" the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by the stranger. "I'm from Mississippi too."
Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty party. When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair.
"They began telling me all the news of Mississippi," Welty said. "I didn't know what my New York friends were thinking."
Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine. By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside. Welty's new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab. Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi.
"My friends said: 'Now we believe your stories,'" Welty added. "And I said: 'Now you know. These are the people that make me write _ .'"
Sitting on a sofa in her room, Welty, a slim figure in a simple gray dress, looked pleased with this explanation.
"I don't make them up," she said of the characters in her fiction these last 50 or so years. "I don't have to."
Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty's people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets of her native Jackson, Miss., from conversations overheard on a bus. It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out. Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment of a particularly interesting story. | high13725.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A dream of green grass."
},
"options": [
"College is not easy.",
"A dream of green grass.",
"Be proud of your mother.",
"Try to reach your goals."
],
"question": "What is the best title of the passage?",
"qu... | I was born in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Caracas. By the time I was fifteen, my parents had discussed what I wanted to do when I grew up. Mom was very excited about my future. One day she came home with a booklet from one of the best colleges in the country, which happened to be located fairly close to our neighborhood. That was one of the most expensive colleges in the country, so we could not afford it. At that point she smiled and opened the booklet. Among the descriptions was a very small paragraph indicating that there was a scholarship program. I decided to let her dream a little bit longer, so I agreed to submit my application. I didn't pay attention to the subject until the day of the admittance test. I have to confess I took the exam to humor my mom.
The first surprise came when I saw my name on the list. I was accepted! My dad was terrified. How were we going to pay the tuition? My mom used one of her typical answers, "I don't know, but we will. Even if we have to work day and night, our daughter is going to that college." Her determination was so strong that we didn't dare say anything.
We filed the papers for the scholarship and for weeks we waited. Finally I got a scholarship that would cover eighty-five percent of the tuition for three years. I won't say college was easy. I had to borrow material and books because we could barely find the money to pay the fifteen percent the scholarship didn't cover.
The day I graduated, I gave my mom the medal. She was so proud. I remember telling her that if it hadn't been for her, I would have never even tried. She said, "Don't worry about it, baby. Even before you were born I would pass in front of this university every day. I saw the students lying on the grass, and I would think: one day a daughter of mine is going to study there. I dreamed of this green grass too many times; it had to come true."
I found a good job after college. But I never forget that it was my mom's dream that made me do what everyone thought was impossible. | high24189.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Chinese visitors make their destinations on hit movies and TV plays"
},
"options": [
"Seattle, the city in the U.S, has 90% visitors from China",
"Los Angeles is home to The Big Bang Theory",
"people travel to Europe to see s... | Where are Chinese tourists going next? Pop culture may hold some clues, from a successful movie Finding Mr. Right to U.S. situation comedy The Big Bang Theory.
China is the source of most of the world's tourists as well as its biggest-spending travelers. In 2012 alone, 83 million Chinese went abroad and spent a huge $102 billion, according to the most recent figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Now more than ever, popular culture is driving their decision making. Below are a few examples of how TV shows and hit movies are influencing Chinese tourists' travel choices.
SEATTLE
Over the past two years, Seattle -- that rainy city in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. -- has seen a 90% rise in visitor numbers from China, local officials say.
The reason: the huge popularity of the Chinese romantic comedy Finding Mr. Right, in which a woman from mainland China travels to Seattle to give birth. Directed by Xue Xiaolu and starring Tang Wei, the film has earned more than $85 million in China since its release last year. (The movie's Chinese title translates literally to Beijing meets Seattle.)
LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles has long been a favorite: destination for Chinese tourists visiting the U.S. but lately, they've been asking for detours to nearby Pasadena to pay respect to their favorite The Big Bang Theory. Fans are requesting visits to places including the campus of California Institute of Technology as well as a particular Cheesecake Factory outlet, which both figure prominently in the CBS situation comedy that Chinese fans stream online.
EUROPE AND THE U.S.
The U.S., U.K., France and Germany remain the most frequented destinations for Chinese who travel to the West, but the sights they flock to within those countries often are unique to Chinese culture. For instance, Karl Marx's birthplace in Trier, Germany, has long been a pilgrimage spot, while a willow tree in Cambridge, England, is a must-visit for bus tourists because of a well-known poem by Xu Zhimo, who studied at the city's famous university in the 1920s.
"It's like a parallel universe," said Mr. Brennan in Los Angeles. "Pop culture comes up again and again when we do our research. But the Chinese interpretation is always different." | high18670.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "when we play and when we work"
},
"options": [
"because we must play with them",
"Because we must work with them",
"when we play and when we work",
"when we talk with them"
],
"question": "We need friends _ .... | Do you need friends? I'm sure your answer is "Yes,of course. Everybody does! " You need friends when you play and when you work. If you have friends, you will feel happy. If you have no friends. you will feel lonely .
Do you know how to make friends? There is only one good way--You make friends by being friendly.
A friendly person is interested in other people. He is always helpful If you want to make friends with a new classmate, you can talk with him, tell him about the other classmates in your class and try your best to be helpful to him. | high17543.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "introduce how to start up a writing group"
},
"options": [
"introduce how to start up a writing group",
"offer some advice on how to teach writing",
"train highlevel students to start up a writing group",
"compare diffe... | I created a writing group at my school this year, and it has become a _ with all students who enjoy writing. Now students of the group make rapid progress in their writing. Let me share a few tips that you can use to start your own writing group.
Set up separate groups for different ability levels
You probably don't want to mix a gifted eighth grader with a second grader who writes very little. In a larger school, you could have a beginner group, a more advanced group, and a publishing group. Members can move to more appropriate groups if they are not comfortable in the current one.
Advertise the group in different ways
Send advertisements home with students, and put an advertisement on the school website or in the school newsletter.
The first meeting should be very open
At the first meeting, you should tell the students that this group is all about them. It is not a class, not a grade and not a requirement. Then tell them what some other writing groups do, and ask what they would like to do.
Set up a time to meet once or twice a month
It is important that students bring their writing with them. The group could go in any direction: criticize each other's work, read your writing aloud, read silently, publish your work in a booklet , play creativity games or do an online chat with a published author.
It will take a little while to find out what works best for your group
Search for creativity exercises and role plays. You might even be able to set up a special section of your school's website just for your writing group. | high11132.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Grammar is very important in English learning."
},
"options": [
"Grammar matters a lot only in speaking.",
"Grammar doesn't matter much in speaking.",
"Grammar is very important in English learning.",
"Grammar is not im... | One of the speaking rules you need to know might sound strange to most ESL (English as a second language) students, but it is one of the most important rules. If you want to pass examinations, then study grammar. However, if you want to become fluent in English, then you should try to learn English without studying the grammar.
Studying grammar will only slow you down and confuse you. You will think about the rules when creating sentences instead of naturally saying a sentence like a native. Remember that only a small part of English speakers know more than 20% of all the grammar rules. Many ESL students know more grammar than native speakers. I can confidently say this with experience. I am a native English speaker, majored in English Literature, and have been teaching English for more than 10 years. However, many of my students know more details about English grammar than I do. When they sometimes ask me about grammar, I can easily look up the definition and apply it, but I can't tell them the answer _
I often ask my native English friends some grammar questions, and only a few of them know the correct answer. However, they are fluent in English and can read, speak, listen, and communicate effectively.
Do you want to be able to recite the definition of a causative verb, or do you want to be able to speak English fluently? | high3475.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "making sure you know what to change"
},
"options": [
"going with the flow",
"changing from day to day",
"writing down good ideas",
"making sure you know what to change"
],
"question": "If you decide to change, y... | Life is full of change, and this leads to growth. Change is what keeps our lives moving, and allows us to achieve what we desire and deserve. Like it or not, we need to be willing to go with the flow, and be adaptable when something doesn't go according to plan. A catalyst is a person that causes something else to happen, and if you're not currently a catalyst for change, here are some things you can do to become one.
Take a look at what you've got going on in your life right now. Write down everything that comes to mind. Is there anything that jumps out at you that you're not content with? Is there something that isn't moving forward as quickly as you would like it to? Identifying what you want to change is the first step to getting somewhere with it.
Take the initiative to make change happen. Once you have identified what you want to work on changing, write down several possible "next steps" you can take to realizing that change. Whatever it is you want to change, you won't get very far without having specific actions in mind to carry out. Start small, and then focus on items that are a bit more involved or difficult and just keep going!
When carrying out a change, it's great if you're able to _ , particularly if they can help you implement that change in some way. Be receptive to feedback, but realize that others' opinions are not golden. Also remember to give feedback when asked for it. Be sure it's genuine and that you are able to stand behind it.
Create an environment for change. There is nothing more discouraging than trying to create change in an environment that is not conducive to it. It's like trying to stick to a diet in a house that is filled with chips, cookies, ice cream and chocolate; you are just making it more difficult for yourself.
Change is good, and often leads to process improvement, increased productivity and efficiency. Take the initiative, and make changes to your life to get to where you want to go faster than you are going right now. | high3313.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Wealth is more of what one has made than anything else."
},
"options": [
"Wealth is judged according to the life style one has.",
"Inheritance builds an important part in one's wealth.",
"Wealth is more of what one has made t... | Wealth is what you accumulate ,not what you spend.If you make $1 million a year and spend $1 million,you're not getting wealthier,you're just living high.
The most successful accumulators of wealth spend less than they can afford on houses,cars,vacations and entertainment.Why? Because these things offer little or no return.The wealthy would rather put their money into investments or their businesses.It's an attitude.
Millionaires understand that when you buy an expensive house,you buy an expensive life-style too.Your property taxes ,insurance,and the prices of nearby services tend to be higher.
The rich man's attitude can also be seen in his car.many drive old cars.Sam Walton,billionaire founder of the Wal-Mart Store,Inc,drove a pickup truck.
Most millionaires measure success by net worth ,not income.Instead of taking their money home,they put as much as they can into their businesses.Why? Because the government doesn't tax wealth;it taxes income you bring home for consumption .
The person who piles up net worth fastest tends to put every dollar he can into investments,not consumption.
The best wealth-builders pay careful attention to their money and seek professional advice.
The self-made rich develop clear goals for their money.They may wish to retire early,or they may want to leave something to their children.The goals vary,but two things are consistent:they have a goal in mind-- the amount they want to save by age50,perhaps--and they work unceasingly toward that goal.
One thing may surprise you.If you make wealth---not just income--your goal,the expensive house you've been dreaming about won't seem so attractive.you'll have the attitude. | high19208.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "tell you where your starting level is"
},
"options": [
"tell you where your starting level is",
"arouse your interest in using the book",
"illustrate the structure of the text",
"introduce the test-taking techniques"
... | studying 20 minutes a day for 20 days. You'll start with the basics and move on to more
complex reading comprehension and critical thinking strategies. Please note that although
each chapter can be an effective skill builder on its own, it is important that you proceed
through this book in order, from Lesson I through Lesson 20. Each lesson builds on skills and
ideas discussed in the previous chapters. As you move through this book and your reading
skills develop, the passages you read will increase both in length and in complexity.
The book begins with a pretest, which will allow you to see how well you can answer
various kinds of reading comprehension questions now, as you begin. When you finish the
book, take the posttest to see how much you've improved.
The text is divided into four sections, each focusing on a different group of related
reading and thinking strategies. These strategies will be outlined at the beginning of each
section and then reviewed in a special "putting it all together" final lesson.
Each lesson provides several exercises that allow you to practice the skills you learn. To
ensure you're on the right track, each lesson also provides answers and explanations 'for all of
the practice questions. Additionally, you will find practical suggestions in each chapter for
how to continue practicing these skills in your daily life.
The most important thing you can do to improve your reading skills is to become an
active reader. The following guidelines and suggestions outlined will familiarize you with
active reading techniques. Use these techniques as much as possible as you work your way
through the lessons in this book. | high21797.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "English expressions about clothes."
},
"options": [
"A clothes expert.",
"English expressions about clothes.",
"How to dress perfectly.",
"My best clothes."
],
"question": "What's the main idea about the passage... | Everyone knows there are many English expressions about clothes. There is no need to keep it a secret, or to keep it under your hat. In fact, if I keep talking, soon enough you will start to think I am an old hat about this -- a real expert. Do not be fooled, though. My friends sometimes call me a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is someone who acts like a good person, but is really a bad person. I'm not really a bad person. But I do love clothes.
It is always fun to get dressed up. I look great in my best clothes. When I put them on, I feel decked out. You might say when I wear my best clothes, I am dressed to the nines or dressed to the teeth. In fact, my husband says I look dressed to kill. Of course, I would never kill anyone. But, there is something special about putting on clothes that are pleasing to the eye.
My best clothes are not modern or fashionable. Maybe someday they will come into fashion. But I really do not care. They certainly look better on me than my birthday suit. Did you know that everyone has a birthday suit? You wear it when you are wearing no clothes at all. Babies are born wearing their birthday suits.
I am very careful with my clothes. I handle them with kid gloves. I try not to get them dirty or torn. Most of my clothes fit like a glove. They fit perfectly. But when I eat too much, I feel like my clothes might burst at the seams. My clothes feel too restrictive and tight.
Some of the clothes I like best are hand-me-downs. My older sister gave them to me when she no longer wanted them. Hand-me-downs are great because clothes often cost too much money. I live on a shoestring. I have a very small budget and little money to spend on clothes. However, my sister has a lot of money to spend on clothes. Maybe someday the shoe will be on the other foot. The opposite will be true. I will have a lot of money to buy clothes and my sister will get hand-me-downs from me.
I admit I dream of being rich. I dream that someday I will be able to live like a rich person. I will know what it is like to walk in another person's shoes. Some of my friends got rich by riding someone else's coat tails. They are successful today as a result of someone else being successful. But, I believe you should never criticize others for something you would do yourself. What is said about someone else can also be said about you. Remember, if the shoe fits, wear it. | high18116.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "their relationship"
},
"options": [
"their common friends",
"Spence's sister's characters",
"their relationship",
"Poirot's recent life"
],
"question": "From their dialogue, we can learn about _ .",
"ques... | Hercule Poirot looked over the small gate which gave admission to Pine Crest. It was a modern nicely-built house. It was on a hill top, and the hill top was planted with a few sparse pines. It had a small neat garden and a large elderly man was watering with a big tin.
Spence's hair was now grey all over. He had not shrunk much in girth , though. He stopped watering and looked at the visitor at the gate. Hercule Poirot stood there without moving.
"God bless my soul," said Spence. "It must be. It can't be but it is. Yes, it must be Hercule Poirot!"
"Aha," said Poirot, "you remember me. I'm grateful."
Spence abandoned the watering can and came down to the gate.
"What brings you down here?"
"What has brought me to many places in my time," said Poirot, "and what once a good many years ago brought you to see me. Murder, Spence."
"I'm done with murder since I retired," said Spence, "except in the case of weeds. Killing weeds is never easy as you think, something's always wrong. How did you know where to find me?" he asked as he opened the gate and Poirot passed through.
"You sent me a Christmas card. It had your new address on it."
"Ah yes, so I did. I'm old-fashioned, you know, I like to send round cards at Christmas time to a few old friends. I'm an old man now."
"We both are."
"Not much grey in your hair," said Spence.
"I take care of my hair with a bottle," said Poirot. "There is no need to appear in public with grey hair unless you wish to do so. By the way, why have you come to live in Woodleigh Common?"
"As a matter of fact, I came here to join forces with a sister of mine. She lost her husband, her children are married and living abroad. So I moved in here. Pensions don't go far nowadays, but we do comfortably living together." | high5762.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a moving advertisement"
},
"options": [
"a piece of shocking news",
"an exciting story",
"an interesting introduction",
"a moving advertisement"
],
"question": "After reading the text, we come to know that it is... | Don't go to Kauai. Go to any of the other Hawaiian Islands--Maui, Lanai, the Big Island-- but leave Kauai for us. The weather on Kauai is so unpredictable that sometimes it rains all day--in fact, it's the second-wettest spot on the earth. Yes, there are giant double rainbows all the time, and the sunlight through the clouds is magical. But if you are not interested in these, go somewhere else. You just can't control the nature on Kauai, and who wants to surrender to the nature when you could be at a fine hotel, lying in a comfortable chair next to a swimming pool, with food served upon request?
So what if Kauai produces surf champions the wayprefix = st1 /Texasproduces cowboys? Most of its 300 white-sand beaches are unmarked. Unless you connect with the local people, the hidden spots are hard to find. While Hanalei is the most beautiful town you've ever dreamed of, you can forget about discos and clubs. Worse, it doesn't have one single four-star restaurant. What it does have is the original drive-through places where you pass by a rambutan tree, and pick a piece of fruit.
Shopping in Kauai? Forget it--unless you are interested in shell necklaces and beautifully carved wood bowls. Kauai is not about pampering. It's about going natural and finding the nature within you. It's a do-it-yourself place that offers walking along the coast, diving and swimming in the Pacific Ocean, and lying on the beach.
Don't go to Kauai unless you have a lot of time, because there's only one road, which can be slightly dull. It winds through the beautiful scenery of waterfalls, rivers flowing into the ocean, and taro fields. You have no choice but to look at everything, because the speed limit is 35 m.p.h.
If you're not interested in color1, don't bother with Kauai, because that's what you get--red roads, blue oceans, and a hundred different shades of green. It's like diving on land. Many people on Kauai believe that this is Lemuria--a lost island in the Atlantic. Can you imagine? Those Hawaiians, surfers, New Agers, and people who love nature and beauty and want a different quality of life--what do they know, anyway? Forget about it--you're not going to like it. Go somewhere else. Leave Kauai for us. | high17225.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "choose a 1ogo that suits their age"
},
"options": [
"choose a 1ogo that suits their age",
"try to load up on well-known logos",
"use logos to show who they are",
"find their identity by trying different logos"
],
... | Heading off to college this year? Here are some fashion tips from our experts you should keep in mind:
Dress to impress.Stylist and business consultant Daniela Smith says,"Girls should keep in mind that your college professors will often be the bridge that connects you to your future career and your classmates will become your professional network,You don't need to dress like you're going to the office, but you.should display all ability to properly present yourself with appropriate maturity and confidence,and look put together."
Logo mania .Wearing the loges of brands aimed at younger customers physically identifies you as part of that age group,so consider the targeted age group of the stores you shop at.It's tempting to load up on loges,especially well-known loges that signify high-end brands.But consider this:college is a time of self-discovery, a chance to develop your own personal style.Instead of wearing loges head to toe,"walking advertisement"-style,why not express who you really are?
Wear real pants! The combination of leggings and baggy shirts is all too common on college campuses.Smith points out that leggings,yoga pants,and Sweatpants ale entirely unacceptable in public unless you're exercising.Although leggings worn as pants are a common trend among high school and college girls,they are not an appropriate choice for daywear;As a young woman, your style choice should begin to reflect your maturity level.So,get rid of leggings and wear real pants!
Keep the cute factor to a minimum.Stay away from sweaters and T-shirts with smiling animals, cartoon characters,or Hello Kitty on them.Sure,kittens might be cute,but they're not doing you any favors in the style department.Dressing too cutesy can take years off your look,and not necessarily in a good way! | high1504.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "intelligence and ability to create new things."
},
"options": [
"some different abilities.",
"politics and government.",
"intelligence and ability to create new things.",
"top leadership positions and education."
],... | A new study confirms what most people already know: American women are still far behind American men in taking top leadership jobs in business and politics.
The Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C. produced the study. Pew researchers found that most Americans believe women have the right qualities to be leaders. But they say women may still not be hired into leadership positions.
"On the one hand, the public thinks that women are just as qualified as men to be in top leadership positions, in business and in government, on the other hand the public feels it is easier for men to get those jobs, and the public is also skeptical that things are going to change in the future, particularly on the business front."
Kim Parker directs social trends at the Pew Research Center. She says the new study found that Americans think men and women have the same intelligence and ability to create new things. But Americans think women and men have some different abilities.
For instance, they believe women are especially good at finding compromises. In other words, women can find ways for people to agree, or at least accept solutions. The study also found Americans see women as more compassionate and organized leaders than men.
Americans also believe women are better leaders for social issues, such as education and health care. But Americans see men as better leaders on national defense and security. | high9158.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Harkin made a mistake."
},
"options": [
"He didn't book early.",
"Harkin made a mistake.",
"He was short of money.",
"He wasn't well received."
],
"question": "Why did the writer have to look for another hotel ?... | Late that afternoon I took the train back to Sydney . There I found another surprise waiting for me . My room at the hotel had been given to somebody else and they had no room for me. Harkin had known my travel plans and had planned everything . How could he have booked the room only for three days ? There was nothing to be done but to find another hotel. The waiters were happy to find me a new hotel , and when I said that I was happy to stay at the airport , thinking it might be cheaper than staying in the city , they suggested the Holiday Inn at the airport . There was one small matter : the room rate was $ 300 per night . The best hotel in Katoomba had wanted only $ 145 . I asked if there was anything cheaper they might suggest but they warned that most hotels would already be full by this time.
The hotel was far from the train station , so I had to take a taxi , at $ 25 . On the way to the Holiday Inn , we passed a hotel just two blocks from the Holiday Inn that advertised a room rate of $ 104 . At the desk I asked if their room rate could go down a lot . " No , this is a 4-star hotel," the waiter told me . " In that case ," I replied , " I'll just walk the two blocks to the cheap hotel." But she warned me that they were probably full and that if I didn't take the room , it might not be available when I came back . Finally , I decided to take the room.
The room itself was big , but the air conditioning couldn't keep up with the Australian heat . I couldn't sleep until about 1:00 am. | high7175.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Arne Duncan"
},
"options": [
"news reports",
"a friend",
"Bill Simmons",
"Arne Duncan"
],
"question": "President Obama learned about Jeremy long before through _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | WASHINGTON--US President Barack Obama said Thursday that he had known about NBA star Jeremy Lin's talent long before the"Linsanity"phenomenon swept the sport.
"I knew about Jeremy before you did because Arne Duncan, my secretary of education, was captain of the Harvard team,"Obama told the famous US sportswriter Bill Simmons in an interview.
"When Arne and I were playing, he said,'I'm telling you, we've got this terrific guard named Jeremy Lin at Harvard.'And then when one of my best friends, whose son is a freshman at Harvard, went for a recruiting trip he saw Lin in action, so I've been on the Jeremy Lin bandwagon for a while,"said the president, who is a Harvard Law graduate.
Lin, the New York Knicks' point guard, though he was cut twice in December 2011, had had a sudden rise in the past month to high points scoring stardom in Madison Square Garden, the world's biggest basketball stage.
He is the first Chinese-American player in the NBA. He has already developed a devoted following among many Asian-Americans and in China, Taiwan, the Philippines and other countries.
Clicks to the NYKnicks. Com website _ as basketball fans from around the world search for Lin's news and highlights.
"He seems like a wonderful young man. It elevates this great sport all round the world,"said Obama, a Chicago Bulls fan."And what's been encouraging is to see how fast the sport has bounced back recently."But he sounded a note of caution on how much basketball costs to watch.
"It's really important for professional athletes and sports owners to just remember you got a whole bunch of folks out here, all across the country, who invest so much in their teams. All they ask is not to be so selfish that you're not looking out for your fans,"Obama said. | high1510.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "wind power generators enjoy a lot of benefits."
},
"options": [
"wind power generators enjoy a lot of benefits.",
"you can place wind power generators wherever you want.",
"wind power generators are affordable to most familie... | Electricity bills can be highly expensive and the power we consume comes at an even greater cost to the environment when you consider that over 85% of the electricity produced in the United States comes from fuels. Whether you're concerned about cleaning up the environment or you simply want to reduce your electricity bill,residential wind power generators could be a solution.
Producing wind power at home will not work for everyone. If you live in a over-populated residential area,there may be certain laws and zoning requirements that prohibit the use of windmills .If you live on 1 acre of land or more,you probably won't have any issues but you should investigate carefully to make sure that wind power generators are both legal and practical where you live. Even if there are no laws or regulations prohibiting wind power generators you still need to be in a location that gets enough wind on a regular basis.
Some producers of wind generators recommend that you live in an area with wind speeds that average at least 10 mph. Newer models have been developed recently that can operate with wind speeds as low as 4 mph but maximum efficiency is achieved at higher wind speeds. Before you fix a wind powered system,you will have to determine your power requirements. Will you be using it to charge a small battery for a boat or vehicle or will you need enough power to run your entire household and be completely off the grid ?Once you know what your power requirements are,you can start shopping around for a system that can meet those needs.
Wind power generators are a great solution for a lot of people.They're an ideal solution for remote locations where it would be impractical or simply too expensive to tap into the grid.They are quiet and totally clean,producing no pollution. They require no fuel and very little maintenance. Residential wind power offers a lot of benefits but it's not for everyone. You'll have to have some money up front to pay for the system and equipment;however,you could save quite a bit of money if you're able to do much of the work yourself. You'll also need to live in an area that gets enough wind to make the equipment worthwhile. You'll need to do your homework before you make a purchase,but wind power generators could be a great solution for producing clean, low-cost energy. | high13057.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "got two tickets for a show from strangers"
},
"options": [
"received many valuable gifts one morning",
"bought two tickets for a popular show one morning",
"got two tickets for a show from strangers",
"were invited to a... | A young couple that had received many valuable wedding presents built their house in a suburb. One morning they received in the post two tickets for a popular show in the city, with a single line:
"Guess who sent them."
The couple had much amusement in trying to find out the kind person who gave them the tickets, but failed in the effort. They attended the theatre, and had a pleasant time. On their returning home late at night, still trying to guess who in the world had sent them the tickets, they found their house rid of everything valuable. And on the table in the kitchen was a piece of paper on which was written in the same hand as the note with the tickets.
"Now you know!" | high14738.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "in the country"
},
"options": [
"in the parish",
"in the valley",
"in the city",
"in the country"
],
"question": "The boy probably lived _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | My first most vivid and broad impression of the identity of things seems to me to have been gained on a memorable raw afternoon towards evening near my parents' tomb in the churchyard.
"Hold your noise!" came a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the tombs at the side of the church. "Keep still, you little devil , or I'll cut your throat!"
A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. He seized me by the chin .
"Tell us your name!" said the man. "Quick!"
"Pip, sir."
"Show us where you live," said the man. "Point out the place!"
I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in-shore among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the church.
The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread.
"You young dog," said the man, licking his lips, "what fat cheeks you ha' got. Darn me if I couldn't eat em, and if I han't half a mind to't!"
I earnestly expressed my hope that he wouldn't, and held tighter to the tombstone on which he had put me; partly, to keep myself upon it; partly, to keep myself from crying.
"Now then lookee here!" said the man. "Where's your mother?"
"There, sir!" said I.
He started, made a short run, and stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"There, sir!" I timidly explained, pointed to the tombstone. "That's my mother."
"Oh!" said he, coming back. "And is that your father alonger your mother?"
"Yes, sir," said I; "him too; late of this parish ." | high23194.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to attract more people to watch TV programs"
},
"options": [
"to invite people to see films",
"to invite people to topic discussions",
"to attract more students to attend lectures",
"to attract more people to watch TV p... | C
8:30 PM
Outlook
Outlook is back with a new series of reports to keep you up date with all that's new in the world of entertainment. Stories go all the way from the technical to the romantic, from stage to screen. There will be reports of the stars of the moment, the stars of the future and the stars of the past. The director with his new film,he designer with the latest fashion and the musician with the popular song are part of the new Outlook . The program is introduced by Fran Levine.
9:00 PM
Discovery
When a 10-year-old boy gets a first class degree in mathematics or an 8-year-old plays chess like a future grand master, they are considered as geniuses . Where does the quality of genius come from? Is it all in the genes or can any child be turned into a genius ? And if parents do have a child who might become a genius in the future,what should they do? In this 30-minute film, Barry Johnson , the professor at School of Medicine , New York University will help you discover the answer .
10:00 P
Science/Health
Is it possible to beat high blood pressure without drugs? The answer is "yes", according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins and three other medical centers . After a study of 800 persons with high blood pressure , they found that after 6 months , those devoted to weight loss--exercise and eating a low--salt , low-fat food--lost about 13 pounds and became fitter . Plus , 35% of them dropped into the "normal" category . This week, Dr . Alan Duckworth will tell you how these people reduce their blood pressure to a level similar to what's achieved with Hypertension drugs . | high15426.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Study"
},
"options": [
"Traffic",
"Smoking",
"Depression",
"Study"
],
"question": "What topic is NOT discussed in this passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
... | As children begin to head back to school, there are several things that you can do to make sure that your child stays healthy and performs at their peak potential during the school year.
1. Make sure your child is up to date on their immunizations . The summer is a good time to schedule visits to the doctor's as your child is not in school, and the visit won't require that your child miss school days.
2. Encourage proper nutrition. America faces childhood obesity . This means that the percentage of overweight children is increasing each year, and this will place your child at risk of developing a variety of diseases when they are middle age or even young adults. You can start helping your child to become healthier by offering fruits and vegetables at home instead of calorie heavy potato chips and candy.
3. Get your child involved in sports activities. Activities in high school such as track and cross-country are important for socialization for your child, as well as helping to improve their health. You can get your child interested in wholesome activities by discussing with them how you enjoyed similar activities in high school.
4. _ . Many children become sexually active in junior school and senior high school, and the sooner you discuss sex with your child the sooner they will be prepared. Tell your child that there is always the possibility of infecting a sexual disease when two people have sex; and discuss with your child the use of condoms. The sooner you start having this embarrassing situation the better.
5. Know your child's friends. You can do this by inviting your child to bring their friends over to your house for a pizza night, or by chatting with them when they stop by your house. If you find your child's friend has a bad reputation, then you could consider introducing your child to a different network of people, such as through the girl/boy scouts. Forbidding your child from seeing a certain person may only lead them to rebel and become closer to that person.
6. Discuss with your child the seriousness of drug use and abuse. Your child may not realize that using drugs can have serious consequences. Your child may get the false impression that drug use is his right. Explain to a child that saying no to drugs is their right, and that anybody offering them drugs is not their friend.
7. Help your child to avoid a life long smoking addiction by discussing with them the consequences of smoking. The sad fact is that most smokers became addicted when they were in their teenage years, and are unable to quit for long periods of time and often die many years earlier due to their smoking habit which increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease, and a variety of medical conditions. Even if you are a smoker yourself, you can discuss with your child about how damaging smoking can be on a person's health.
8. Impress upon your child the importance of traffic rules. Tell them that it is OK to wear a seat belt in anyone's car, because it may save their life one day. If your child rides a bicycle or a skateboard, then discuss with them the importance of always wearing a helmet. As you child becomes qualified for driver's permit, you should discuss with them the importance of prevention from drinking and driving.
9. Be cautious about signs of depression in childhood. A surprisingly large number of children may become depressed, and a small number of teenagers and children commit suicide each year. Realize that any signs of unusual depressed mood, angry outbursts, suicidal comments, feelings of hopelessness, and loss of enjoyment of activities with friends may be signs of depression. | high8252.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The science block."
},
"options": [
"The library.",
"Sports hall.",
"The science block.",
"The passage doesn't tell us."
],
"question": "Which part of St Mary's Catholic Technology College was burned to the grou... | Five boys are suspected of starting a fire that destroyed their school on the eve of the new term. Police said yesterday that five boys -- one aged 11, two 12-year-olds, one aged 13 and one 15 -- arrested on suspicion of starting the fire had been released until later this month. Parents said the five pupils all attended St Mary's.
Pupils witnessed their schoolwork being destroyed in the fire at Leyland St Mary's Catholic Technology College in Lancashire. The 1950s science block was reduced to the ground in Sunday's fire, which created clouds of smoke visible for miles. It is reported that the library and sports hall were also destroyed beyond repair. Strong winds and a shortage of water prevented 125 firemen trying to bring it under control. Firefighters were expected to remain at the scene until late this afternoon. Staffs were due to attend the school yesterday for an inset day, and pupils pupils were to return for lessons after the holidays today.
St Mary's head teacher Kathy McNicholas fought back the tears as she watched her school go up in flames last night. She said, "This is so upsetting to watch. It's heartbreaking. It's very _ for the staff and the children. Everyone had been looking forward to coming back for the new school year." Finding somewhere around 730 children won't be easy. A few of the staff have turned up to see if there is anything they can do and they have all been shocked and saddened by what has happened. "It's tragic because we have only just had a lot of refreshment work done to the school during the summer break. It was a big investment. The community around here very much looks after its school."
Plans were being drawn up to provide alternative classrooms for 730 children, with parents warned to keep them at home for at least the rest of the week. | high7161.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They are in conflict about shopping at Walmart."
},
"options": [
"His wife refuses to shop at Walmart.",
"They are faced with a divorce.",
"They can't afford the costs of shopping at Walmart.",
"They are in conflict abo... | Dear Economist,
My newly-wedded wife and I are deeply in love.There is, however, one issue that threatens the happiness of our marriage.I absolutely insist on shopping at Walmart.My wife, meanwhile, would rather avoid Walmart at all costs.
I have recently tried to convince her that not only does Walmart offer the lowest prices known to man, but that the chain is also a force for good--lower prices mean better standards of living for all consumers, increased global trade means a tighter-knit international community, and efficient operations translate into higher productivity growth for the economy.My wife complains about poor labour policies, the "fact" that Walmart squeezes suppliers, and that it puts local shops out of business.
Who is right? Will our marriage survive?
Brian Gee
Dear Brian,
I have to agree with you about Walmart.Jason Furman, then an economist at New York University, now an adviser to President Obama, famously argued in 2005 that Walmart was unwittingly a progressive success story.The chain's prices don't much affect me (I prefer Whole Foods) but Furman estimated that they benefited low-and-middle-income Americans to the sum of around $250 billion a year.
Walmart does not pay much, so it may depress wages.Then again, it may increase wages by offering jobs to the otherwise-unemployed.Either way, the benefits of low prices to Walmart shoppers far outweigh any seemingly reasonable costs to Walmart employees.And while it is true that Walmart employees tend to be poor, the same is true of Walmart shoppers.
Armed with this information you can face your wife with confidence.You are sure to win the conversation.The divorce is likely to be more argued.
Economist | high12349.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "O'Keeffe was a distinctive modern American painter."
},
"options": [
"O'Keeffe was a distinctive modern American painter.",
"O'Keeffe was the best painter of her generation.",
"O'Keeffe liked to paint only what was familiar t... | The painter Georgia O'keeffe was born in Wisconsin in 1887 and grew up on her family's farm. At seventeen she decided she wanted to be an artist and left the farm for schools in Chicago and New York, but she never lost her bond with the land. Like most painters, O'Keeffe painted the things that were most important to her, and nearly all her works are simplified portrayals of nature.
O'Keeffe became famous when her paintings were discovered and exhibited in New York by the photographer Levered Stieglitz, whom she married in 1924. During a visit to New York in 1929, O'Keeffe was so moved by the bleak landscape and broad skies of the Western desert that she began to paint its images. Cows' skulls and other bleached bones found in the desert figured prominently in her paintings. When her husband died in 1946, she moved to New Mexico permanently and used the horizon lines of the desert, colorful flowers, rocks, barren hills, and the sky as subjects for her paintings. Although O'Keeffe painted her best known works in the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's, she continued to produce tributes(, ) to the Western desert until her death in 1986.
O'Keeffe is widely considered to have been a pioneering American modernist painter. While most early modern American artists were strongly influenced by European art, O'Keeffe's position was more independent. She established her own vision and preferred to view her painting as a private endeavor. Almost from the beginning, her work was more indentifiably American than that of her contemporaries in its simplified and idealized treatment of color, light, space, and natural forms. | high11640.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Nobody is sure of the origin of the name."
},
"options": [
"The dye is often produced in Sudan.",
"The dye has something to do with the country named Sudan.",
"Nobody is sure of the origin of the name.",
"Many foods pro... | Ever since news of widespread food recalls caused by a _ dye broke, there has been confusion over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever.
Sudan 1 is a red industrial dye that has been found in some chilli powder, but was banned in food products across the European Union (EU) in July 2003.
Since the ban was put in place, EU officials have been trying to remove some food products from the shelves.So far 580 products have been recalled.
Last week Sudan's Embassy in the United Kingdom asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for clarification of the origin of the dye's name.
Omaima Mahmoud Al Sharief, a press official at Sudan's Embassy in China, explained the purpose of the inquiry was to clear up any misunderstanding over links between the country and the poisonous dye.
"We want to keep an eye on every detail and avoid any misunderstanding there," she said."Our embassy to Britain asked them how the dye got that name and whether the dye had something to do with our country.But they told us there was no relationship."
The FSA, an independent food security watchdog in Britain, received a letter from the Sudanese embassy last week.
"They asked us why the dye is named Sudan, however, we also do not know how it got the name," she said."People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name.Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out."
Sudan dyes, which include Sudan 1 to 4, are red dyesused for colouring oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes.They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. | high3307.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "be large and expensive"
},
"options": [
"work rapidly",
"be used for fun",
"be large and expensive",
"be easy to use"
],
"question": "Compared with those of today, computers used to _ .",
"question_type":... | The home computer industry has been growing rapidly in the United States in the last ten years. Computers used to be large, expensive machines that were very difficult to use. But scientists and technicians have been making them smaller and cheaper while at the same time they have been made easier to use. As a result, their popularity has been increasing as more people have been buying computers for their homes and businesses.
Computers have been designed to store information and compute problems that are difficult for human beings to work out. Some have voices that speak to their operators. Stores use computers to keep records of their inventories and to send bills to their customers. Offices use computers to copy letters, record business and keep in touch with other offices. People also use computers in their homes to keep track of the money they spend.
One important new use of computers is for entertainment. Many new games have been designed to be played on computers. People of all ages play these games. People also buy home computers to watch movies and listen to concerts at home. They have become very popular indeed. | high4468.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It changes scientists' view about the environment bacteria exist in."
},
"options": [
"It focuses on the bacteria in hot environments.",
"It opens the windows of the bacterial labs wider.",
"It pays more attention to the bact... | Lots of bacteria can grow in the seemingly unfriendly environment under glaciers , a region formerly considered free of much biology. This finding by glaciologists working in Switzerland could help solve some puzzles of the last ice age and point the way for finding life on other planets.
Bacteria with odd lifestyles have been under increasing study lately, with most research focused on the species which prefer hot homes. The new study shifts attention to the other end of the thermometer . The exciting thing is the idea of pushing the window of acceptable bacterial environments a little bit farther open.
Researchers have previously collected small numbers of bacteria from ice in Antarctica and Greenland, but they could not determine whether these were active bacteria or just frozen cells blown in by wind. In contrast, the earth beneath two Swiss glaciers harbors large colonies of bacteria--hundreds of millions of cells per gram--that appear to be growing at 0degC.
Scientists followed upon these findings by taking samples of ice, water, and earth at two mountain glaciers. They found that earth beneath the glaciers contained much larger populations of bacteria than did surface and inner part of ice. Those findings indicate that the bacteria were growing at the bottom of the glacier and are not something washed in while the scientists drilled through the ice.
Looking at the bacteria under a microscope , the researchers found that many were in the process of dividing, and healthy under the ice. The bacteria might break down minerals and plant remains originally buried beneath the glacier or later washed in by water going slowly through the ice, scientists say.
"Some of the assumptions we have made in the past now must be seriously questioned," say researchers. "If bacteria can live under glaciers on Earth, why not on other planets? The new study points out in many ways that the bottoms of glaciers are probably quite good environments from the point of view of bacteria. So, maybe the bottom of the ice sheets on other planets would be a sensible place to try if you're going to look for life on them." | high21783.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "High school record"
},
"options": [
"High school record",
"Interests and activities",
"Performances in SAT and ACT",
"Skills in mathematics and language"
],
"question": "What's most important in students' admiss... | American colleges and universities consider a number of things about a student who wants to be admitted. Experts say the most important thing is the students' high school record. Besides, student's interests and activities may also play a part in getting accepted. But in most cases another consideration is how well the student did on college entrance exams. Here we'd like to discuss two of these tests: the SAT and the ACT. Most American schools accept either one.
The SAT measures reasoning skills in mathematics and language. Students have almost four hours to complete the SAT. The newest part is an essay. Students have twenty-five minutes to write an answer to a question.
The SAT costs 41.5$. Besides, the international processing charge is 22$ more. And test-takers in India and Pakistan must also pay a 21.5 $ security charge.
Students may also need to take SAT subject tests in areas like history, science and foreign language. Subject tests cost eighteen dollars each.
The ACT is an achievement test. It is designed to measure what a student has learned in school. Students are tested in mathematics, English, reading and science. A writing test is offered but not required. Without it, the ACT takes about three hours to complete. The essay part adds thirty minutes.
The ACT costs forty-nine dollars to take outside the United States. The writing test costs an additional fourteen dollars. | high5776.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "provides cooking facilities for tourists"
},
"options": [
"lies on the ground floor",
"is located in central London",
"provides cooking facilities for tourists",
"costs over PS 100 on average per day in late September"
... | 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 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 PS 169.15 at Booking. Com. A week later, the same room cost PS 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.
STAY AWAY FROM THE STATION If travelling to your destination by train, you may want to find a 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 in London for Saturday 22 September was PS 95.95. A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was PS 75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just PS 62.95.
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff can 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 on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, available for PS 420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults.
GET ON A BIKE London'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 are Newcastle (casual members pay around PS 1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes, or PS 5 per day). | high18102.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "be controlled by the users' voices"
},
"options": [
"drive cars for us",
"be controlled by the users' voices",
"be controlled by home appliances",
"be very big together with separated multiple parts"
],
"questio... | Every year mobile phones develop. Imagining what they will look like and be able to do in 2020 is really a challenge. To help, experts have outlined three major mobile trends that they believe will have become reality by then.
Our phones will be so smart in 10 years' time that they'll know everything about our situation and warn us when something needs our attention. This is the top prediction of both Nokia and Google. They predict that our cars and home appliances will be able to communicate with our mobile. For example, fridges will tell your mobile to tell you to pick up milk on the way back from work. While driving, your mobile will suggest that you take a different route because there's a road accident up ahead.
The second trend is in gesture-based controls. People who know the iPhone's touch-sensitive screen are already familiar with the technology. It translates hand movements into actions on-screen. But gestural communications will make the phone more convenient to use and may completely replace touchpads. According to industry insiders, the most immediate step forward in gestural technology will be in voice recognition. It's believed voice recognition technology will speed up communications. It is quicker to speak than type. Eventually, phone screens will disappear.
The third major development will change our understanding of a mobile phone. From a single phone, the mobile will be developed into multi-part devices. It is opposite to the current trend in which mobile phones are combining the functions of cameras, music players and game consoles. The prediction is based on the idea that the world will become more wireless and all these--cameras, music players and game consoles--will be wirelessly connected. Mobile phones won't need to contain these devices because users will be able to control them wirelessly through their phones. | high11898.txt |
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