questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because other animals may eat their babies."
},
"options": [
"Because other animals may eat their babies.",
"Because they use their eggs for food.",
"Because they want to have fewer babies.",
"Because they want to eat t... | Everyone knows that chickens lay eggs . Most people know that all the other birds do as well. But have you ever thought about other animals that lay eggs? They include bees, snakes and some sea animals. When a mother lays eggs, many more babies can be born at once, or in a few days, because there is very little development inside the parent. Animals that do not lay eggs often have fewer babies. Animals lay many eggs because other animals may eat the babies. However, even though some of their babies are eaten, they will still have some more to continue their family.
Some animals that lay eggs do not take care of their young. Turtles come onto the beach and dig holes. Then they put their eggs in the sand and leave. A turtle mother can lay as many as 150 eggs. When the babies come out of the eggs, they must find their own way to the ocean. They must learn how to live on their own. Many young turtles get eaten by other animals.
Most eggs have an outside shell that keeps the growing animal inside safe. The egg shell also keeps the young animal from drying out. After the animal is fully developed, it comes out of the egg.
The animal grows bigger and bigger. Then it can have its own young. | middle3221.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "for a vacation"
},
"options": [
"for a vacation",
"to visit Charlie",
"for study",
"for work"
],
"question": "Waterworks came to the town _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Charlie was always happy. He liked helping others and people asked him for help when they were in trouble. He even got the name"Happy Charlie".
One day, a boy called Waterworks came to the town on holiday. No matter what Charlie said to him, Waterworks would always find some reason to be sad-- My parents didn't buy me that toy; I can't watch TV; I don't like to go to school...... Everything seemed so sad to Waterworks. He was always sad. But Charlie didn't care and kept spending more time with Waterworks , trying to make him happy.
Then, one day, they went out together. When Charlie was saying something, someone dropped a pie from a window and it leaned right on his head. He got such a sudden fear that couldn't say a word. The two boys were speechless. During those moments of silence, Waterworks missed Charlie's happy words so much that he finally said:"Wow,Charlie. That's a nice disguise."
And, after saying those words, Waterworks felt so good and he realized that he was used to his friend's enthusiasm. And came to the town. | middle5650.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It took people about five years to finish building the museum."
},
"options": [
"It is said that the museum keeps about 600, 000 artworks.",
"You can find lots of exhibitions in the museum.",
"They change exhibitions every t... | It was wonderful to travel around Taiwan. I still remember my last trip to Taiwan.
First, I visited National Palace Museum in Taiwan. It was built in 1962. It was completed in 1965. In this museum, you can find lots of exhibitions. It is said that the museum keeps about 600,000 artworks. The workers of the museum said they changed exhibitions every three months.
Yinke was the second place I visited. The town is like 19th century European houses and has a lot of small streets as in old England.
_ was a great experience to visit Keelung. The Keelung coasts are very famous for their wonderful scenes. There is also a seafood market. You can buy fresh products there.
I then arrived at Danshui. The most interesting place of Danshui is the Lovers Bridge. The bridge connects one side of the river with the other side. It is about 40 meters long. However, only one person can cross it at a time.
I like Taiwan and I want to visit Taiwan again if I have time. | middle5917.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "7-8"
},
"options": [
"3",
"10",
"7-8",
"5-6"
],
"question": ".Most American people need _ hours of sleep a night.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
... | How much sleep do we need? We are all different. Some people need only three hours of sleep a night. Others need ten hours of sleep a night. Most Americans sleep an average of seven to eight hours a night. After the age of fifty the average sleep time goes down to 6.5 hours a night.
Most people have a bad night when they can not sleep. About one in three Americans has a problem with sleep. Many of these people can not fall sleep. This problem is called insomnia. This is not a new problem. Many famous people in history had insomnia. Some of these people had special ideas to another to make them sleep. Benjaming Franklin, the famous stateman and inventor ,had four beds. He moved from one to another to fall asleep. King Lousis XIV of France had 13 beds and hoped that he could fall asleep in one of them. Mark Twain, the famous American writer, had a different way. He lay on his side on the end of the bed! | middle983.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "An alligator"
},
"options": [
"An alligator",
"The boy",
"Mother",
"Father"
],
"question": "_ was in the middle of the lake.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the lake behind his house. He ran out of the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks and shirt as he went.
He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was getting close. The mother in the house was looking out of the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In great fear, she ran toward the water, shouting to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy made a U--turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. The mother caught her little boy by the arms just as the alligator pulled his legs. That began an unbelievable tug-of-war between _ . The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother did her best not to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard their screams, rushed from his truck and helped them.
Luckily, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were seriously scarred by the terrible attack of the animal. And on his arms, were deep scars where his mother's fingernails dug into his arms in her effort to pull the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted the legs. And then, he said to the reporter, "Look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mum wouldn't let go." | middle7866.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the transportation of New York"
},
"options": [
"the weather of New York",
"the transportation of New York",
"the people in New York",
"traffic accidents in New York"
],
"question": "This passage is mainly about... | New York is a very large city with 8 million people. How do so many people move about the city on their way to work and school? So, we should know something about its transportation.
In New York you can travel about the city by subway, bus, taxi and car. The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. It crosses the city at different points and goes all parts of the city. Traveling by subway is the fastest way to get around the city.
The second way to travel around the city is by public bus. It's a slower way to travel. This is because the bus moves in road traffic which is often heavy.
You can also travel around the city by taxi. This is the most expensive way, but the taxi will take you to the very place you wish to go to. If traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow. During the mornings and afternoons, this is the "rush hour". This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work.
The last way to get around New York is using your own car. However , it's not easy for you to drive, especially when you are driving in the "rush hour". If there is an accident on the road, you will have to wait for a long time.
The best time to travel around the city is from 9am to 4 pm. This is the time after the morning "rush hour" and before the evening "rush hour". Traffic will be less crowded because most people are already at school or at work. | middle997.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Motor homes"
},
"options": [
"Motor cars",
"Motor homes",
"Motorbikes",
"motor trucks"
],
"question": "Americans also call vans _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answ... | Americans with small families own a car. If both parents are working , they usually have two cars. When the family is larger, they will sell one of the cars and buy a van .
A small car can hold four persons and a large car can hold six persons but it is very crowded. A van can hold seven persons easily, so a family with three children can ask their grandparents to go on a holiday travel. They can all travel together.
Mr. Hagen and his wife had a third child last year. So they sold their second car and bought a van. They thought it would be more convenient for them to go out together.
Americans call vans motor homes. They always use them for holidays. When a family is traveling to the mountains or to the seaside, they can live in their motor home for a few days or weeks. All the members of a big family can enjoy a happier life when they are traveling together. That is why motor homes have become very popular. | middle7872.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "worse than it used to be"
},
"options": [
"very good",
"worse than it used to be",
"better than it used to be",
"the same as it used to be"
],
"question": "My grandfather thinks the life now is _ .",
"qu... | My grandfather is eighty years old.He always complains about how fast things have changed,and he often says that life used to be better.
"Families aren't families the way they used to be."A 1ot of families have broken up.If husband and wife have problems with their _ ,they no longer stay together.And mothers used to stay at home and take care of their children,but now everyone is busy working.No one has time to 1ook after children at home.
And the cars! No one walks any more;more and more people drive.We used to walk five miles to school on schooldays,even in winter.But now we don't.And in school children don't have to think any more.In math class.for example,we used to add,subtract, multiply and divide in our heads.Kids don't use their heads any more;instead,they use calculators .
Most families have computers now.In the past we didn't have computers.We didn't even have lights.My mother used to spend all day cooking in the kitchen.But now we don't often eat homecooked food.
And people don't talk to each other any more.They are too busy to talk,too busy to eat,to busy to think... Life used to be simple,but it isn't any more. | middle5903.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It means \"Stand still, or I will shoot you\"."
},
"options": [
"It means \"be covered with ice\".",
"It means \"very cold\".",
"It means \"dangerous\".",
"It means \"Stand still, or I will shoot you\"."
],
"que... | There is one word you must learn before you visit the USA. That is "Freeze". Remember it has a special meaning besides the usual one. It means "stand still and don't move". Often policemen use it when they are ready to use their guns. If one doesn't obey the order and moves, he or she will be shot to death.
One evening in Los Angeles, someone rang the bell of a house. It was a dangerous area at night, so the _ of the house took his gun with him when he answered the door. He opened the door and saw a strange man. But the man turned round and started walking away from the house. The owner cried: "Freeze", but the young man went on walking without obeying the owner's order. The owner thought he was trying to run away, so he shot at the young man and he was killed.
Later, police found that the dead man was a Japanese student who was studying in Los Angeles University. He went to visit a friend, but unluckily could not remember the number of the house. When he realized he went to the wrong house he turned round and left. He didn't know much English and so didn't understand the word "Freeze". What a lesson we should get for this! | middle1595.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "husbands"
},
"options": [
"wives",
"husbands",
"parents",
"babies"
],
"question": "It is found that _ do less housework.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index"... | Research says that husbands do not do their fair share of work around the house. A study from an American university says that men seldom do the same share of housework. Researchers interviewed 182 working couples who became first-time parents. Both husbands and wives worked almost the same number of hours in full-time jobs. However, men did five hours a week less housework than women after their baby was born.
_ Becoming a parent added 21 hours a week to a mother's work. Most of this was looking after her baby. New fathers did not do more woke because they did not realize the mother was doing so much more. Another reason is that after a baby is born, fathers follow the "traditional" roles. That is, the mother looks after the baby and the father works outside. This happens even when the mother is working the same number of hours in her job. | middle5095.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "there are many kinds of expressions of gratitude"
},
"options": [
"people are worrying about politeness nowadays",
"there are many kinds of expressions of gratitude",
"\"thank you\" is the most popular expression of gratitude... | Saying "thank you" is probably the first thing most of us learn to do in a foreign language. After all, we're brought up to be kind and polite.
So, what exactly are you supposed to say when "thank you" is only the 20thmost popular way to express gratitude ? According to a recent report, 19 other ways of expressing gratitude finished ahead of "thank you" in a poll of 3,000 people.
Pollsters found almost half those asked preferred the more informal "cheers", while others liked to use such expressions as "ta", "great" and "nice one".
So, just what is the right form of words to express your thanks?
Luckily, the answer is in the language itself. "Cheers" is considered an informal way to say thank you. For example, when going for a drink with friends, a smile and a "cheers" by way of thanks is not only acceptable to the situation, it is also culturally _ .
"Ta" was the second-most popular expression of thanks, and is also commonly used in informal situations, along with phrases such as "nice one", and "wonderful".
Interestingly, one word that didn't make it into the top 20 was "thanks". But "thanks" can be useful, as it is able to bridge the divide between "thank you" and the downright relaxed "cheers".
Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight. For example, words like "awesome", "brilliant" and "you star" can tell both your pleasure at someone's action, as well as serving to express your thanks. If you are on the receiving end of a "new" thank you, you can reply with a simple "no problem", or "sure".
Of course, a simple wave, nod or smile may be all right. For example, if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road, simply raising your hand is enough to show that you are thankful for the driver's consideration.
Sometimes, formality is necessary, and "thank you" is still the best choice in such situations. But students should not worry about when exactly to use certain expressions.
Many people in western countries are worried that good manners are in decline . People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without any feedback. So don't think that your "thank you" was useless or too formal. The chances are, if you said "thank you", you made someone's day. | middle7682.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "student"
},
"options": [
"teacher",
"student",
"doctor",
"actor"
],
"question": "Judy was a(n) _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text"... | Judy had very bad luck yesterday. In the morning, she came to school late, because her alarm clock didn't _ . Usually she goes to school at 7:20 am. But yesterday, it was already 8:00 am when she got up. The teacher was angry and asked her to stay in the classroom after school. At 5:00 pm, it was time for students to go home. But Judy couldn't. She stayed until 5:30 pm. When she just went out of the classroom, it began to rain. She didn't have an umbrella. On her way home, she fell off her bicycle. When she got home, she was wet all through. | middle767.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a college student"
},
"options": [
"a physically-deformed man",
"a reporter",
"a college student",
"a shoemaker"
],
"question": "This passage was written by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | One day, a physically-deformed man came to our college and on his back was a notice saying, "Free shoe repairing for college students".
Repairing shoes for free? Most of us didn't believe it, and some even thought that it was just a device to the students who would have to pay for shoes once they had been repaired. But the man just smiled and said, "Save your money to buy some books." These words really surprised me and I talked with him, "You need to make a living. Why do you repair shoes for us for free?" He answered, while keeping on working, "I'm an illiterate , but I know how important knowledge is for everyone. So I'd like to serve the students like you. I hope you can do well in your studies. In my opinion, money isn't everything in life."
After the chat, I felt he was great compared with me. He, a physically-deformed man who couldn't walk without a wheelchair, still tried his best to devote himself to society. I would like to thank him because he gave me a new direction in my life, and taught me what the true value of life is.
,. | middle7696.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "an introduction to tourist attractions"
},
"options": [
"children's magazine",
"a personal diary",
"a short-story collection",
"an introduction to tourist attractions"
],
"question": "This passage is most probab... | "Yangzhou is wonderful! The teahouse is a popular place for local people to treat their important visitors..."This poem of the Qing Dynasty describes the comfortable life of living in Yangzhou. In Yangzhou, various snacks and refreshments make each morning a pleasant one.
For many years, Yangzhou snakes and refreshments have been well known for their great variety with different fillings and elegant shape. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yangzhou city was praised as "a place whose pastry shops were the finest under heaven". Listening to A Hundred Tunes while Enjoying the View of Jiangnan talks of Huaiyang snacks, "Huaiyang snacks and refreshments are known for a perfect mixture of freshness and sweetness. Huaiyang snacks in Yangzhou won high praise from both at home and abroad.
Among the famous masters making Huaiyang snacks and desserts during the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the most _ was Beauty Shaw in Yizheng country. The snacks she made were said to be as valuable as gold. Yuan Mei, a famous Qing-dynasty writer , wrote in his book The Menu of Sui Garden: "Outside the south gate of Yizheng country lives Beauty Shaw, who is an expert in making snacks and desserts." She is also regarded as one of the top ten masters of ancient China. Yin Changshan, Zhang Guangqing, Dong De'an, Chen Ende and many others are reputed as modern masters. Take Chen Ende for example. He mixed his idea with the traditional cooking skills and recreated the snacks in the Red Mansion Banquet style, which is designed to present the theme and background of A Dream of the Red Mansions .These masters have been abroad many times to show their skills in making Huaiyang-style pastry. With their efforts, Huaiyang-style pastry has become popular at high speed and is showing its charm to the world. The pastry of Fuchun Teahouse is the most outstanding one. | middle6588.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he didn't like the quiet life in his home town"
},
"options": [
"sailor was an interesting job",
"he could earn more money to be a sailor",
"he wanted to have an adventure experience",
"he didn't like the quiet life in ... | While you are in trouble, what are you going to do? What? Cry? Or escape? Those are all the wrong way! Robinson Crusoe can tell you the right answer!
It is an exciting story: Robinson Crusoe hated the comfortable life in his home town. So, he want to be a seaman and travelled around the world. But one day, a terrible thing happened. A great storm came and their boat crashed! No one was alive in this accident except Robinson. He was the luckiest man in the world--Because all his friends were dead but he was alive. However, at the same time he was the most _ man of all--He must face the fact .Alone on an island without food, water or gun!But, all roads lead to Rome!He just used his hands to work hard!Then, he made a cave, built a house, grew corn and kept goats. In the end, he could enjoy the life on the island. In his twenty-fourth year on the island, he saved a wild man, and gave him the name of "Friday". With Robinson's teaching, "Friday" became a good servant. Friday, they got a boat and escaped from the island.
Surely, the writer of Robinson Crusoe is really a hero! It's too hard to describe Robinson with words. We could say that Robinson was very clever, and also he was brave,...Certainly, too many good words can describe him. But now, I think it isn't important. However, the most important thing is what we have learned from the story. That is, use our own hands to work hard with confidence! | middle773.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To tell the readers what present he got from his father."
},
"options": [
"To tell the readers his life story.",
"To tell people what kind of person his father was.",
"To let people know how poor he was.",
"To tell the ... | I shook hands with my father in the truck, and for a long time he looked straight ahead and didn't say a word.But I knew he was going to say a little to me."I can't tell anything." he finally said."I never went to college, and none of your brothers went to college.I can't say don't do this and do that, because everything is different and I don't know what is going to come up.I can't help much with money either, but I think things will work out."
He gave me a new check-book ."If things get pushing, write a small check.But when you write one, send me a letter and let me know how much.There are some things we can always sell." In four years all the checks I wrote were less than a thousand dollars.My part-time jobs such as reading to the blind student and sitting with the teachers' kids filled in the _ .
"You know what you want to be, and they'll tell you what to take," my father went on."When you get a job, be sure it's honest, and work hard." I knew that soon I would be alone in the big town, and I would be missing the cool winds and a life where your thinking was done for you.
Then my dad reached down beside his seat and brought the old, broken Bible that he had read so often, the one he used when he wanted to look something up in a friendly quarrel with one of the neighbours.I knew he would miss it.I knew, though, that I must take it.
He didn't say read this every morning.He just said," This can help you if you will let it."
Did it help? I got through college without being a burden on the family.I have been able to make money since. | middle5081.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "encourage students to read more"
},
"options": [
"encourage students to read more",
"encourage students to write more",
"show off the books she has read",
"make money by selling books"
],
"question": "Jenny intr... | Jenny wanted to encourage students to read more famous books, so she decided to put an introduction to some interesting children's story books in the school newspaper.
The Little Prince (<<>> is a famous work written by French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery. In the book, the little prince leaves his own planet to explore the universe . In his journey, he finds that the adult world is really strange and boring. Finally, he goes back to his planet which is full of love. The book is really popular throughout the world.
Charlotte's Web (<<>> is a famous children's novel written by American author E. B. White. The novel tells the story of a pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a spider named Charlotte on a farm. When Wilbur is in danger of being killed for his meat by the farmer, Charlotte writes messages to _ Wilbur in her web and saves him. Wilbur becomes famous in the village and he is safe in the end. When it came out in 1952, the book was welcomed by both adults and children. And it is still very popular today.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (<<>> is a 2006 novel written by Kate DiCamillo. The book is about an unusual journey of a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. He travels from one place to another, meeting many people. During his journey, he learns to love and finally finds love again. This book is popular nowadays and was mentioned many times in the famous South Korean TV series My love from the Star (<<>> . The warm and sweet story will surely make you understand more about love. | middle3396.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Wearing clothes that are good for the Earth."
},
"options": [
"Wearing the colour green all the time.",
"Making clothes from green trees.",
"Putting green make-up on your face.",
"Wearing clothes that are good for the E... | What is your favourite colour? Ask famous persons like Cate Blanchett,Searlett Johansson and Bono,and maybe they will say"green."That's not because these artists particularly like the colour green.Instead,they are interested in green fashion.
Green fashion is about making(and wearing)clothes that are good for humans,animals,and the Earth.In the past,green fashion made people think of hippies and ugly clothes.But today,green fashion is different.It is about looking good and caring about the Earth and other people.You can have interesting clothes and be green.
Around the world,green fashion is becoming popular.For example,the U.K.company
People Tree sells men's and women's clothing and accessories .They are made from
natural fabrics like cotton and wool.Workers who make the clothes are from countries like Nepal,Kenya,and Bangladesh.People Tree pays the men and women good money for the clothes they create.
Singer Bono and his wife also started a clothing company called EDUN.When the clothes sell,EDUN uses most of the money to help people around the world. | middle2088.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "How to educate kids."
},
"options": [
"How to make rules.",
"Why to make rules.",
"Why to punish kids.",
"How to educate kids."
],
"question": "What's the passage mainly about?",
"question_type": null
},
... | Many parents like setting family rules for their kids. When kids break rules, parents will give them some punishments, which aren't included in rules. In fact, when you tell your kids about a new rule, you should talk with them about the price they should pay for breaking the rule -- what the punishment will be.
Punishments you set should be reasonable, without violence or threat . For example, if you find your son smoking, you may limit his social activities for two weeks. You should punish your kids only in ways you have discussed before the rule is broken. A study shows that the most popular punishment is to limit kids' TV time.
It's understandable that you'll be angry when rules are broken. Punishment is a way to express your anger, but it's not a very good one. Sharing your feelings of anger, disappointment or sadness with your kids can have a better effect on them. Try to do that. When your kids know what they have done has made you sad, they will feel _ . When they know their actions influence you greatly, they will obey rules better.
Rules are made to help your kids behave better. If your rules or ways of punishment make them unhappy or under a lot of pressure, are they helpful? | middle1581.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "When he was 9 years old"
},
"options": [
"When he was 9 years old",
"When he was 18 years old",
"When he was 10 years old",
"When he was 6 years old"
],
"question": "_ , Huang Ge started to use a wheelchair.",... | If you had only three years left to live, how would you spend your time? It's a hard question and few of us would even like to think about it. But 18-year-old Huang Ge has to answer this question and he says, "I want to thank the people who have helped me."
At the age of one, Huang's mother left the family. Six years later, he was badly ill. He has been using a wheelchair since 9 years old. Doctors said he would only live to 18.After Huang's story went on TV, hundreds of people sent money to help him. The boy was so moved that he decided to thank every one of them. But he has to be tied to his wheelchair. And the family can only afford a three-wheeled motorcycle . Since 2003, the father and son have traveled 14,000 kilometers, to 10 provinces, and thanked more than 30 helpers.
"I am moved by the story of the boy. We need the courage to face death, and we should also show our gratefulness to those who help us," says an online post on CCTV. com. | middle8228.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He has no legs."
},
"options": [
"He has no legs.",
"He has no arms.",
"He can't see.",
"He hurt his left leg."
],
"question": "What's the problem of Roybal?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | When Brody Roybal was a baby, he didn't have legs. But that didn't make him feel sad or stop him from trying sports.
He tried different kinds of sports. When he tried sled hockey at the age of 7, he loved it.
" That was it," says Roybal. He is now 15 and a student in a high school in Chicago. " It's all I wanted to do."
Roybal joined a sled hockey team. At the age of 12, he started playing in an adult team. It was much harder for him, but he still worked hard.
Now Roybal is a player of the sled hockey team in his country.
O' Connor, manager of the team, says Roybal is very good. " Everybody dreams of going to the Olympic Games and winning the game," O' Connor says. " That's something that I couldn't do, but Roybal can. He is lucky and he can go to the next Olympics."
It's true that when God closes a door, he opens a window for you. | middle6205.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they don't find the right way"
},
"options": [
"they don't work hard",
"they are afraid of English.",
"they don't find the right way",
"they aren't clever"
],
"question": "Some students think it difficult to lea... | Some students think it difficult to learn English well. That's because they don't find the right way. I think reading is very important for students. The more you read, the better you'll understand.
Reading is helpful to listening, speaking and writing. If you often read English aloud, you'll improve your listening. On the other hand, listening a lot can help you to read better. Reading English everywhere when you are free, if you wish. You can get a lot of knowledge when you read. Sometimes you need to express your ideas, you can either speak or write. That means you are using what you learned from reading. The same as Chinese, the more you read, the better you can write. If you want to remember something, you should read again and again.
So from now on, you'd better do more reading. It's a good way to learn English well. | middle2063.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Carrots and fish."
},
"options": [
"Chicken.",
"Carrots.",
"Carrots and fish.",
"Fish."
],
"question": "What do they eat for dinner?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | Tom:Good evening, Mum.
Mum:Good evening, Tom.
Tom:Do we eat chicken for dinner, Mum?
Mum:No, we eat fish and carrots, dear.
Tom:Mum, I don't like carrots. I like chicken.
Mum:But we need more vegetables, not only meat . It's not healthy to eat chicken every day.
Tom:OK. But dad likes chicken, too.
Mum:Well, let's eat chicken and tomatoes tomorrow .
Tom:That sounds great! | middle4412.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "take sand baths"
},
"options": [
"open their mouths",
"take sand baths",
"beat their wings",
"clean each other"
],
"question": "One way that birds keep clean is to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | When people are dirty, they take a bath or a shower. Animals don't have soap , but they do keep themselves clean. Many animals with hair, such as dogs and cats, keep themselves clean by licking their hair. They also use their teeth to pull out small dirty things from their hair. When they lick their hair, it is almost as if they are using a wet brush to clean themselves.
Birds take baths to stay clean. First they walk through water that is not deep. Next they beat their wings to dry themselves. Birds also take sand baths on the ground. It is thought that they do this to drive away parasites .
Even fish need cleaning. Fish have very little parasites that live in their mouths. Some fish live by eating these parasites off other fish. Such fish are called "cleaner fish". Larger fish will open their mouths so that the cleaner fish can get in to clean.
Some animals that live in groups clean each other, such as monkeys. They often clean one another. One monkey may clean an area that the other monkey can't reach. How interesting it is! | middle4374.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "William Sydney Porter"
},
"options": [
"O. Henry",
"William Sydney Porter",
"Carolina",
"Texas"
],
"question": "_ was the real name of the famous American writer.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | O. Henry, a famous American writer of short stories, was born in North Carolina in 1862. O. Henry was a pen name. His real name was William Sydney Porter. When he was a young boy, he did not go to school for long because of being born in a poor family, but he tried to teach himself everything he needed to know.
When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas. There he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank. But he got himself into some trouble. Some money went missing from the bank. O. Henry was believed to have stolen it, so he was sent to prison . During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and went on writing.
He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because almost all of them finished with a sudden change. This made the readers surprised. | middle2705.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "America."
},
"options": [
"Canada.",
"China.",
"America.",
"Australia."
],
"question": "Where does Gray Gerber come from?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Do you get angry when your friends sing loudly while you are trying to work, or when your best friend does not wait for you after school?
If you do, you need to take control of your feelings and stop getting angry so easily. Getting angry with people can cause you to lose friends.
Gray Gerber, an American high school teacher, has written My Feelings Are Like Wild Animals to help you control your feelings. It tells teens how to stay cool when bad things happen to them.
The book says that getting angry only makes problems worse. It can never make them better. Getting angry is not a natural way to act, the book says. It is just a bad habit, like smoking.
The book says you can control your anger easily. All you have to do is tell yourself not to be angry. When a baby falls over, he only cries if people are watching him.
Like a baby, you should only get angry if you are sure it is the right thing to do. The book gives many tips to help you if you get angry easily. Here are our tips:
(1)Keep a record. Every time you get angry, write down why you are angry.
(2)Ask your friends to stop talking to you when you get angry. This will teach you not to be angry.
(3)Do something different. When you get angry, walk away from the problem and go somewhere else. Try to laugh. | middle6563.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Mr. Wang"
},
"options": [
"Mr. Wang",
"Mr. Wang's wife",
"Mr. Wang's classmate",
"me"
],
"question": "The author writes this note to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Dear Mr. Wang,
Someone comes to the office to see you in the morning, but you and your wife are out. He comes here at 10am. Because he is very busy, he goes away half an hour later. He tells me that he is your classmate at college . Now he teaches Chinese in a high school in this city and he lives near the No. 6 Middle School. He is a very tall man with short hair. He wears a pair of glasses. He tells me his telephone number is 33426685. He is often at home at 7:00 pm. So you can call him in the evening. | middle798.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Shanghai"
},
"options": [
"Beijing",
"Shanghai",
"Guangzhou.",
"HongKong"
],
"question": "Where is Lisa from?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"a... | Hi! My name is Lisa. I'm a student in Shanghai. I'm in Class Nine, Grade Five. Wang Tao and Li Fang are my friends. They are in Grade Five, too. They are not in my class. They are in Class Seven. I'm 12. They are 12, too. Mr. Cheng is my teacher. His telephone number is 8869254. | middle6577.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She often appeared on television."
},
"options": [
"She lived in New York.",
"She took classical music lessons.",
"She learned dancing and singing.",
"She often appeared on television."
],
"question": "Which of ... | Alicia Keys was born in 1981 and grew up in New York. She had music and dance classes when she was a child and she first appeared on TV in the Cosby Show at the age of four. She started piano lessons when she was seven and learned classical music before she began to write her own songs at the age of 14.
Alicia signed a contract with J Records in 1999. She recorded several songs for films before her first album, Songs in Minor, came out in 2001. This was a fantastic success. It entered the charts at number one, sold 236,000 copies in its first week, and went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide. Alicia won five big awards, including
_ ', the album's top single, which was a number one hit for six weeks.
Since then, Alicia has sold over 30 million albums. She has also become an actress and a record producer with her own studio. She plays the piano as well as singing on all her albums and she has written some great songs for other artists. She has performed in TV programmes and she made her first film, Smokin' Aces, in 2007. Her other
films include The Nanny Diaries (2007) and The Secret Life of Bees (2008),' | middle7669.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Science exhibitions and experiment exhibitions."
},
"options": [
"Training education programs and nature animals.",
"Science exhibitions and experiment exhibitions.",
"Astro-vision film shows and modern film shows.",
"A... | China Science and Technology Museum was opened to the public in September 1988. But the second project was completed in May 2000. Its main task is to spread knowledge of science and technology among the public.
The activities of China Science and Technology Museum include popular science exhibitions, Astro-vision film shows, training education programs and experiment exhibition programs. The museum has an area of 40,000 square metres, of which 16,000 square metres is for exhibition halls.
The Astro-vision Theatre is one of the museum's major attractions and also one of the largest Astro-vision theatres in the world. It makes visitors feel they are in actual events rather than see a film. Many great science activities are often held at the museum, and the museum wants to be an important window to the world. | middle954.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Fanny"
},
"options": [
"Ana",
"Fanny",
"Linda",
"Daisuke"
],
"question": "Who is Susan's best friend?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_te... | Susan, the US
My best friend is Fanny. She is clever and interesting. We always look after each other. The first week we met, I got sick and she looked after me every day.
Betty, England
My best friend's Ana. She is honest and serious. We were born in the same city in England. Then I moved to America with my family. I thought I would never see Ana again. When I went to college in New York,, Ana and I shared the same room!
Ken, Japan
I love to spend time with Daisuke because he is funny and smart. We enjoy talking about the funny things we did when we were children , and tell the same stupid jokes over and over again.
Lily , Australia
Linda is very confident girl and she is really kind. Some people may wonder why Linda and I are best friends because we are totally different, but I think this is why we are such good friends. | middle2711.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because he wasn't free enough to read books."
},
"options": [
"Because he didn't like reading.",
"Because he wasn't free enough to read books.",
"Because he liked the life in the center of the town.",
"Because he liked ... | Mr. Green once worked in a big company. He was so busy that he couldn't do any reading. So he gave up his job and opened a bookshop in the center of the town. It wasn't big but all the books were nice and most people liked to buy some there. When the shop was closed, he could read at home. He knew a lot and many learned people were glad to make friends with him.
It was Sunday and it was cold outside. Mr. Green was very busy. At nine in the evening al! the buyers left but a woman was still there. She was dressed up and seemed to be waiting for somebody there. Standing by the shelves, she looked over the books one after another, and made them in a terrible mess . Mr. Green came up to her and asked, "Excuse me, madam. What can I do for you?"
"Your books are not interesting at all," said the woman, "I want a delicious one."
"That's easy," Mr. Green smiled. He brought out a cookbook and said, "Here you are, madam." | middle3369.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because he thinks it's not easy for his parents to make money."
},
"options": [
"Because his family is very poor.",
"Because his parents don't give him any pocket money.",
"Because he thinks it's not easy for his parents to m... | Frank is my friend. His family is rich. His parents always give him lots of pocket money. But Frank thinks his parents work very hard and it's not easy for them, so he always tries his best to save money. He has some good ways to do it.
Frank likes reading. He has lots of books. He tells me he often buys books online, because they're cheaper. And when he has free time, he often goes to bookstores or libraries to do some reading.
Frank has a bike. He usually goes to school by bike instead of taking a bus. Sometimes when it rains or snows, he walks. These two ways help Frank keep healthy and save some money.
Frank brings a bottle of water to school every day. When other students drink juice, he enjoys his water. He thinks water is the cheapest but the best drink.
Some students think Frank is mean. But I don't think so. I think he is right. What do you think of him? | middle4406.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "10"
},
"options": [
"4",
"6",
"10",
"12"
],
"question": "Sonia and Susan have _ volleyballs.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "ten... | Sonia has a sports collection. She has ten tennis rackets, seven basketballs, four volleyballs and five soccer balls. She plays tennis every day she is in the school tennis club.
Susan also has a sports collection. She has five baseballs, six volleyballs, three ping-pong bats and many ping-pong balls. Oh, she also has two soccer balls. But she doesn't play sports. She only watches them.
Sandy doesn't play sports, and she doesn't have balls. | middle6211.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "black food"
},
"options": [
"red food",
"green food",
"black food",
"rice"
],
"question": "Now more and more people like to have _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Food is colorful. Some food is green, some food is red, and some is black. Now more and more people like to have black food--black rice, black beans, black grapes. Why do they like black food?
* Black food can make grey hair into black hair.
* Black food is good for the heart.
* Black food can help children become smart.
* Black food can also help women look young.
Black food is very good, but we need food with different colors. Doctors say that it isn't good to be _ about food. So we had better eat all kinds of food. | middle5730.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "7."
},
"options": [
"4.",
"5.",
"7.",
"8."
],
"question": "How many countries were mentioned in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "... | Mr. Zhang, our geography teacher, held a map of the world and asked us where we would like to travel. Li Ming said, "I like countries with an interesting history, such as China, Egypt, Greece and Italy. They are all old countries with a long history. You can see many old buildings in these countries, such as the Great Wall, the Pyramids and the Acropolis ."
The teacher asked, "Do you want to go to places with beautiful beaches?"
Yang Ying said, "Of course. It's pleasant to visit places with fine weather and beautiful beaches. For example, the U.S.A., Australia and Malaysia have beautiful beaches."
Shanshan said, "I know many countries in Southeast Asia have beautiful beaches. But I like visiting countries where the people are very friendly and helpful to visitors."
Mr. Zhang said, "Remember: hotel, food and souvenirs always cost us much money. So we should make a good plan before we go to visit other countries."
,. | middle3341.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A guide."
},
"options": [
"A teacher.",
"A person who makes laws.",
"A guide.",
"An English officer."
],
"question": "Who do you think most probably makes the speech?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | Good afternoon and welcome to England. We hope that your visit here will be pleasant. Today, I would like to draw your attention to a few of our laws.
The first one is about drinking. Now you may not buy alcohol in this country if you are under 18 years old, nor may your friends buy it for you.
Secondly, noise. Enjoy yourselves by all means, but please don't make unnecessary noise, especially at night. We ask you to respect other people who may wish to be quiet.
Thirdly, crossing the road. Be careful. The traffic moves on the left side of the road in this country. Use the crossing for walking and don't take any chances when crossing the road.
My next point is about rubbish. It is an offence to drop litter in the street. When you have something to throw away, please put it in your pocket and take it home, or put it into a rubbish bin.
Finally, smoking. It is against the law to buy cigarettes or tobacco if you are under 16 years old.
I'd like to finish by saying that if you need any kind of help, you can turn to the police. The police will be pleased to help you. You can call, or directly go to ask any policeman. | middle7127.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A or B"
},
"options": [
"January",
"February",
"March",
"A or B"
],
"question": "The Spring Festival comes in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
... | The Spring Festival is the Chinese New Year's Day. It usually comes in January or February. Everyone in China likes it very much. All the families have a big dinner to celebrate it. Children like the Spring Festival best because they can get presents such as nice food, new clothes and red packets from their grandparents, their parents, their uncles and aunts. People eat dumplings on the Spring Festival. Chinese think eating dumplings can bring them money in the new year. | middle6239.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "on a very hot day"
},
"options": [
"during a storm",
"when it is sunny",
"on a very hot day",
"when you take in an exam"
],
"question": "Intelligence may be lower _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Weather has a strong effect on people. It influences health, intelligence and feelings. In August, it is very hot and wet in the southern part of the United States. People there easily have heart trouble and other kinds of health problems during this month. In the Northeast and the Middle West, it is hot at some times and very cold at other times. People in those states will have heart trouble after the weather changes in February or March.
The weather can also influence intelligence. For example, in a 1983 study by scientists, the IQ scores of some college students were very high during storm, but after the storm, their scores were low. Storms can increase intelligence. Very hot weather, on the other hand, can decrease it. Students in many schools of the United States often do badly in exams in the hot months of the year(July and August).
Weather also has a strong effect on people's feeling. Winter may be a bad time for thin people. They usually feel cold during these months. They might feel depressed during cold weather. In hot summer weather, on the other hand, fat people may feel unhappy. At about 65F, people become stronger.
Low air pressure makes people feel free, but it also increases forgetful- ness. People leave more bags and umbrellas on buses and in stores on low pressure days. There is a"perfect weather"for work and health. People feel best at a tempera- ture of about 64F with 65 percent humidity .
Are you feeling sick, sad, tired, forgetful, or very intelligent today? The weather may be the reason. | middle7899.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Choo must be thankful for Vogue magazine."
},
"options": [
"Choo was lucky enough when he was young.",
"Choo must be thankful for Vogue magazine.",
"\"Jimmy Choo\" is a brand with a long history.",
"It's much harder for... | "Face it, Andy. You sold your soul the day you put on that first pair of Jimmy Choo's." That line from the movie The Devil Wears Prada is an example showing how a shoemaker has become famous in the fashion world.
Jimmy Choo (Zhou Yangjie) is a native Malaysian of Chinese origin , born in 1961 into a family of shoemakers. He created his first pair of shoes at age 11. His family couldn't pay for his schooling, so he dropped out at a young age. He had to work with his father to support the family. But his dream to be a fashion designer never disappeared, so he did all he could to enter an art college and finally took up a position in the fashion world through his talent and willpower.
Choo graduated from a college in London and had a small workshop there. He hit the international fashion scene when Vogue magazine described his designs in eight pages in 1988. His work was immediately popular and got love and support from Diana, Princess of Wales.
Jimmy Choo shoes are known for their very high heels and pointed toes. However, he does some flats and lower-heeled shoes for other women. Choo co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd. with Tamara Mellon, UK Vogue editor, but left the company in 2001.
Jimmy Choo shops have opened around the world, so his designs are _ to those who want a designer shoe, and can afford his prices. Choo also has a website where shoppers can view his ready-to-wear designs. The brand of Jimmy Choo has been comparable to top brands, like Channel, LV, etc. But it's still young and has a bright future.
We can't imagine how hard it is for Choo to stand out in the worldwide fashion! He must have made greater efforts and had more difficulties than others. And so he did. So stop complaining about why good luck isn't always falling on you and devote yourselves to your work now. | middle7641.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Walking"
},
"options": [
"Singing",
"Walking",
"Dancing",
"Playing"
],
"question": "What was Helen doing when she found two weak birds?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"... | Helen loved small animals. One morning while she was walking in the forest, she found two weak birds in the grass. She took them home and put them in a small cage. She looked after them with love and the birds both grew well. They thanked her with a wonderful song every morning.
But something happened one day. Helen left the door of the cage open. The larger bird flew from the cage. She thought that it would fly away, so she _ it. She was very excited to catch it. Suddenly she felt strange. She opened her hand and looked sadly at the dead bird. Her great love had killed the bird!
The other bird was moving back and forth in the cage. Helen could feel the bird want to go out. It wanted to fly into the blue sky. At once, Helen took the bird out of the cage and let it fly away. The bird circled, twice, three times...
Helen enjoyed watching the bird flying and singing happily. Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her head. It sang the sweetest song that she had ever heard.
The easiest way to lose love is to hold too tight. The best way to keep love is to give it freedom. | middle3427.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Canada"
},
"options": [
"Japan",
"Canada",
"America",
"Russia"
],
"question": "The Winter Olympic Games was held in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": ... | China's Winter Olympians have been welcomed home as national heroes from Vancouver, Canada. The country enjoyed its best Winter Games results, collecting 11 medals in Vancouver--including 5 gold medals.
With flowers and national flags in hands, many people waited at Beijing Airport for hours. Every member was received by a crowd of family members and friends. Hundreds of workers and fans welcomed the athletes and coaches back with color balloons and ribbons.
Wang Meng who won three gold medals in Vancouver Winter Olympics said, "We have shown the Olympic spirit and our Chinese sports spirit at the Vancouver Olympics. We Chinese athletes didn't fear to meet the strong opponents and had good team work."
,. | middle2739.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "telling the spider some important news"
},
"options": [
"destroying the web",
"turning to his friends for help",
"telling the spider some important news",
"fighting with the spider"
],
"question": "The little bu... | There was once a spider that lived in a cornfield . She liked this home and planned to stay there for the rest of her life.
One day, the spider caught a little bug in her web. Just as the spider was about to eat him, the bug said: "If you let me go, I will tell you something important that can save your life."
The spider thought for a little while and listened. "You'd better get out of this cornfield," the little bug said. "The harvest is coming!"
"I think you are just telling me a story," the spider said with a smile.
"Oh no, it is true," the little bug said. "All the stalks will be knocked down, and the corn will be gathered up. You will be killed by the giant machines if you stay here."
"I don't believe you," the spider said as she ate the little bug for lunch.
A few days later, the spider was laughing about the story the little bug had told her. She thought to herself: "A harvest! What a silly idea. I have lived here all of my life, and nothing has ever disturbed me."
The next day was a beautiful sunny day. The sky above was clear, and there was no wind at all. That afternoon, as the spider was about to take a nap , she noticed some thick dusty clouds moving towards her. She could hear the noise of a great engine , and she said to herself: "I wonder what that could be?" | middle5056.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "learn about whatever they want"
},
"options": [
"learn about the most important news",
"be pleased",
"learn about whatever they want",
"get some information"
],
"question": "People read newspaper to _ .",
... | Newspapers are very important in our daily life. Many people begin their day by reading the paper. In this way they learn what is going on in the world. Sometimes, however, they didn't have the time to read the news carefully and must be pleased with a quick look at the front page. At other times they may be in such a hurry that they have time only to have a quick look at the headlines .
There are newspapers to please every reader. In big cities there are many types with several different editions every day. In some towns there are fewer newspapers and perhaps only one edition each day. In some places the paper is printed weekly.
Most papers have several editions , especially on Sundays when the edition is larger than usual. There are, besides the front page with the most important news, the sports news, the amusement page, a business page and so on. | middle3433.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "he puts much food in it"
},
"options": [
"there's a lot of clothes in it",
"he puts much food in it",
"he likes big bags",
"he takes many books"
],
"question": "Bill's bag is big because _ .",
"question_t... | Bill and his friends are in a big city. He takes a lot of food. His bag is big and heavy. Soon, Bill gets lost. He walks in the street for a long time and he feels tired . It's eight in the evening, he goes into a restaurant. He asks for some drinks and soon he begins to sleep. When he wakes up ,he can't find any people in the restaurant. The door is closed and he can't go out. He finds a telephone number and begins to call Mt Jackson, the owner of the restaurant.
"Hello," says the boy. "When do you open your restaurant, Mr. Jackson?"
The telephone wakes up the man and he isn't happy. So he says, "Don't ask me about that. I can't let you in."
"Oh, no! I want to go out." | middle5042.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She could get some food in the Cooking Club."
},
"options": [
"She liked making different kinds of food.",
"Cooking club was the only activity she could choose.",
"She could get some food in the Cooking Club.",
"It was ... | A.Choose the best answer (,)
Carole's Cooking Journal
Monday, April 6
This month, we had to choose an optional activity. Should it really be called "optional" if you have to do it? Unfortunately, I waited until the last minute to sign up. Many of the activities were already full, but I made a decision to join the Cooking Club because at least that way I would get a snack to eat.
Tuesday, April 7
It was the first time to be here. Like many of my ideas, joining the Cooking Club made sense at first but was turning out to be a disaster. Most people have been in the club for more than a year, so they already know what they're doing. And since they all know each other, they weren't exactly interested in a newcomer.
Thursday, April 9
What a terrible day! How could I know that if a recipe says to beat cookie batter , you couldn't do it with your fists ? I thought the other kids would never stop laughing. And it was not easy to get cookie batter off your clothes.
Friday, April 10
I have more funny things in Cooking Club. Now I know that chocolate mousse is a dessert and it isn't spelled m-o-o-s-e. "Mousse" and "Moose" sound exactly the same. So I don't think my question about whether vegetarians can eat chocolate mousse was really that silly.
Monday, April 13
One of my bright ideas worked out for a change! Everyone laughed when I handed out the chocolate "moose" cookie that I made yesterday, but this time I was laughing, too. The peanut butter antlers were a _ . We're even planning to bake more cookies for the school food festival next week. | middle7655.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because he was too bored at home."
},
"options": [
"Because he was too bored at home.",
"Because he wanted to pick up some leaves.",
"Because he wanted to enjoy the windy day.",
"Because there was a friend waiting for h... | Tommy was watching the shutters open and then shut, open and then shut.
"Mom," he said, "may I go outside?"
"Be careful," she said. "It's so windy today."
Outside, leaves were flying here and there.
Tommy watched in _ .
"If I was a leaf, I would fly across the world," Tommy thought and then ran out into the yard among the colors.
Mrs. Pennington came out.
"Tommy, I have your jacket. Please put it on."
However, there was no Tommy. He was a leaf.
A maple leaf came to him and moved ahead. Tommy followed him.
"Where do you think we are going?" Tommy asked the leaf.
"Does it matter?" the leaf replied.
"If you are blown in that direction, you will fly high into the air and see things that no leaf has seen before."
"Okay," Tommy said, "I will go with you to the dump ."
Suddenly, a car stopped. It was Tommy's mom. Mrs. Pennington didn't want to let her little boy run into the city dump.
"Not so fast," she said getting out of the car. "You are not allowed to play there. Don't you see the smoke?" She walked over and took the leaf. She put it in her pocket.
"There," she said, "it will be safe until we get home."
Tommy smiled, ran to the car and got in. | middle7133.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the writer's window was dirty"
},
"options": [
"the woman's window was dirty",
"the writer's window was dirty",
"the woman lived nearby",
"the writer was near-sighted"
],
"question": "The writer couldn't see eve... | Years ago, I lived in a building in a large city. The building next door was only a few feet away from mine. There was a woman who lived there, whom I had never met, yet I could see her seated by her window each afternoon, sewing or reading.
After several months went by, I began to notice that her window was dirty. Everything was unclear through the dirty window. I often said to myself, "I wonder why that woman doesn't wash her window. It really looks terrible."
One bright morning I decided to clean my flat, including washing the window on the inside.
Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down by the window with a cup of coffee for a rest. What a surprise! Across the way, the woman sitting by her window was clearly seen. Her window was clean!
Then _ . I was always criticizing her dirty window, but all the time I was watching hers through my own dirty window.
That was quite an important lesson for me. How often had I looked at and criticized others through the dirty window of my heart, through my own mistake?
Since then, whenever I wanted to judge someone, I asked myself first, "Am I looking at him through my own dirty window?"
Then I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world around me more clearly and correctly. | middle5724.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A new skateboard."
},
"options": [
"A new bike.",
"A new skateboard.",
"More chocolate biscuits.",
"Some chocolate-chip cookies."
],
"question": "What will Louie get if he lives without chocolate for a week?",
... | Louie was _ chocolate. He loved having chocolate biscuits for breakfast. He asked his dad to buy all kinds of chocolate cookies for him.
One morning, Louie's big brother, Ben, said to Louie, "You can't live without chocolate, can you?" "Of course I can," said Louie. "But I don't want to." "I bet you anything that you can't live without chocolate for one whole week," said Ben. Louie stopped eating his chocolate cookies and looked at Ben, "You bet anything? Even your new skateboard?" "Why not?" said Ben. "I'm sure you can't last seven whole days." "That's what you think," said Louie. And then he put his chocolate cookies into a box.
Monday was easy for Louie. He had porridge for breakfast. On Tuesday he didn't exchange his yogurt for Anna's chocolate pudding at lunch. On Wednesday he went to Franco's birthday party and didn't eat the chocolate cake. On Thursday, Aunt Irene came to visit with chocolate-chip cookies. "I'm not really hungry," said Louie. On Friday and Saturday Louie didn't exchange his apple juice for Josh's chocolate milk.
Then came Sunday. Louie woke up and found a glass of milk and a pile of chocolate cookies beside his bed. "Go ahead. Enjoy yourself," said Ben. Louie picked up a piece of chocolate cookie, but then he stopped, "I'm thinking how delicious it will taste tomorrow after I ride my new skateboard," said Louie. "Oh, no!" cried Ben. "I was so close!"
,. | middle3355.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "5"
},
"options": [
"3",
"5",
"4",
"6"
],
"question": "There are _ people in this story.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "80 dolla... | Blue Ocean Aquarium is a great place for families to take a holiday. Children love to see the sea animals and watch movies about sharks in it.
Last Saturday morning, Mr Jackson took his wife and two little sons to the aquarium. At the ticket office, he asked, "How much shall I pay to get in?" The woman at the ticket office answered, "The price is 20 dollars for each adult or any kid older than five. We let kids in free if they are five or younger. How old are your kids?" Mr Jackson said, "The older one is six and the younger one is thee. I think I must buy three tickets. " The woman was surprised. She said, "Sir, don't you want to save 20 dollars? If you tell me your older son is five, I won't know the difference. " Mr Jackson said with a smile, "Yes, that sounds right,
but my kids will know the difference. "
From Mr Jackson' s story, we know _ is very important in the modem society. We should tell the truth to the people around us, especially to the kids. | middle559.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a town"
},
"options": [
"a hotel",
"a village",
"a town",
"the countryside"
],
"question": "The writer lived in_years ago.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": ... | Years ago, I lived in a building in a town. There was another building across form mine, and it was only a few meters away. There lived a woman whom I had never met. I could see her sit by the window each afternoon, drinking or reading.
Several months later, I noticed her window was very dirty. Everything was not clear through the window. I wondered why the woman didn't wash her window.
One sunny morning, I decided to clean up my apartment, including washing my windows. Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down for a rest by the window. What a surprise! The woman sitting by her window was clearly seen! Her window was clean! Suddenly, I realized I had made a mistake. I was watching her through my dirty window all the time!
That was quite an important lesson for me. Since then, whenever I wanted to judge someone, I asked myself first, " Am I looking at him through the dirty window of my heart?" Then I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world clearly. | middle1967.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Something you enjoy doing in your spare time."
},
"options": [
"A job.",
"A school subject.",
"Something interesting.",
"Something you enjoy doing in your spare time."
],
"question": "What is a hobby?",
"que... | A hobby is not a job or a school subject. A hobby is something you enjoy doing in your spare time. It's not something you need to do. It's just fun. Some people make model ships, keep pets, plant flowers, play computer games or chat on the Internet. Some paint pictures or dance to music. Some collect everything from stamps to seashells ... People take up hobbies because they think these activities can bring them many things like happiness, friendship and knowledge. Anyone, rich or poor, old or young, sick or well, can have a hobby. A hobby will make your life colorful.
,. | middle3816.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "An interesting story."
},
"options": [
"Malians Island.",
"An interesting story.",
"Beautiful scenery.",
"His favorite places."
],
"question": "What did Mr. McCorpuodale write about on his latest postcard?",
... | In 50 years of traveling, Colin McCorpuodale has visited every country in the world except three. And everywhere he goes, he sends himself a postcard. He always chooses a postcard with beautiful scenery . Usually he writes just a short message to himself. However, he wrote an interesting story on his latest one, from the Malians Island.
Mr. McCorpuodale lives in London. On one of the walls in his room, you can see a large map of the world. There are hundreds of little red pins stuck in it. "These pins mean a lot to me." says Mr. McCorpuodale, "I follow the rule. I'm allowed to stick one in only if I've been in a place for more than 24 hours."
Naturally, Mr. McCorpuodale has his favorite places. New Zealand, he describes as "a wonderful country". About China, he says, "This is the country in the world which is completely different. There is no European influence."
Wherever he goes, Mr. McCorpuodale takes with him a photo of his wife, a candle, a shirt with a secret pocket and a pen.
So why does he do it? For the postcards or the travels? Mr. McCorpuodale laughs, "Neither. Only for the meaningful life." | middle565.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the lemon flower has a pleasant smell"
},
"options": [
"the lemon tree looks ugly",
"the lemon flower has a pleasant smell",
"the lemon fruit tastes delicious",
"lemon tree is not lovely"
],
"question": "In Fath... | When I was just a kid of ten, my father said to me," Come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree. Don't put your faith in love, my boy."
My father said to me, "I fear you'll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree." Lemon tree very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat. beneath the lemon tree One day my love and I did lie. A girl so sweet that when she smiled, the stars rose in the sky. We passed that summer lost in love beneath the lemon tree. The music of her laughter hid my father's words from me. Lemon tree very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat. One day she left without a word, she took away the sun. And in the dark she'd left behind, I knew what she had done. She left me for another; it's a common tale but true. A sadder man but wiser now, I sing these words to you.
Lemon tree very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
Lemon tree, Lemon tree, Lemon tree, Lemon tree | middle7480.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Chinese"
},
"options": [
"English",
"Chinese",
"small",
"Japanese"
],
"question": "Jack is at a/an _ school.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"... | Dear Tom
How are you? I'm at a new school this term. And I'm writing to you about my school now. My new school is big and nice. There are one thousand and four hundred students and one hundred and forty teachers at my school. I like the teachers. They are very kind to me. My classmates are very friendly, too. They teach me Chinese and I teach them English.
There are trees, flowers and green grass at my school. They are very beautiful. Behind my school there is a small river. The water in it is quite clean. We can swim in it.
We have no classes on Saturdays or Sundays. Sometimes I go to play football or basketball with my classmates. Sometimes I stay at home and watch TV. Sometimes I go to shops with my father and mother. We all like China.
Please write to me soon!
Yours
Jack | middle4189.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "giving them food"
},
"options": [
"giving them food",
"building a house for them",
"repairing their ship",
"providing them with a book"
],
"question": "At first,the local people helped Columbus and his men by _... | In early November of 1503,during Christopher Columbus's fourth and final trip to America,his ship was seriously damaged in a storm.Columbus and his men had to live on a small island for several months while they tried to repair their ship and return to Spain.
At first,the local people on the island were very kind to the European visitors,giving them allthe food and clothes they needed to survive.However,as the months passed,the local people became more and more unhappy with their guests,who were tricking and stealing from them.Finally the locals decided to stop helping.Without food or any way to leave the island,Columbus's group was soon in serious trouble.
Luckily for Columbus,he had a book about the stars and planets on his ship.It described the movements of all the objects in the night sky.The book,written by a well-known German scientist,said there would be a total lunar eclipse on the evening of February 29,1504 and how long it would last.
Columbus worked out the difference in time between Germ any and North America.He then had a meeting with the local leaders just before the eclipse would take place.In this meeting,Columbus told them his god was angry because the local people were no longer giving food.So his god would take away the moon to punish them.The moment Columbus finished talking,just as he had planned,the moon began disappearing.
The local leaders grew frightened and quickly agreed to provide Columbus with food and anything else he wanted.But first,Columbus's god had to return the moon.Columbus told them he would have to discuss the idea with his god on his ship.Knowing the moon would stay completely hidden for about 48 minutes,Columbus returned just before the moon began to reappear.From that day on,until they finally left,Columbus and his men no longer had any trouble getting the food they needed. | middle5297.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because he wanted the police to see him."
},
"options": [
"Because he wanted to keep off the police.",
"Because he saw a police car behind his.",
"Because his plan was working.",
"Because he wanted the police to see him... | A few minutes before six o'clock, Mr. Smith decided to leave. He was about to start the car when a gunman jumped up from the back seat. He held a gun to Mr. Smith's head. "Drive me to Paris!" he shouted.
"All right", Mr. Smith answered. He started the engine, pulled away from the side of the street and drove down. Being eighty-one years old, he knew he could not fight the gunman. He knew he needed help. Where were the police? As he drove through a crossing, he looked up and down the side streets, hoping to meet a police car. But he could see nothing. "Just my luck," he thought, "If I was driving too fast, there would be a police car on every corner."
Suddenly he pushed his foot down on the accelerator , and the car ran much faster. "What are you doing?" shouted the gunman. "Keeping off the police," Mr. Smith answered. "I thought I saw a police car back there."
He ran lights, drove the wrong way on one-way streets. On two-way streets he drove on the wrong side of the road. Not one policeman saw him. Again Mr. Smith's plan was not working. He had to try a new plan. He turned a corner and saw the police station in front. Then he drove his car as fast as he could towards the police gate. The car hit a police motorbike down and stopped. Mr. Smith shouted, "Help! Help!" Then he reached back to grab the man's gun. At the same time the policeman heard the noise and quickly caught the gunman. | middle4837.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A clothing shop."
},
"options": [
"A bookshop.",
"A coffee shop.",
"A clothing shop.",
"A food shop."
],
"question": "What shop did the author's father own?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | From my father I have learned a lot. And I'm very thankful to him. I remember when I was a child my father always got up very early, quietly putting on his clothes and going off to work. To arrive in time to open his tiny store at 8:30, he needed to leave our apartment at 6:30. After all, he had to take a bus and then the subway. The last journey was a long walk through a neighborhood much of which was full of the smell of rubbish. I learned: it is very important to work. No excuse.
When I was 12, I would, on some Saturdays, go to my father's store to help out. After helping set up the outside clothing display, for the rest of the day, I'd watch to make sure no one stole anything. When I noticed someone looking unusual or strange, I would look the person in the eye, smile and say, "May I help you?" Usually that worked, but sometimes, someone would run off with something. The first time, I ran after the thief but my father shouted, "Martin, stop! There is no need to do that." It's true that safety is more important than money.
After 10 years of hard work, he saved up enough money to buy his first car, a cheap one--he wouldn't buy one until he could afford to pay for it without borrowing money. I learned: buy only what you can afford. Buying necessary food and clothing won't make us go in debt . The unnecessary things won't give us happiness, which comes from achievement only. | middle3180.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "cool"
},
"options": [
"cool",
"small",
"cheap",
"their toys"
],
"question": "Many children like mobile phones because they think mobile phones are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"an... | Many children think mobile phones are cool. They come in fun colors and let you talk with friends anytime and anywhere.
In the U.S., more than 90 million people use mobile phones. Many of these people are children. For children, mobile phones are more than phone calls. They are fashionable.
Most mobile phone users don't think about the health problems caused by mobile phones. Some scientists say that mobile phones give off radiation that might be bad for the users. One newest study shows that mobile phone radiation might raise a person's chance of getting some kinds of cancer . Other scientists say mobile phones don't' threaten people's health. They say that they have not found any link between phone use and cancer.
Scientists say that people can protect themselves from mobile phone radiation. One way is to use a headset . Or people can make shorter call. | middle1797.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a sign language"
},
"options": [
"to speak",
"to watch others",
"a sign language",
"a spoken language"
],
"question": "In the 1700s, the deaf were taught _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | For many years, no one could communicate with people who had been born without hearing. These deaf people were not able to use a spoken language.
But, beginning in the 1700s, the deaf were taught a special language. Using the language, they could share thoughts and ideas with others. The language they used was a language without sound. It was a sign language.
How did this sign language work? The deaf were taught to make certain movements using their hands, faces, and bodies. These movements stood for things and ideas. People might move their forefingers across their lips. This meant, "You are not telling the truth." They might tap their chins with three fingers. This meant, "my uncle".
The deaf were also taught to use a finger alphabet . They used their fingers to make the letters of the alphabet. In this way, they spelled out words. Some deaf people could spell out words at a speed of 130 words per minute.
Sign language and finger spelling are not used as much as they once were. Today the deaf are taught to understand others by watching their lips. They are taught how to speak. | middle1783.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "before"
},
"options": [
"before",
"since",
"during",
"after"
],
"question": "Your teacher wil probably tel you the rules above _ the first lab lesson.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"a... | Laboratory work is your chance to learn science firsthand. It can be fun but you must be careful to prevent injury. Listen closely when your teacher reads and explains the rules before your first lab lesson.
LABORATORYRULES
Throughout the lesson
*Do not enter the science lab without the teacher's permission.*No food or drinks are to be alowed in the science lab.
Before the Experiment
*Read al instructions carefuly before every experiment.
*Prepare al apparatus and arrange them so that you wil not knock them over while doing the experiment.
During the Experiment
*If you are unsure of how to use any apparatus or how to operate, ask your teacher for help.*Never smel or taste chemicals unless your teacher gives permission.
After the Experiment
*Wash al apparatus after use and return them to the places where they were.
*Throw waste materials in proper waste baskets.
First Aid
*Report al accidents to your teacher immediately.
*If you spil( )any chemicals onto your body or clothing, wash with plenty of water and report to your teacher. | middle3194.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the Millennium"
},
"options": [
"New Year's Eve",
"1999",
"foreign visitors",
"the Millennium"
],
"question": "The London Eye was built for celebrating _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"... | The London Eye
The London Eye was opened on New Year's Eve in 1999 to celebrate the Millennium . It is 135 meters high, and from the top you can see the whote London. On a clear day you can even see Windsor Castle, which is 40 kilometers away. The London Eye has 32 capsules , each with room for 25 people. Each "trip" lasts 30 minutes. It moves quite slowly, at a speed of about 15 meters a minute, but it never stops. Passengers have to get on when it's moving.
OPENING TIME: Daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter.
TICKETS: Online or by phone. A limited number of tickets are available in the day.From the Ticket Office in County Hall (the building next to the Eye), but go early because you often have to wait in a queue.
HOW TO GET THERE: 5 minutes' walk from Waterloo underground station.
Choose the best answers: | middle571.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "uncle"
},
"options": [
"father",
"brother",
"uncle",
"friend"
],
"question": "My _ likes sports.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": ... | My uncle likes sports very much. He loves soccer ball, basketball, baseball, tennis and more. He plays baseball and basketball very well. He likes to watch the sports games on TV. He plays sports every day. He has a small sports collection. He has 12 tennis rackets, 10 baseballs, 3 basketballs and a soccer ball. | middle7494.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "9"
},
"options": [
"7",
"8",
"9",
"10"
],
"question": "How many people were there in Uncle Bill's family when he was a child",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Many people think heroes need to be handsome, rich, or very smart. But as for me, a hero is a person who always helps others. My hero is Uncle Bill. He is the oldest son of a worker, and he grew up in a poor family with four younger brothers and two little sisters.
He was good at neither writing nor math. In fact, he never did well in school. so he had to give up school at a very young age. He worked and gave all his money to help his parents. When he was getting older, he found that he was very interested in fixing things. he collected broken things which people threw away and fixed them into good ones. He could fix almost everything that did not work. He worked hard never gave up. Finally, he opened his own repair shop. It took him about 20 years to become a successful shopkeeper .
Now, he is very rich and has four shops. But he never forgets the days when he had nothing. He gives money to poor families, helps poor kids buy books and offers them free lunch. He also encourages people to reuse things. He always says :Make good use of what you have because we just have one earth.
I am proud of Uncle Bill. He is really a hero. | middle6952.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "smaller;farther"
},
"options": [
"bigger;farther",
"smaller;closer",
"bigger;closer",
"smaller;farther"
],
"question": "We find the sun is _ than the moon because it is _ to us.",
"question_type": "cloze... | In the universe,as we all know,there is the sun,the moon,the earth and a good manystars.Through our geography lessons,we know the earth goes around the sun,and the moon goes around the earth.We have day and night because the earth keeps turning all the time.When our part of the earth turns to the sun,it is day.When our part of the earth turns away from the sun,it is night.
Just because the moon is closer to the earth than the sun, it looks much bigger than the sun. Big things will look smaller when they are further, and small things also look bigger when they are nearer.
The sun is big enough to give out very strong light. The moon can't give any light at all, but it looks quite bright, too. Why? In fact, the light from the moon comes from the sun. The moon looks much bigger and brighter than the stars. But actually the stars are much bigger and brighter than the moon.They look smaller than the moon also because they are further away from the earth.
There are many other planets in the universe. But of all the planets, only on the earth there are living things and people can only live on the earth, too. But at 9:00 a.m. on October 15th,2003, Chinese pilot Yang Liwei was sent up to space. He stayed there for 21 hours.It was the first time for Chinese to get into space. | middle6761.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "disabled people's living conditions are not good"
},
"options": [
"disabled people are poor,but they are happy",
"all disabled people ask for money from those who are shopping",
"disabled people's living conditions are not go... | Have you been asked for money by some disabled beggars while you're enjoying shopping?Do you have any pity on them who are so poor and lonely or do you just feel afraid of their terrible shapes?As one of the most special groups,disabled people's living conditions--not only their material conditions,but their mental world,really need improvement.
The treatment for disabled people should go like this:First,don't look down upon them.Don't be afraid of looking at the terrible shapes of the disabled.Try to treat them _ .Because they are a part of the society ,we can't discard them.The second is to help them as much as we could.If you can be a volunteer and do some work for the disabled people,that would be very nice.That does help not only to the disabled people but also to yourself because you will feel good after your kind action.
If every one of us gives a little love,the world will become a beautiful wonderland! | middle5268.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "1928"
},
"options": [
"1914",
"1928",
"1967",
"1982"
],
"question": "Garcia Marquez was born in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_tex... | Gabriel Garcia Marquez , who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982, passed away at the age of 86 on April 17, 2014. The world paused to remember the cultural giant.
Garcia Marquez was born in Colombia, but he spent most of his adult life in Mexico City. As one of the most famous writers, he was widely regarded as "a giant of 20th- century literature." Garcia Marquez wrote in a style called " magical realism ." In such works, people live a daily life in a certain period of time in history. But meanwhile , magical things happen to them.
Garcia Marquez is best known for his 1967 novel, One hundred years of Solitude (<<>> ), which has sold about 50 million copies. It tells the tale of the small and _ town of Macondo which was separated from the outside world- of its founding and its troubled history over a hundred years. The story is a metaphor for the development of Colombia since the 19 century. As Colombian President Juan Manuel Santons said, Garcia Marquez wrote about "the essence of the Latin American beings." | middle4176.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "England"
},
"options": [
"America",
"England",
"China",
"Australia"
],
"question": "Which country is Tony from?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": ... | Dear friends,
My name is Tony. I am English. I am twelve years old this year. I am tall, and I am good at playing football. I am in Grade Seven. There are thirty boys and twenty girls in my class. We are learning Chinese in our school. Our Chinese teacher is Mr. Wu. He is a little short, but he is very strong. He is very nice to us. I have some good friends in my class. Tom is a tall boy with short black hair. He is good at playing football, too. Alice is short and she loves wearing red dresses. She is good at English. Mary has long hair. She can speak Japanese and she likes swimming. We all study hard.
What about your school and your friends? Please write soon.
Yours,
Tony | middle2261.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "At the school hall."
},
"options": [
"In the classroom.",
"In the meeting room.",
"In the shopping mall.",
"At the school hall."
],
"question": "Where will the charity show be held?",
"question_type": "facti... | Sunshine For All
The Beijing Sunshine Secondary School students are holding a charity show at the school hall of Beijing Sunshine Secondary School, Sunny Street, Sunshine Town.
Date: 29 April
Time: 7:30 p. m.9:00 p. m.
We hope to raise money to help poor children go to school.
Ticket price: $20
Donations are welcome.
Programme:
7:30 p. m. Introduction
7:40 p. m. Songs
8:00 p. m. Break
8:15 p. m. Speech
8:30 p. m. Drama
9:00 p. m. End of the show
Project Hope is an organization that raises money to build schools and buy books for poor students.
We would like to thank the following for their help and support:
The teachers at Beijing Sunshine Secondary School
The Star Shopping Mall for the costumes
Sunshine Advertisement Company for the posters | middle1768.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People could go to the movie theatres to see movies"
},
"options": [
"people can watch videos at home",
"the movie had sound",
"People could go to the movie theatres to see movies",
"people could watch sports on \"Famil... | Weekends are important for us. We can relax ourselves. Do you know what Americans in the early twentieth century (1900~1925) did on weekends? What do you do on weekends now? In the early twentieth century, people spent lots of time at home on weekends. Then, new inventions changed the weekends.
*People used electric streetcars to travel in the cities. On weekends, they rode the streetcars to the parks. Young people like roller coasters.
* The first movie _ only one minute. In the 1920s, movie theaters sold millions of tickets each week! In 1927, movies finally had sound. Sometimes people stayed at home and listened to another new invention --the radio.
* People in cities worked indoors during the weekdays, so they wanted to be outdoors on weekends. Bicycling became a popular activity.
* Now there are more inventions in our life. People have more time and money, too. So they have many ways to spend their weekends.
* People travel by their own cars. Or they can visit big parks like Disney World and ride modern roller coasters and go higher and faster than ever before. *
They can choose from lots of different movie theatres. Or they can watch videos at home.
* More and more people begin to do all kinds of sports at gym.
Others turn on their TV and watch sports on "Family Night". | middle7319.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "think about one thing"
},
"options": [
"sing a song",
"talk with someone",
"watch TV",
"think about one thing"
],
"question": "It is right for us to _ when we study.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | All students need to have good study habits . When you have good study habits, you learn things quickly. You also remember them easily.
Do you like to study in the living room ? This is not a good place because it is usually too noisy. You need to study in a quiet place, like your bedroom. A quiet place will help you only to think about one thing.
When you study, do not think about other things at the same time, only think about your
homework. If you do so, you will do your homework more quickly, and you will make fewer mistakes.
Good study habits are very important. If you don't have them, try to learn them. If you have them , try to make them better. | middle6013.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Her mother."
},
"options": [
"Her classmates",
"Her friends.",
"Her mother.",
"Her relatives."
],
"question": "Who did Lily go to Hong Kong with last winter holiday?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | My name is Lily. I'm a junior high school student from Guangzhou. Last winter holiday, I visited Hong Kong for the first time with my mother and her workmates. Before we went through the entrance of the Customs and Excise Department (,CED), we had to wait for more than four hours there. All the passengers must show their permits to the workers at the CED one by one. So there were a large number of people waiting in lines at the entrance hall. It took us a long time to walk along the metal pipes which divided the big hall into many different parts. So the entrance hall looked like a huge puzzle. Everyone should finish walking through the puzzle if they wanted to pass the entrance. I waited patiently and walked slowly after others. I just could see the back of their heads. It was difficult for me to breathe because too many people were there. At last I passed it but I was too tired to say a word.
Last month I visited Hong Kong again. But this time I didn't spend much time waiting at the entrance of the CED because I got an Electronic Exit Permit with an "Electronic Brain" in it. When I passed the port of Hong Kong, I just needed to use it to touch the button at the entrance. It can save much time for people. I plan to visit Hong Kong again sometime in the future. | middle4604.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "our school"
},
"options": [
"Japan",
"Mexico",
"America",
"our school"
],
"question": "'International Day' is a special festival in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Every year at our school, we have a special day called International Day . It is for students to learn about different cultures from different countries. On this day, each class must tell other classes about a different country. Of course you will see many dances and different foods.
If you visit the classroom of Japan, you can play the games Japanese children play. You also have some special Japanese foods. In the classroom of Mexico , there are tomalleys and chips to eat.
In the afternoon, all the students, teachers and parents watch the dances. There are lots of dances. These dances are beautiful. People enjoy the shows.
I enjoy International Day very much. | middle2275.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Haibao is an animal living in the sea near Shanghai."
},
"options": [
"School children like Haibao.",
"The name Haibao shows Chinese traditional culture.",
"Haibao is the wisdom of two artists.",
"Haibao is an animal li... | "Haibao,the mascot of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo,is very cute,"said Gu Hui,a school kid."I want a big toy like the mascot."
Haibao looks like the Chinese wordren,which means people or a person.The name,a typical lucky one in Chinese tradition comes from the Chinese phrase "Si Hai Zhi Bao" --the treasure of the four seas.It also means the treasure of Shanghai,which lies beside the sea.
Haibao's blue curly hair looks like the waves of the sea.Its smile is a sign of the healthy spirit of China.Those thumbs-up will welcome millions of people to Shanghai from around the world.Its big feet show China has the ability to host a successful Expo.
Haibao was created by two artists,one from the mainland and the other from Taiwan.The design is about people living together in the city.The designers want it to fit the theme of the Shanghai Expo,that is,a good life should be created by all the people and people should have harmonious relationships with nature and society,so that life in cities would be better.
Surely the mascot will become the lucky symbol and cultural remark of Shanghai Expo. | middle2513.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Jack's"
},
"options": [
"Emma's",
"Jack's",
"Jack's brother's",
"Jack's sister's"
],
"question": "It is a photo of _ bedroom.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_i... | Dear Emma,
Thanks for the photo of your family. Here is a photo of my bedroom.
Look at the photo. A bed, a desk, a chair, a bookcase and a computer are in my bedroom. My bed is near the window . The desk is beside the bed and it's orange. The chair is near the desk. The bookcase is behind the desk and it's black. An English dictionary and a Chinese dictionary are in the bookcase. My math, English and Chinese books and the computer are on the desk. My pencil box is on the desk, too. My pens and rulers are in the pencil box. My schoolbag is on the chair. My brother's white baseball and my sister's computer game are under my bed, but you can't see the baseball in the photo.
Yours,
Jack | middle4162.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "On foot"
},
"options": [
"By bus",
"By bike",
"By subway",
"On foot"
],
"question": "How does Chen Hua go to her new school?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Chen Hua is in a new school now. It's near her home. It's about 10 minutes on foot. But she has a problem. Classes begin at 7:50 in the morning, and she is often late for school.
"How do you usually come to school?" says his teacher.
"I usually come to school on foot." Chen Hua answers.
"What time do you usually get up?" says her teacher.
"I usually get up at 6:00." Chen Hua answers.
"Well, it's early. And what time do you leave home?" says her teacher.
"I leave home at 7:40." Chen Hua answers.
"Why don't you leave home a little earlier ?" says her teacher.
"Sorry, I can't." Chen Hua answers.
"Mom is ill. She stays in bed all day. So I must look after her. I must cook breakfast. I must help her have breakfast. At 7:30 I must give her medicine on time. Then I'm often late for school." Chen Hua says with tears in her eyes.
"Oh, sorry, I see. You're a good girl!" | middle6775.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He made the best falconer train them to fly."
},
"options": [
"He kept them on the branch of a tree.",
"He sent them to a farmer in the forest.",
"He made the best falconer train them to fly.",
"He set them free and let... | Once a king got two nice falcons from his son. He had never seen such beautiful falcons before. He loved them so much and he ordered the best falconer to train them to fly.
After several months, the king came to see how the training was going on. He found that one falcon had already been able to fly high in the sky, while the other was staying on the branch of a tree quietly, just keeping still.
The king called all his falcons together and ordered them to try every way they could to make the other falcon fly. But none of them succeeded. One day, while the king was taking a walk in the forest, an idea came to his mind. Maybe someone who knew the natural environment well could solve this problem. He spent for a farmer who lived in the forest into his palace to train it at once.
The next morning, the king saw the other falcon flying above in the sky freely. " it is unbelievable !" shouted the king. How could you make it happen?"
The farmer replied,"It's very easy. I just cut off the branch where the falcon rested."
It is always the same to human beings. We all have "two flying wings" in our hearts as well, but we often seem not to notice them and stay where we just for safety and comfort. We won't realize we can fly so high and freely until the "branch" we are resting on breaks.
. | middle5254.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In a park."
},
"options": [
"In a park.",
"In the zoo.",
"In a school.",
"At the school gate."
],
"question": "Where did the writer meet the little girl?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"... | It was a sunny afternoon. I played with my daughter in a park. While I was pushing my daughter's swing to go higher and higher, I saw a little girl over there. The little girl tried to get her swing going higher, but she couldn't do that.
Then I walked to that little girl and offered to help her. I said to her, "Could I give your swing a push? "She smiled and said, "Yes, Madam. "Then I pushed her swing to go higher. She laughed happily.
One year later, I was very tired after a long day's work. But I had to drive to pick up my daughter from the school. When I stood outside the school gate and waited, I suddenly felt two arms wrapping(, )around me. I looked down and found a little girl. I realized that she was the girl I met last year. She smiled up at me and then she gave me another _ . To my surprise, I didn't feel tired any more. What's more, I felt much happier. | middle6985.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "something white"
},
"options": [
"something strange",
"a thief",
"something white",
"a ghost"
],
"question": ". At midnight, Nasreddin saw _ in his garden.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Nasreddin woke up in the middle of the night and saw something white in his garden. It seemed to be moving towards the house.
That is a thief ! He thought, and he took his gun and shot at him. Then he went back to bed, because he was too frightened) to go out of the house in the dark.
The next morning Nasreddin went out and saw one of his white shirts hanging on the clothes-line in the garden, his wife had washed it the day before and hung it out to dry. Now it had a bullet- hole right through middle of it.
My God, said Nasreddin, I was lucky last night. If I had been wearing that shirt, the bullet would have killed me! And he called his neighbours together and asked them to thank God for saving him. | middle1032.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a collection of maps"
},
"options": [
"a guide book",
"a history book",
"a collection of pictures",
"a collection of maps"
],
"question": "An atlas is _ according to the passage.",
"question_type": "cloze_... | An atlas is a book of maps. Atlases are made with different kinds of information about different parts and areas of a country or the world. They are prepared for desk use or travel use.
Desk atlases are made for different groups of people with different needs. For example, students may use desk atlases to help learn geography, and other people may use desk atlases to study a place. A popular type of the latest atlas shows the recent fact of the world. New atlases are often carefully produced to help people learn about the changes, such as the name changes, boundary changes and other important new information. A desk atlas can also have some different maps of the same place. For example, an atlas may include maps showing population and important products of a place.
Travel atlases usually show the information about both natural and man-made features . So it is not surprising to find universities, airports, forests, rivers, roads as well as cities, towns and villages in them. A travel atlas is often the first thing people need when they want to start a trip in a strange place. It often has a map of a whole country, and a map with more special information of each important place in the country. Take the atlas of the United States as an example, it often has a map of the whole country and then a map of each of the fifty states.
A travel atlas may also point out the beautiful natural places. In the US, the atlas may include national parks such as the Yellow Stone Park and some others to show the beauty of nature and interesting places to tourists. | middle1754.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "rabbit"
},
"options": [
"man",
"rabbit",
"website",
"cat"
],
"question": "Toby is the name of a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text... | The Internet is full of false information. It is important for us all to avoid being fooled by such information. Here are three examples of Internet hoaxes.
On his website, a man by the name of Tony has asked for gifts of money to save the life of a pretty little rabbit named Toby that he rescued from under his house. A cat must have attacked the rabbit, the man claimed, so he took it in. he gave Toby loving care and nursed him back to health. There is a very cruel point, however. If the greedy man doesn't receive enough money, he will eat poor little Toby. (Don't worry, though.
Remember, it's just a hoax!.
While the streets of New Orleans, the USA, were still flooded after a terrible hurricane (., a frightening e-mail was sent around the Internet. It included a photograph of a large crocodile over five meters long. According to the message, it had been swimming around the flooded city eating people. It was later discovered that the photographs of the crocodile were of one that was caught in the Congo (. years before.
The following e-mail hoax takes in many people. It claims that a large British company will pay you to send their e-mail to as many people as possible. For every person that you send the e-mail to, it promises you will receive $5.00; for every person that you send it to that sends it to someone else, you'll get $3.00; and for every third person that receives it, you will be paid $1.00.
To make it even more believable, the sender says that at first he thought it was a hoax, but the company soon sent him $800.00. | middle7325.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "know the way to escape a fire"
},
"options": [
"know the way to escape a fire",
"put out a fire in a burning house",
"jump out of a burning house",
"keep the door closed"
],
"question": "From the beginning, we k... | (B) What are you going to do if you are in a burning house?
Escaping a fire is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save yourself. It is important to know the ways you can use and to show them to everyone in the family, such as stairways and fire escapes, but not lifts .
From the lower floors of the building, escaping through windows is possible, learn the best way of leaving through windows with the least chance of serious injury .
The second floor windows are usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the finger-tips will have a drop of about six feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed, or smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked into the room.
On a second or third floor, the best windows for escaping are those which open onto a roof . From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely, dropping onto stones might end in injury. | middle3143.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "in the morning"
},
"options": [
"in the morning",
"in the afternoon",
"in the evening",
"after school"
],
"question": "Lucy meets a man with a cage _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"a... | I'm Lucy. I'm 14 years old. I come to China this year. Now I'm in Beijing International Middle School. I like animals . I think they're my good friends. When I go to school this morning, I meet a man with a cage . Five birds are in it .
" How do you get these birds?" I ask .
" I give them some food . When they come to eat it , I get them ." The man says .
" They are too poor . Why do you get them ?" I ask the man .
" It's very interesting !" The man says .
" I need to do something ." I think . I want to help the birds .
" Can I buy them ?" I ask .
" Well ," he says , "Give me 50 yuan and your jacket ."
I don't want to give my jacket to him because I like it very much . But for these birds I do it .
The man gives me the cage. Then I let the birds fly out of the cage . I am happy to do that . | middle4638.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because students can learn some important skills."
},
"options": [
"Because many students like it.",
"Because the world is developing in a fast way.",
"Because students can learn some important skills.",
"Because studen... | If you are a computer game fan, you must have heard of StarCraft. Recently, the University of Florida opened a StarCraft class for students. Maybe you feel confused when you hear of the news, maybe you think I am joking. But that's true. In our mind, students are not allowed to play computer games by teachers and parents. Don't you believe that the StarCraft class was set up in the University of Florida? Please read more.
Nowadays, the world is developing in a fast way, so it is very important for students to be good at skills such as solving problems, making decisions and critical thinking . It is said that all these skills appear in StarCraft. Therefore, StarCraft can provide a high _ environment for students to consider and take action in difficult situations.
"A student who gets a university education and goes into the business world could realize that something he learned in his StarCraft class helps him to think in a different way," said one teacher in the University of Florida.
"The StarCraft class offers a new way to students to study. Study is not only about learning things from books," said another teacher.
Not all the students can take the StarCraft class. The class is only open to the students who have some knowledge about the game. | middle3157.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Tired and dirty."
},
"options": [
"Tired but beautiful.",
"Cute and clean.",
"Dirty but lovely.",
"Tired and dirty."
],
"question": "What did the cat look like when it came to the writer's home?",
"question_... | Something was crying outside. So I went out to see what was happening. A big cat sat by the door. It must run for a long time as it looked tired and dirty. I let it in my house and took out some food; this poor cat ate all, but still looked starving..., so I got my own cats' fish, and the cat ate that too!
My five-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter were interested in the cat. They bathed (......) it and fed it more food. They wanted to keep it. But I didn't agree. It was not because I didn't love it. We already had 2 cats and 2 dogs and our house was not big enough to keep more. Another reason was that I thought maybe it got lost. And its owner must be worried about it. Then I posted notices all over the town in the hope of finding its home. I also bought an ad time on a radio station. Three weeks passed, but there was no response .
Finally, I decided to keep the cat. Our house was small, but I would take good care of it as possible as I could. | middle2249.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "names"
},
"options": [
"numbers",
"names",
"time",
"places"
],
"question": "Mrs.Smith asked her students to write _ on the potatoes.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | Mrs. Smith is an unusual teacher. Once she told each student to bring along a few potatoes in plastic bag. On each potato the students had to write a name of a person that they hated And the next day, every child brought some potatoes. Some had two potatoes;some three;some up to five.
Mrs. Smith then told the children to carry the bags everywhere they went, even to the toilet, for two weeks. As day after day passed, the children started to complain about the awful smell of the rotten potatoes.
Those children who brought five potatoes began to feel the weight trouble of the bags. After two weeks, the children were happy to hear that the game was finally ended. Mrs. Smith asked,"How did you feel while carrying the potatoes for two weeks?" The children started complaining about the trouble loudly.
Then Mrs. Smith told them why she asked them to play the game. She said,"This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The terrible smell of the hatred will pollute your heart and you will carry something unnecessary with you all the time. If you cannot stand the smell of the rotten potatoes for just two weeks, can you imagine how heavy it would be to have the hatred in your heart for your lifetime? So throw away any hatred from your heart, and you'll be really happy.
,. | middle5526.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "bikes"
},
"options": [
"cars",
"bikes",
"trains",
"buses"
],
"question": "In Malawi _ are the most popular way for people to get somewhere.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Sometimes the easiest way to get somewhere is on the back of a bike.
More and more people are using cars in many places in Africa today. However, things are different in Malawi( ).Bikes are the most popular in this African country.
Bike riding is a way of life in Malawi. People use them to carry heavy things. They also use bikes to carry people, especially tourists. These years, taking a " bicycle taxi" to travel around Malawi has become quite popular among tourists from all over the world.
If you go to Malawi, you will find a lot of bike taxis waiting on the sides of the roads. The riders make the bikes comfortable for passengers to sit on . You can jump on a bike taxi and get around at a very low cost.
Alice is a 21-year-old student from Canada. She enjoys the special bike riding a lot. "I really like the bike taxi," she says. "It's easy and cheap." Alice usually pays just $1 for going shopping in town.
28-year-old Panjira Khombe began to ride a bike taxi two years ago. The young man enjoys this job."I used to make boats for a living, but that's a hard job. Being a bike taxi rider is easy for me and I don't mind carrying heavy people," he says. | middle1740.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A magazine columnist."
},
"options": [
"A teacher.",
"A magazine columnist.",
"A youth worker.",
"A doctor."
],
"question": "What's Mr. Zhu's job?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer"... | Dear Mr Zhu,
I am writing to your magazine's "Teenagers Now" column to ask for some help with my 16-year-old son. At the moment, he refuses to do almost everything his mother and I ask him to do. He is our only child and we treat him very well. His grandparents buy him many things, and yet he is still rude to us. He refuses to spend time with us or do as we tell him. Sometimes he acts as if he doesn't even love us at all.
Now he refuses to do his homework, and instead insists on wasting his time watching DVDs and listening to foreign music. I cannot understand this music, but I don't like it. He also spends too much time in Internet cafes, where he either plays games or chats online. He is wasting valuable time during this important period in his life!
What am I to do? At present, to prevent making his mother unhappy with an argument, I am allowing him his freedom. However, I am worried that if I keep allowing him to do what he wants, he may fail at school, or worse.
How can I help my son without harming our relationship?
Yours
Liu Zhenhua | middle1998.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Russia"
},
"options": [
"America",
"Russia",
"China",
"France"
],
"question": "_ has made plans to build a space hotel .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3... | Tired of visiting places of historic interest around the world? Then how about a holiday in space?
Recently, Russia has announced plans for a hotel in space. The dream of staying in space will soon come true.
The space hotel will open in2016. Experienced guides will go with tourists together. The food will be prepared on Earth and sent up on the rocket. When tourists want to eat, the food can be heated again in microwave ovens .One can have tea, water and fruit juices in the space hotel, but alcohol will not be allowed. Toilets will use flowing air instead of water to move waste, and waste water will be recycled. The hotel will be"far more comfortable"than the International Space Station(ISS,)used by astronauts. It will house seven guests in four cabins. Tourists there can enjoy the views of the Earth through huge windows. They may also meet unexpected guests such as astronauts from the ISS, if those astronauts get in trouble.
But it's not easy to get to the hotel. It will take two days to send tourists there and a five-day stay will cost you 100,000 dollars. | middle6991.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "7:10"
},
"options": [
"7:00",
"7:10",
"7:30",
"7:20"
],
"question": "I have my breakfast at _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": ... | Hi. I'm Lingling. I'm a student at No. 14 Middle School. Do you want to know my life? Let me tell you about it. I usually get up at 7:00 in the morning. I have my breakfast at 7:10. My parents always prepare the breakfast for me. I go to school at 7:30. We have seven lessons every day from Monday to Friday. I like English lessons very much .After school, I like playing table tennis and basketball with my friends. There is a very big playground in our school. | middle1026.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To say thanks to him."
},
"options": [
"To say sorry to him.",
"To say thanks to him.",
"To invite him to their house.",
"To tell him about their travel plans. ."
],
"question": "Why did Dick and Kate write to U... | Dear Uncle Horton,
We just want to let you know what a great weekend we had with you while we were in Boise. You are a fantastic guide and it was so nice of you to have taken us out for a tour of the city. The sights were beautiful and our two girls loved the Discovery Centre very much. They are still talking about it.
We are not sure when we'll meet again, but we hope it won't be too long. Please let us know of any plans you might have to visit New York. We would love you to visit us and we hope to have the pleasure of taking you around New York City.
Thanks again for a truly great weekend.
Much love,
Dick and Kate
Dear.Mum,
Happy Mother's Day! Since I have my own kid, I have got to know how hard mothering is. Thank you for being so patient with me through my ups and downs. I hope I can be as good a mother to Lily as you are to me. Thanks for being such a good mum. Whether you come to visit me or we talk on the phone, l always feel we're so close. You're always my best friend. I hope you know how much I love you!
Helen
,. | middle5240.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "veterinarian"
},
"options": [
"doctor",
"teacher",
"trainer",
"veterinarian"
],
"question": "The writer used to want to be a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | When I was very young, I wanted to become a veterinarian one day, because I loved animals very much, especially dogs. However, there was no room in my adult life for a dog. Then, last year, I could not stand the fact that I developed cancer . I wanted to keep a dog, but I knew my illness made it impossible for me to keep one. In early September, to my surprise, my doctor told me that I could keep a pet as my friend, because my immune system was strong to keep a pet.
The same day I went to an animal market with my friends. When I saw a 9-week-old dog with big brown eyes, nice ears and white _ all over the body, I took it home.I'm happy these days since Oscar came into my life. My new favorite pastime is to watch him sleep, eat and run. And I have been spending more time caring about him, taking long walks with him in the park.
Now I still have the physical examination once a week at the hospital. But my illness has taken a turn for the better with the company of a dog. My immune system is getting stronger, my doctor tells me. Thanks to Oscar, my life has changed a lot. | middle3631.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "after seven"
},
"options": [
"at seven",
"before seven",
"at eight",
"after seven"
],
"question": "Jane usually has breakfast _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | Hello! My name is Jane. I usually get up at seven o'clock and then have a cup of coffee and some bread for breakfast. After breakfast, I take a shower and then I go to work by bus. I get to work at nine o'clock. I work till one o'clock and then I have my lunch. I start again at two o'clock and finish at five o'clock. I do some shopping before I go home. I get home at about a quarter to six. I have supper at about seven o'clock. After super, I sometimes go out for a walk, but I usually just stay at home and watch TV. I go to bed before eleven o'clock. | middle6771.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Red"
},
"options": [
"Red",
"Red ruler",
"Blue",
"Black"
],
"question": "Jane likes _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Green... | Jane 09:45:10
Hi, Jim. Nice to meet you!
I'm a girl. My name is Jane Green. My favorite color is red. I have a red bike. My bike number is 67582. My telephone number is 873-3516.
Jim 09:46:05
Hi, Jane . Nice to meet you, too!
I'm a boy. My name's Jim Hand. My favorite color is blue. I have a blue car. My car number is ZA9Z78. And my telephone number is 894-2015. | middle4166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "doll"
},
"options": [
"dog",
"doll",
"toy car",
"ball"
],
"question": "The little girl had a _ and she loved it so much.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Grandmother's Favourite Doll
A little girl had a doll. She loved it so much that she would treat it with great care, even though her friends would laugh at her for being so careful.
As time passed, the girl grew up, moved houses, became an adult, married, had children, and finally became a lovely little old woman with many grandchildren.
One day, she returned to her hometown, found her _ house, and went in. Among hundreds of old things, the now-old little girl found her doll. It was as well looked after as before. She took it home with her and gave it to her granddaughter. Her granddaughter loved it.
Each time the old woman saw her granddaughter playing with the doll, tears of joy would roll down her cheeks . She was so glad to see now it was in the hands of her granddaughter. | middle5278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is a holiday for mothers"
},
"options": [
"is a holiday for mothers",
"is celebrated in the United Stated only",
"falls on May 10 every year",
"was given by Miss Anna Jarvis"
],
"question": "Mother's Day _ ."... | Mother's Day is a holiday for mothers. It is celebrated in the United States, English, India and some other countries. In a short time, it becomes widely celebrated. Mother's Day falls on the second Sunday in May. On that day, many people send gifts of love to their mothers. Those whose mothers are still living often wear a pink or red rose or carnation , while those whose mothers are dead wear a white one. The idea of a day for mothers was first given by Miss Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia. As a result of her hard work, the celebration of the first American Mother's Day was held in Philadelphia on May 10,1908. Soon the holiday became popular all over the country and around the world.
In China, people do the same on the day for mothers. And , in some cities, people sometimes ask a song to be broadcast for his or her mother only. This might cost a little money for some of them, but, as it is said, "Love is _ ."
On May 8,1999, just the day before the Mother's Day this year, a Chinese mother was killed in criminal bombing .Her name is Shao Yunhuan , a heroic mother. All the Chinese will remember her for ever. | middle2517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Heavy snowstorms."
},
"options": [
"Earthquake.",
"Flooding.",
"Traffic Accident.",
"Heavy snowstorms."
],
"question": "What took place in Long Chuan's hometown last winter?",
"question_type": "factiod_quest... | Many children love to play with snow in winter. But Long Chuan has come to hate it.
This year his hometown suffered from snowstorms for nearly a month. The heavy snow stopped cars and trains, broke the electricity tower and turned tap water to ice.
Every day Long Chuan had to walk several kilometers to carry drinking water. "I couldn't ride a bike and it took me 3 hours to walk to school. I can't remember how many times I slipped on the hard ice, " said Long Chuan.
Long is not alone. This year millions of people in central and southern China had a freezing winter without enough water and electricity. The biggest snowstorms in 50 years killed more than 100 people. They also cost the country 111.1 billion yuan.
Experts say a special type of climate condition , La Nina, caused the storms. During a La Nina, the water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator becomes colder than usual. It changes the weather around the world.
Besides China, Canada, the US and Middle Eastern countries also met with heavy snowstorms this winter. The special climate caused the recent flooding in Australia, too.
However, experts say that people have destroyed the environment . Global warming may be causing these terrible weather events to happen more and more often. | middle2271.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "an English girl"
},
"options": [
"a Chinese boy",
"a Chinese girl",
"an American girl",
"an English girl"
],
"question": "June is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | June is from England. Her family are in Beijing now. She is fourteen years old. The date of her birth is September seventh. Her father, Mr Smith, is an English teacher. And her mother, Mrs Smith, is an English teacher, too. They all like Chinese movies. Mr Smith likes action movies. He thinks they are really exciting. His favorite actor is Jet Li. Mrs Smith likes Beijing Opera. She thinks she can learn much about Chinese history by seeing them. And June herself likes comedies. Her favorite actor is Zhao Benshan. She thinks he is very funny. She also thinks Zhao Benshan's movies are better than Rowan Atkinson's. Mr Smith and Mrs Smith like Beijing Roast Duck . They often go to Quanjude to have it. | middle4600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "100m long and 73m wide."
},
"options": [
"7.32m long and 2.44m high.",
"100m long and 73m wide.",
"107.32m long and 75.44m wide.",
"26m long and 14m wide."
],
"question": "How big is a football field?",
"que... | Football
The game is played by two teams. There must be eleven players in each team.
The field must be about 100m long and 73m wide. There are two goals , 7.32m long and 2.44m high.
To score a goal, a player must put the ball into the other team's goal. They may use their feet, heads or other parts of the body, but they must not touch the ball with their hands. Only one on each team, the goal-keeper , may use his hands.
Volleyball
This is played on a court 18m long and 9m wide. The net is 2.44m high for men and 2.24m high for women. There are two teams and there are usually six players in each team.
The players try to make the ball hit the ground on the other side of the net. They may use their hands, fists or arms, but they must not catch the ball or hold it while(---) playing.
Basketball
The court must be 26m long and 14m wide. There can be ten players in a team but not more than five players in each team may play at one time. The players must not change until the referee allows them to leave the court.
To score a point a player must throw the ball into the other team's basket.
Players may throw the ball, but they must not carry it. A player must not touch another player.
After 20minutes' play there must be a rest period for ten minutes. Then there is another period of 20 minutes before the game ends. | middle6017.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "winkled hands hold wet things more tightly than dry hands do."
},
"options": [
"winkled hands hold dry things more tightly than dry hands do.",
"dry hands hold dry things more tightly than wrinkled hands do.",
"winkled hands ... | Have you ever noticed that your fingertips are winked when you've just finished swimming or washing dishes? It seems as if your hands have aged 30 years in a second. But is this an accident? Or is it something that nature has built into our bodies?
If your finger's wrinkling up had no use at all, " it wouldn't need to." Professor Tom Smulders from Newcastle University, UK, told BBC News. By studying wet fingers closely, Smulders and his partners found that the wrinkles looked a bit like the patterns on the car tire or on the bottom of the running shoes. So they made a guess that wrinkles on fingers might be able to help the hand hold things more tightly.
To test _ , researchers asked 20 people to pick up marbles from water with their hands. But before they started, some of the people had to keep their hands in water for half an hour.
The researchers found that the people with wrinkled fingers completed the task the task faster than those with dry hands. But when they were asked to move dry marbles, all the people performed equally well, no matter they had the wrinkled fingers or not.
Our ancestors might not have played with marbles, but wrinkled fingers could have made it easier for them to climb around in the wet forests and catch fish from rivers, researchers say.
Similarly, our toes also get wrinkled in water. This may have developed from our ancestor's need to run on wet ground.
But the question is, if wrinkled fingers are so helpful, why don't our hands just stay that way all the time? Researchers explained that wrinkling has its disadvantage: wet fingertips are far less sensitive than smooth ones, reducing our sense of touch. | middle1778.txt |
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