questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "An imaginary event"
},
"options": [
"A historic discovery",
"A research on space",
"A scientific adventure",
"An imaginary event"
],
"question": "What is mainly described in the passage ?",
"question_type": ... | The year is 2094,It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth.Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a massive explosion.About half of the piece is destoryed but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200times the speed of sound.The sea boils and a huge gole is made in the sea bed.Huge waves are created and spread outwards form the hole.The eall of water,a kilometer high,rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour.Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.
Before the waves reach South America.the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina.Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Moutains.The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles,San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes,Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead,but the north won't eacape for long.Because of the explosions the sun is hidden by clouds of dust,and temperatures around the world fall to almost zero.Crops are ruined.The sun won't be seen again for many years.Wars break out as countries fight for food.A year later,no more than 10 million remain laive.
Could it really happen?In fact,it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth.The dinesaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years,Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared.Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn't live through the cold climate that followed and they died out .Will we meet the same end ? | high6297.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Three."
},
"options": [
"One.",
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Four."
],
"question": ".In answering how many questions did God give \"me\" his opinion?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Interview With God
I dreamed I had an interview with God."So you would like to interview me?"God asked."If you have the time,"I said."My time is eternity."God smiled,"what questions do you have in mind for me?""What surprises you most about humankind?"God answered,"That they get bored with childhood,they rush to grow up,and then long to be children again.That they lose their health to make money... and then lose their money to restore their health.That by thinking anxiously about the future,they forget the present,such that they live in neither the present nor the future.That they live as if they will never die,and die as though they had never lived."God's hand took mine and we were silent for a while.And then I asked,"As a parent,what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?To learn they cannot make anyone love them.All they can do is to let themselves be loved.To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love,and it can take many years to heal them.To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most,but is one who needs the least.To learn that there are people who love them dearly,but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their feelings.To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another,but they must also forgive themselves.""Thank you for your time,"I said humbly."Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"God smiled and said;"Just know that I am here always." | high7837.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "are physically in a dangerous situation"
},
"options": [
"are diagnosed with a serious illness",
"are looking for a job",
"are physically in a dangerous situation",
"are attacked by robbers suddenly"
],
"questio... | An Australian 3-year-old boy was described as a hero after saving his mum from an almost certain death by calling emergency services right after she collapsed because of an epileptic attack .
Aiden McDonald amazed the doctors who arrived at Jeanine McDonald's house 10 minutes after Aiden called 000. The boy was very calm and spoke to the doctors as his mother got into an unconscious state.
Sacha Lewis took the strange call and sent out an ambulance immediately. Aiden answered questions during the 19-minute call that made it clear it was a serious matter.
Lewis said, "He sounded worried and was telling me things like 'Mummy is not awake', so I got an idea that it was a fairly serious matter."
This is part of the "conversation" they had:
"Can I talk to Mummy please?"
"Mummy's not well."
"How old are you, sweetheart?"
"I got a duck."
"Can I talk to Mummy?"
"I can't get my Mummy."
"Where is she?"
"On the floor. Mummy's had a faint "
"Do you live in Kallangur?"
"We've got milk in the fridge and, urn, (pause) I can't find the ambulance (crying,) Mummy, Mum...Mum...Mum..."
Mrs. McDonald, who was making a cup of tea when she collapsed, was taken to hospital and allowed to leave the same night. "After hearing what he did I thought, no, that can't be right," Jeanne McDonald said. "But I'm so proud." | high24175.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "many people don't tend to get back their refund though the goods quality is poor"
},
"options": [
"people have run into debts mainly because of their Internet shopping addiction",
"many people don't tend to get back their refund th... | The addictive pull of Internet shopping is dragging thousands of victims into a rise of debt, including thousands of women who have run up huge credit card bills they cannot repay.
The appeal of 24-hour access and the explosion in goods and services on offer has seen a 10 percent increase in credit card debts in the UK this year.
Much of it has accounted for online spending. The latest report on Internet usage shows the number of adults logging on at home has risen from 10 million in October last year to 15.5m this month.
The report by Continental Research, which has monitored Internet access in the UK for the past six years, found that while online shopping used to be experimental it is now becoming habitual, especially for women.
Colin Shaddick, who heads the company, said, "Women are logging on in record numbers ---online shopping has certainly played a big role in this." The study found that average annual spending online is PS700 a year for each Internet shopper.
The draw of the Internet is especially strong for collectors. Business lecturer Stephen Hall, who has been buying and selling books since he was a child, now has a collection worth PS40,000.
He is passionate about the opportunities offered by shopping online. "You can find a book in minutes that you could spend months hunting down at auctions or second-hand bookshops," he said. "It can easily become addictive, and all the collectors I know use the Internet. I suspect you do waste money because you are less likely to send back a book to Little Rock, Arkansas, than take it back to the high-street shop."
Like Stephen Hall, most of us can shop online sensibly---but for some it provides an easy, anonymous and accessible way to feed their habit. It also provides secrecy---a central part of any addiction. Dr Samantha Haslett, a psychologist and expert in addiction at the Promos counseling centre, said, "It's compulsive in the same way as alcohol and gambling, and addicts find themselves completely unable to stop themselves, despite debt mounting and relationships breaking up. It's the thrill and the buzz of purchasing that ignores all the negative consequences."
People laugh at shopping addictions, but it's the same as food overeating:bulimicsdon't eat nice stuff, or things that are good for them. Shopping addicts are the same: they'll buy things they don't need or want or like. What they're buying is of no importance compared to the thrill they get spending money and acquiring something new.
I've counseled people who have bought piles of bed linen and curtains and just left them piled up in the corner of the room.
I have seen people's marriages ruined. There's something more damaging about Internet shopping too because it takes place in the home, so the trick and secrecy is that much closer to the partner who is being tricked.
Tennis star Serena Williams this year admitted to kicking an Internet shopping addiction that saw her spending up to six hours a day online in an attempt to avoid being seen out in public. "Every day I was in my room and I was online," Williams said. "I wasn't able to stop and I bought, bought, bought. I was just out of control."
Confidence is also growing in online security. Danny Meadows-Klue, chairman of Interactive Advertising Bureau, the Internet commercial watchdog, said, "Online card fraud is a drop in the ocean compared to total credit card fraud, but it is increasing. We want to increase consumer confidence by encouraging shoppers to take simple steps to protect themselves."
But there are still barriers to online shopping, declares James Goudie, a consumer psychologist at North Umbria University. "For certain items some people prefer to shop personally, for example to try on an item of clothing and feel the quality. Payment of delivery charges is also _ ." | high22504.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "$220."
},
"options": [
"$185.",
"$215.",
"$220.",
"$300."
],
"question": "If a sixth-grader wants to take part in a camp about musicals, how much will he spend?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Are you interested both in camp and music? Maybe the MSU Community Music School is a better place for you to go! It offers different music camps this summer!
Rock Camp
June 23 - 27, 2014
$220
It is held for middle and high school students who have some experience playing their instruments (guitar, bass, drums, or keyboard). Bands will be coached by members of The Outer Vibe.
At camp, students will form and work in their own bands based on musical interest and skill level. They will learn songs in preparation for an end-of-camp rock concert at The Loft on June 27!
Band Camp
July 14 - 18, 2014
$215
It's a camp for middle school students who have completed at least one year of instrumental study. This camp provides students with an opportunity to perform with other talented students, and receive class about musical skills. Then a concert for parents and friends will be held on July 18 at Fairchild Theatre.
Musical Theatre Camp
July 14 - 25, 2014
$300 for Grades 9-12
$220 for Grades 2-8
This camp is held for elementary, middle and high school students. Campers in grades 9-12 will spend the full two weeks developing skills including voice development, dancing, and prop design. Campers in grades 2-8 will join them in the second week, and the camp will give a final performance featuring scenes and songs from many popular musicals.
Beginning Strings Camp
August 4 - 8, 2014
$185
This camp will introduce violins, violas and cellos to children ages 6-12. It will give the students lessons by professional string teachers, along with singing and music theory games. Instruments are provided by CMS through a donation by Marshall Music Co. for students who do not have one. At the end of the camp, there will be a final performance to show what the students have learned. | high13901.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To enjoy the TV program."
},
"options": [
"To eat the hot food.",
"To watch the toaster.",
"To enjoy the TV program.",
"To climb up on a chair."
],
"question": "What had Meagan expected Hannah to do while she wa... | Meagan and her friend Samantha, both students, lived together in Denver. On mornings when Samantha had class, Meagan would watch her 2-year-old daughter, Hannah. Also part of the household was Meagan's pet, Willie, a parrot -- a particularly intelligent and chatty breed. He picked up quite a healthy vocabulary ("Silly Willie"was a favorite saying) and became a great mimic -- of cats, dogs, chickens and humans.
One day with Samantha at school, Hannah sat in front of morning cartoons while Meagan cooked Pop-Tarts in the kitchen. When the toaster spat out the food, Meagan placed it at the center of the kitchen table to cool. She glanced at Hannah and, confident the child was fully engaged in the TV, slipped out quickly to use the bathroom.
"I was gone maybe 30 seconds,"Meagan recalls."And suddenly, I heard the bird going crazy and shouting."She heard two very distinct words from the parrot's mouth."Mama! Baby! Mama! Baby!"Meagan ran out of the bathroom to find Hannah in the kitchen, holding the partly eaten Pop-Tarts, out of breath, her face and lips a terrifying shade of blue. And Willie was still crying.
"Hannah had climbed up on a chair and gotten the Pop-Tarts and she was clearly choking on them,"says Meagan."I seized her and immediately started doing first aid until the piece came flying out."The bird quieted down and Meagan burst into tears, relief washing over her; Hannah was fine, already smiling her big smile.
When Meagan told Samantha what happened,"She was so grateful, thanking me for what I did,"Meagan says."But I said, 'Don't thank me! It was Willie who was the hero!'" | high19592.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because he wanted to earn some money."
},
"options": [
"Because he wanted to earn some money.",
"Because his parents wanted him to do so.",
"Because he wanted to experience a different life.",
"Because his parents urged... | While I was waiting to enter university,I saw advertised in a local newspaper a teaching post at a school in a suburb of London about ten miles from where I lived. Being very short of money, I applied.
Three days later, a letter arrived, asking me to go to Croydon for an interview. It proved a tiring journey: a train to Croydon station; a ten-minute bus ride and then a walk of at least fifteen minutes.
It was clearly the headmaster himself that opened the door. He was short and fat, with a grey-color1ed moustache,a deeply lined face and hardly any hair.
He looked at me with surprised disapproval. Then he said. "You'd better come inside." Leading me into his study, he started to ask me a number of questions: what subjects I had taken in my General School Certificate;how old I was; what games I played; whether I thought games were an important part of a boy's education, etc. I said something about not attaching too much importance to them. We obviously had very little in common.
The teaching arrangement filled me with fear. I was to divide the class of twenty-four boys, aged from seven to thirteen, into three groups and teach them all subjects--including art, football, cricket and so on--in turn at three different levels. Actually, I was depressed at the thought of teaching algebra and geometry--two subjects in which I had been rather weak at school.
I said shyly, "What would my salary be?" "Twelve pounds a week plus lunch." Before I could speak, he got to his feet. "Now," he said, "you'd better meet my wife. She's the one who really runs this school."
This was the last thing I could hear. I was young. How could my dignity allow me to work under an old woman? | high18854.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "can do exactly the same thing repeatedly"
},
"options": [
"can do work as accurately as workers",
"never break down",
"can do exactly the same thing repeatedly",
"ask for less money from companies"
],
"question"... | I visited the nearby car factory today with my uncle, who works there. One thing I noticed was that most of the work is now done by robots. Welding , painting, testing, and many other jobs are performed by robots now.
The whole dashboard of the car is now put into the car from above, through the windshield, by a robot. It would have taken two men to do this in the past, and it would have hurt their backs quite a bit. It got me thinking: is it a good thing that robots are replacing factory workers? On one hand, robots generally do a more accurate job than people. They aren't likely to make many mistakes, and if something goes wrong with one car, an alarm goes off. They do exactly the same thing, every time, without fail. A human worker is never able to do exactly the same thing every time. On the other hand, robots also reduce costs for companies. Companies don't have to pay robots wages or injury compensation if they're broken. If something in a robot does go wrong, it won't have to take time off work for a year, or even forever, as could happen to a real person if he breaks his back or burn himself while welding.
The obvious _ to all of this is that it increases the unemployment rate.The company will have to bring in some very talented individuals who know how to operate the robots. Unlike regular factory workers, these intelligence workers usually demand a higher pay. | high3489.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Anger may cause you a cancer."
},
"options": [
"Were you angry, you would get cancer.",
"Once you are angry, you will get cancer.",
"Angry as you are often, you can't get cancer.",
"Anger may cause you a cancer."
],... | Doctors say anger can be an extremely damaging emotion, unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that anger can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer.
Anger is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time. Some people express anger openly in a calm reasonable way. Others burst with anger, and scream and yell. But other people keep their anger inside. They can not or will not express it. This is called repressing anger.
For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person's health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain releases the same hormones .They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood, etc.In general the person feels excited and ready to act.
Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger _ may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep their anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure.
Doctors say the solution is learning how to deal with anger. They say the first step is to admit that you are angry and to recognize the real cause of the anger, then decide if the cause is serious enough to get angry about. If it is, they say, "Do not express your anger while angry. Wait until your anger has cooled down and you are able to express yourself calmly and reasonably."
Doctors say that a good way to deal with anger is to find humor in the situation that has made you angry. They said that laughter is much healthier than anger. | high2797.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "digestive system"
},
"options": [
"special need",
"living habitat",
"digestive system",
"born laziness"
],
"question": "Koalas do not get poisoned when eating eucalyptus simply because of their _ .",
"ques... | Koalas are found only in prefix = st1 /Australia. Even if called koala bear, this animal has nothing to do with the actual bear; it is not even a mammal , but a marsupial , like the kangaroo. Its closest living s are the wombats . A koala is about 60-80cm long and weighs 5-14kg.
The name "koala" means "no drink", and refers to the koala's ability to go for days without water. Koalas get the water content they need from the eucalyptus leaves on which they feed. The koala is the only mammal with a digestive system that can feed only on eucalyptus leaves--incidentally, these leaves are highly poisonous if eaten by humans. One individual consumes about 5kg of eucalyptus leaves daily and it may never drink water!
The koala is a _ mammal. They prefer to move around just after sunset, spending daytime sleeping in the fork of a tree. A koala spends sleeping 75% of its time. The eucalyptus leaves they eat are rich in fiber and poor in proteins and fats. The adult must detoxify leaves with energy expense, while fiber is hard to break down. Because of this poor diet, koalas save energy by sleeping most of the day, while their movements are very slow.
Koalas only have one young per year. In summer, baby koalas are born about a month after mating. The female takes it with her mouth and places it into her poach. In 6 months, the young can get out and feed on leaves. There are probably around 2,000 to 8,000 wild koalas in Australiaat present. The extremely fine gray fur is the reason why koala has been heavily hunted in the past. Koalas are killed every year by dogs, cats, dingoes, eagles and owls. They also die of disease and accidents. | high16879.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Theory of Division of Labor and Its Significance"
},
"options": [
"The Causes of Industrial Revolution",
"Adam Smith, the Economist and Philosopher",
"The Industrial Revolution and Its Significance",
"The Theory of ... | Over two hundred years ago, Adam Smith introduced some ideas which brought about a world revolution.If we enjoy a high standard of living in modem society, we owe much to this Scottish economist and philosopher.If we enjoy driving in beautiful cars, wearing fashionable shoes, or flying away to distant places for exciting holidays, we should perhaps pay thanks to the man who made it all possible.
What was Adam Smith's contribution? Like so many ideas which have surprising effects, his was a simple one.He watched workers practicing their craft of pi11 making.One man would heat the strip of metal, stretch it out, cut off a suitable length, shape it, cool it and finally smooth and shine it.Smith drew attention to the advantages which could be gained if these various tasks were performed by different workers.Let one be responsible for preparing the metal.Another for stretching and cutting.Another for shaping.Another for finishing.He described the technique as the Division of Labor; in this way workers repeat the same actions again and again.Smith made the world believe that specialization could solve the problem of poverty and want.
What was the result? The Industrial Revolution.Productivity was greatly increased.For Britain, where the revolution started, there was a prosperity which made it the richest country in the nineteenth century.British trains and railway lines spread out like a spider's web across the world.British ships were used to carry the new goods from one comer of the world to another.
The revolution is not over.It is still with us, but now it is a worldwide phenomenon .Everywhere, factories are producing large numbers of similar products, and are in continuous production.What were called mass - production lines yesterday are called robotic productions today.The pace of change is increasing.And if these techniques have brought us prosperity, they have also brought us a little misery in overcrowded towns, boring jobs and, most of all, unemployment. | high20313.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Cars, taxis and motorbikes on the cycle lane pose a threat to cyclists."
},
"options": [
"The city's twisting streets make it hard for the rider to find the way.",
"Cars, taxis and motorbikes on the cycle lane pose a threat to cycl... | Taxi, the underground, driving...in London these means of transport are expensive. As a student on a budget, I couldn't afford the 30 pounds (around 300 yuan) fare for a taxi. Even a bus was one pound and 20 pence (about 12 yuan) for a single ticket. I didn't need to travel this way anyway. I had Mabel-- my London bike.
When I moved to Beijing, like every foreigner, I was delighted to discover I could take a cab for cheaper than a single journey on the subway. But something was wrong. I missed Mabel. That was when I met Mandarin Mabel also known as Mandy, my Beijing bike.
In many ways, Beijing is made for: It is a flat, easy land compared with hilly London. The cycling city's north/south/east/west square structure is also easier to travel than London's unplanned, twisting streets.
However, Beijing comes completely with its own dangers. The rules of the road are
flexible. Bikes, cars, passers-by all float up and down ways in both directions.
Compared with London's terrible cycle paths, in Beijing, every road has huge, wide cycle ways. But cars, taxis and motorbikes see no reason why they shouldn't use the cycle ways as a shortcut, and why they shouldn't announce you to get out of their way when they do.
Beijing traffic is more good-natured. In London, the road is an active war. People shout, quarrel and beat on each other's windows. In Beijing zone, drivers never get actively angry. In fact, often they ignore cyclists. Obviously that means it's up to the cyclists to see them.
Mandy is a tree Beijing bike. It is nearly broken, it makes loud noises every time you ride on it, and I have had to make several emergency repair stops for it.
But cycling round Beijing on a sunny day is a joy. It is just me, Mandy and the city. | high23632.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Disappointed and helpless"
},
"options": [
"Cold and sick",
"Fortunate and helpful",
"Satisfied and cheerful",
"Disappointed and helpless"
],
"question": "How did the write feel when she was walking home after w... | That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theatre. With opening night only a week ago, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.
As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers . Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.
About a block from my apartment , I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.
Suddenly I wasn't cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I'd heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck pull up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, " Alisa Camacho?" I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? the door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eye. "Is this what you're looking for?" he asked, holding up a small square shape.
It was nearly 3 A.M. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn't get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn't be a bad place as long as people were wiling to help each other. | high722.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Graham helped change the author's attitude"
},
"options": [
"the author's favorite sport is climbing hills",
"the author has to climb a hill to go to work",
"Graham helped change the author's attitude",
"Graham often cl... | I told my friend Graham, "I often walk two miles from my house to the town centre. Unfortunately, there is a big hill on the way." He replied, "You should say 'fortunately'." He explained that I should be glad for the extra exercise that the hill gave.
I thought he was right. My attitude to the hill has now changed. As I _ the foot of the hill and prepare to climb, I tell myself that this hill will help me lose weight and get fit. This hill is my friend. I have a smile of satisfaction as I reach the top of the hill.
Problems are to be faced. We cannot achieve anything with an easy life. Helen Keller once wrote that "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened ..."
Our attitude towards difficulties is of importance in life. From time to time, we all face problems, accidents and difficulties. We cannot choose the situation but we can choose our attitude toward the situation.
How can you change your attitude towards difficulties? Try these steps:1. Face the problem. Do not avoid it. 2. Take a positive attitude. 3. Imagine how you will feel when you solve the problem. 4. Develop an action plan for how to deal with it. 5. Smile.
Many great people like Helen Keller, took these steps to deal with their problems. They chose their attitude. They chose to be positive. They accepted the challenge. They won. | high9832.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "That workers were on strike for better public traffic."
},
"options": [
"That more travelers stayed in the airport.",
"That workers were on strike for better public traffic.",
"That many schools had to stop having classes.",
... | Heavy snow and low temperatures caused further damage across northern Europe on Monday--stranding travelers,snarling traffic and shutting schools.
More than 1,000 flights at Germany's main airports in Frankfurt,Munich and Berlin were _ and many more delayed after up to 40 cm of fresh snow covering the country.Some 500 passengers slept at Frankfurt airport.Airlines advised passengers to take trains if possible.
In the United Kingdom,British Airways said the severe weather continued to cause great damage to operations and further travel.Only one of two runways at London Heathrow,the world's busiest international airport,was operating after the snowstorm.Other UK airports were open,but many flights were canceled,and many passengers spent a second night at an airport terminal .
Northern France was also covered by heavy snow.Air travel was reduced at Paris' two main airports,with Orly airport shutting down.
In Poland,hard hit by the cold weather,six people froze to death on Sunday night,raising the death toll to 114 in the last month.Heavy snow stopped Warsaw traffic again on Monday.Warsaw airport was open but was receiving far fewer passengers than usual because of flight cancellations in western Europe. | high13929.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The divorce dress is designed to make women look the most beautiful"
},
"options": [
"The divorce ceremony in Japan includes a buffet meal.",
"Smashing the wedding rings helps Tomoharu Saito make a clean break.",
"The divorce... | (Reuters)--Ceremonies to celebrate divorces have gained momentum in Japan after the massive March earthquake and tsunami, followed by an ongoing nuclear crisis, caused unhappy couples to reassess their lives.
The ceremony to mark a couple's transition to being single again costs 55,000 yen ($690), includes a buffet meal and culminates with the ritual smashing of their wedding rings with a gavel.
Tomoharu Saito, who took part in Tokyo with his wife Miki days before they were set to file for divorce, said crushing the rings felt cathartic. .
"I did not think the ring could be crushed that easily, but it did,"he said.
"I was shocked but at the same time, I feel it helped me make a clean break."
The ceremony also includes a "divorce dress," and Miki Saito chose a daisy-yellow summer dress. In Japan, daisies are believed to symbolize an a "friendly relationship".
Designer Akiue Go said he created the dress with emphasis on the back for a specific reason.
"I designed this dress so the woman's back looks the most beautiful when she turns around and walks away," he said.
Hiroki Terai, a 31-year-old former salesman, spotted a gap in the market and pioneered the divorce ceremony two years ago. Since then, he's celebrated more than 80 breakups.
Requests for the ceremony have tripled since the March 11 9.0 magnitude quake set off a massive tsunami.
"The March 11 disaster made many couples rethink their priorities. Some found that work was a higher priority to them than family, and this helped people gain the confidence to decide on a divorce," Terai said.
"Those who want an amicable divorce are doing these ceremonies."
Miki Saito said the earthquake made her realize she wanted to be closer to her parents, who live in northeastern Japan in one of the areas badly affected by the quake.
"After the quake, my desire to go back and live with my parents grew stronger," she said.
Guest Hiroko Tada was present for both the beginning and the end of the Saitos' marriage. "I'd say congratulations to the amicable divorce," she said. "I could have never imagined this day would come because I was at their wedding, but since they did break up, this is one of the best ways to do it." | high21025.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "his boss asked him to work on his handwriting"
},
"options": [
"he had planned for that for a long time",
"he was shocked by his boss' good handwriting",
"his boss asked him to work on his handwriting",
"he was often mi... | For about a decade, I knew that I needed to improve my handwriting, but I always put it off. "My typing skills are good, my communication skills are good, and all my other abilities are adequate for the job I do and the life I live. Why would I need to improve my handwriting in such a modern world?" I thought.
I was sort of hit by the fact that my handwriting needed improving quite suddenly in the form of a note from my boss. Obviously one of the notes I had posted on the office message board had been misunderstood because of my handwriting. My boss demanded that I learn to write in a neat way, something I couldn't ignore any longer.
I tried a lot of different methods to improve my handwriting. Nowadays, there are more resources than before. You don't even have to go to the store and can buy handwriting training materials online. I tried out a lot of these, and my handwriting did improve somewhat. Now I make sure I form every letter correctly. This is inconvenient and time-consuming, but it is better than having my comments misread.
People come up to me and tell me how nice my handwriting is. I have never thought of that, but this is exactly what has happened. It really is a pleasure, but it isn't enough. In the long run, I actually have to go to a handwriting coach to improve my handwriting. It seems like I have years and years of bad habits that I have to break, and this isn't something I could handle on my own. I need someone to teach me how to write clearly from the ground up. ks5u | high16851.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "people build a better future"
},
"options": [
"people build a better future",
"the homeless remain healthy",
"the addicts quit their bad habits",
"the prisoners get out of prison"
],
"question": "Back on My Feet... | Ask runners why they run and you'll get a variety of answers; to stay healthy or to feel better. Some have an even bigger reasonto stay calm or out of prison. But Back on My Feet puts recovering addicts and the homeless on the road to a brighter future, starting with a simple step; attending group runs three tunes a week.
At 5:30 a.m. on a hot July day, Back on My Feet's Team Brooklyn gathered in a parking lot. After a round of hugs and some warm-up, the group of eight volunteers and seven residents set out on a run to nearby Prospect Park. Some ran three miles, some longer, but the goal for all was to finish as a team
"It's helping me put my life back together," said Jimmy, a 58-year-old cancer survivor who was homeless and a former alcohol addict. "It's healthy. It makes me feel good inside," adds Jimmy.
Many are skeptical about the idea of homeless runners, according to Anne Mahlum, who founded Back on My Feet in 2007 after starting a running club for men at a shelter near her Philadelphia home. They did want to run, and in just six years, Mahlum's small running club has expanded to 10 cities around the country, and 388 active members.
The only requirement for joining, besides wanting to, is insisting on at least 30 days."The first day we give them new shoes and Back on My Feet shirts," Mahlum says. "Then they run a mile the first day. And then gradually we'll encourage them to build goals. "After 30 days,residents gain access to services like financial aid,housing assistance and employment opportunities through Back on My Feet's partners. In its first year, the New York chapter has seen 41 members obtain employment, 34 gain housing and 50 work in job-training programs.
That's not to say it's always easy. "I wanted to quit. But then I started to push myself,"said Adel, 39, who began running in March. "Now I would love to run a 10-mile run. Or maybe a marathon one day, who knows. I ran this far, so why not?" | high17597.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He wants to be a citizen who obeys the law."
},
"options": [
"His pride gets in the way.",
"What the institutions of charity offer isn't what Soapy needs.",
"He wants to be a citizen who obeys the law.",
"The institutio... | On his bench in Madison Square Soapy moved uneasily, and he realized the fact that the time had come for him to provide against the coming winter.
The winter ambitions of Soapy were not of the highest. In them there were no dreams of Mediterranean voyages or blue Southern skies. Three months on the Island was what his soul desired. Three months of assured board and bed and good company, safe from north winds seemed to Soapy the most desirable thing.
Just as the more fortunate New Yorkers had bought their tickets to Palm Beach each winter, Soapy had made his arrangements for his annual journey to the Island. And now the time had come.
There were many institutions of charity in New York where he might receive lodging and food, but to Soapy's proud spirit the gifts of charity were undesirable. You must pay in humiliation of spirit for everything received at the hands of mercy. So it was better to be a guest of the law.
Soapy, having decided to go to the Island, at once set about accomplishing his desire. He left his bench and went up Broadway. He stopped at the door of a glittering cafe. He was shaven and his coat was decent. If he could reach a table in the restaurant, the portion of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter's mind. A roasted duck, with a bottle of wine, a cigar and a cup of coffee would be enough. Such a dinner would make him happy, for the journey to his winter refuge.
But as Soapy entered the restaurant door, the head waiter's eye fell upon his shabby trousers and old shoes. Strong hands pushed him in silence and haste out into the street.
Some other way of entering the desirable refuge must be found.
At a corner of Sixth Avenue Soapy took a stone and sent it through the glass of a glittering shop window. People came running around the corner, a policeman at the head of them. Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of the policeman.
"Where is the man that has done that?" asked the policeman.
"Don't you think that I have had something to do with it?" said Soapy, friendly.
The policeman paid no attention to Soapy. Men who break windows don't remain to speak with policemen. They run away. He saw a man running and rushed after him, stick in hand. Soapy, disgusted, walked along, twice unsuccessful.
On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant for people with large appetites and modest purses. Soapy entered this place without difficulty. He sat at a table and ate beefsteak and pie. And then he told the waiter he had no money.
"Go and call a cop," said Soapy. "And don't keep a gentleman waiting."
"No cop for you," said the waiter. "Hey!"
Then Soapy found himself lying upon his left ear on the pavement. He arose with difficulty, and beat the dust from his clothes. Arrest seemed a rosy dream. The Island seemed far away.
After another unsuccessful attempt to be arrested for harassing a young woman, Soapy went further toward the district of theatres.
When he saw a policeman standing in front of a glittering theatre, he thought of "disorderly conduct". On the sidewalk Soapy began to sing drunken songs at the top of his voice. He danced, cried, and otherwise disturbed the peace.
The policeman turned his back to Soapy, and said to a citizen, "It is one of the Yale boys celebrating their football victory. Noisy, but no harm."
Sadly, Soapy stopped his useless singing and dancing. The Island seemed unattainable. He buttoned his thin coat against the north wind.
In a cigar store he saw a well-dressed man who had set his silk umbrella by the door. Soapy entered the store, took the umbrella, and went out with it slowly. The man with the cigar followed hastily.
"My umbrella," he said.
"Oh, is it?" said Soapy. "Well, why don't you call a policeman? I took your umbrella! Why don't you call a cop? There stands one on the corner."
The umbrella owner slowed his steps. Soapy did likewise. The policeman looked at them curiously.
"Of course," said the umbrella man, "well, you know how these mistakes occur...if it's your umbrella I hope you'll excuse me - I picked it up this morning in a restaurant - if it's yours, I hope you'll..."
"Of course it's mine," said Soapy.
The ex-umbrella man retreated. The policeman hurried to help a well-dressed woman across the street.
Soapy threw the umbrella angrily. He was angry with the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. They seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong.
At last Soapy stopped before an old church on a quiet corner. Through one window a soft light glowed, where, the organist played a Sunday anthem. For there came to Soapy's ears sweet music that caught and held him at the iron fence.
The moon was shining; cars and pedestrians were few; birds twittered sleepily under the roof. And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends.
The influence of the music and the old church produced a sudden and wonderful change in Soapy's soul. He thought of his degraded days, dead hopes and wrecked faculties.
And also in a moment a strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fate. He would pull himself out of this pit; he would make a man of himself again. Those sweet notes had set up a revolution in him. Tomorrow he would be somebody in the world. He would...
Soapy felt a hand on his arm. He looked quickly around into the broad face of a policeman.
"What are you doing here?"
"Nothing."
"Then come along," said the policeman.
"Three months on the Island," said the Judge the next morning. | high11858.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "throwing away the old cars"
},
"options": [
"taking the train instead of a car",
"throwing away the old cars",
"avoiding the use of pesticides",
"running after those who throw articles carelessly"
],
"question":... | It's you and I who are to blame for the state of the earth. No question about it. It's our life-style that is threatening life on Earth, so we must make the changes. The good news is that many of those changes are really quite simple, even enjoyable, but for every careful step we take as individuals , we must press government and industry to take a big step on our benefit . And we must start now. Tomorrow's too late.
My aim this year is to persuade as many of my friends and colleagues as possible to choose the train, and leave their cars behind too. My gardens have been pesticide -free zones for years and I enjoy seeing more wildlife on my doorstep as a result; I've tried to reduce my contribution to water pollution too, by using environment-friendly, phosphate -free washing powder , and by no longer thinking of the toilet as a suitable waste-disposal point .
I ran after a young lady through town recently to give her back the piece of paper she had carelessly thrown away. She disappeared into a shop, and when I followed her inside and made my presentation, she was doubly embarrassed--she worked there, and the boss gave her a ticking-off too. I've started asking fellow drivers at gas stations why they aren't using unleaded petrol . These are small things, but we have to start somewhere, and every little does help . | high11680.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was in the classroom."
},
"options": [
"He was in the classroom.",
"He was at home. .Com]",
"He was on the way to school.",
"He was on the playground."
],
"question": "Where was the writer when the tragedy to... | Seven years ago I was 13 years old. I still remember to this day where I was and how it all came down. I was in my social studies classroom, when a teacher came back and told us that the first building of the World Trade Center was hit by a plane. We immediately stopped our work and turned on the television. Throughout half the day we watched TV until the school was forced to let all of us home early. I walked home and immediately turned on the television and watched until my bedtime. I remember always seeing the towers walking to my Tae Kwon Do school; to me, a boy teenager, it was a great thing because at that time I have never seen any other building that caught my eye as much as _ did. And walking to my school that day was just a horrifying dream. Crossing the busy road of the Bell Pike was a big cloud of smoke and dust. It was very upsetting. Every day after that horrific day I looked up to the once stood Twin Towers just to see nothing there. To my eyes, that day will always be in my mind and in my heart, even though I didn't lose any loved ones, I still feel the pain as if I did. September 11th, 2001 will never be forgotten. | high21743.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It will probably rain or snow"
},
"options": [
"It will probably rain or snow",
"It will probably be cloudy.",
"It will probably wind",
"It will probably become dry."
],
"question": "According to the passage, wh... | These days we hear a lot about how air pollution is changing temperatures on the earth. New evidence from a mountaintop in China now suggests that pollution can also change the amount of rain and snow that falls in some places.
Usually, more rain falls in mountainous places than in flat areas upwind from the mountains. That's because air can hold a lot of water. When wind blows wet air up a mountainside, the air gets colder. This temperature change often forces water to fall as rain or snow.
In recent years, however, many mountainous areas in the western United States have been getting less rain than normal. Mountains that are downwind from cities have experienced the biggest drops.
Some scientists have theorized that pollution drifts from the cities into the mountains, affecting rainfall, but proving this link has been difficult.
Searching for answers, a team led by a scientist from the Hebrew University went to s mountain in China called Mount Hua, which is 2,060 meters tall and lies about 120 kilometers east of the Chinese city Xi'an. Since 1954, scientists have been collecting details about rainfall, humidity , and visibility in the area.
Using this data, the scientists compared rainfall on Mount Hua to rainfall in the nearest city, Huayin, on days with different levels of visibility. When the air was clear and people could see as far as 20 km, the scientists found that 65% more rain fell on the mountain than in the city.
But when the air was smoggy, allowing only 8 km of visibility through the mist, the mountain received just 20% more rain than the city. The new data supports the theory that pollution affects rainfall.
Some scientists believe that there are other explanations for the numbers. It's possible, for example, that natural particles in the air, rather than particles produced by pollution, are affecting visibility. | high8292.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a difficult childhood"
},
"options": [
"a difficult childhood",
"a lonely childhood",
"a normal childhood",
"a happy childhood"
],
"question": "We can infer that the author had _ .",
"question_type": "sum... | My mother got divorced when I was 5 and was left to raise me and my two younger brothers. She didn't have a formal education, so she had to work two full-time jobs to make ends meet.
One day several years later, I was determined to help. I told the manager of the Don Carlos Motel in Nana Point that I was 15, so I could get a work permit to work as a maid.
Since then, I've started to work alongside some of America's top leaders, written books, and achieved financial independence. It took a lot of hard work and sacrifices.
But what if I was 15 years old today? Would I be able to accomplish the same things in this new, highly competitive world with so many global challenges? It seems hard work and sacrifices aren't enough anymore.
Today, you need to be extremely adaptable. To progress in your career, it's not enough to know one thing well. As my friend Sean Harvey, product manager at Google put it when we were speaking to students, "Today, companies aren't hiring people for a specific position but rather people who are smart and flexible. The way you prove that is by showing you can do multiple things well."
People need to take more risks to succeed now than ever. The combination of unemployment and slow wage growth means that we are not only at greater financial risk, but we have to take more risks to succeed.
Luckily, the new Internet world of all-the-time connectedness means that anyone with a hot idea, product or service can create a business out of almost nothing. And success can be quick and big. But that success demands more "out of the box" thinking.
And what about our kids? It makes me think a lot about the future that my 3-years-old daughter faces. But no matter what the future brings, I think the best message I'll give her is to believe in herself. Life won't get any easier, but the opportunities will come -- as they always have -- to those who work hard, adapt as they need to, and trust their abilities. | high12389.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "build up their confidence"
},
"options": [
"do things carefully",
"build up their confidence",
"improve their imagination",
"learn in different situation"
],
"question": "Positive choice of words helps kids to ... | It is not only praise or punishment that determines a child's level of confidence. There are some other important ways we shape our kids--particularly by giving instructions and commands in a negative or positive choice of words. For example, we can say to a child "Don't run into traffic!" or "Stay on the footpath close to me." In using the latter, you will be helping your kids to think and act positively, and to feel competent in a wide range of situations, because they know what to do, and aren't scaring themselves about what not to do.
Why does such a small thing make a difference? It is all in the way the human mind works. What we think, we automatically rehearse. For example, if someone offered you a million dollars not to think of a blue monkey for two minutes, you wouldn't be able to do it. When a child is told "Don't fall off the tree," he will think of two things: "don't" and "fall off the tree". That is, he will automatically create the picture of falling off the tree in his mind. A child who is vividly imagining falling off the tree is much more likely to fall off. So it is far better to use "Hold on to the tree carefully."
Clear, positive instructions help kids to understand the right way to do things. Kids do not always know how to be safe, or how to react to the warning of the danger in negative words. So parents should make their commands positive. "Sam, hold on firm to the side of the boat" is much more useful than "Don't you dare to fall out of the boat?" or worse still "How do you think I'll feel if you drown?" The changes are small but difference is obvious.
Children learn how to guide and organize themselves from the way we guide them with our words, so it pays to be positive. | high14920.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "could be seen far away"
},
"options": [
"could be seen far away",
"could be seen at night",
"were used only for warning",
"were considered the best way of sending messages"
],
"question": "Blanket signals _ ."... | Each Indian tribe had a different language. Many Indians never learned any languages except their own. Do you know how Indians from different tribes talked to each other? They had two ways to talk without sound. One way was by sign language; another way by signals.
Sign language is a way of talking by using signs. Indians used sign language when they met strangers. In this way, they could find out whether the stranger was a friend or an enemy. In Indian sign language, signs were made with the hands. One sign meant "man". Another meant "horse". To tell the time of day when something happened, an Indian pointed to the sky. He showed where the sun had been at the time.
Indians usually used signals when they wanted to send messages to someone far away. To make signals, an Indian might use a pony. He might use a blanket. Or he might use smoke, a mirror or fire arrows.
To signal that he had seen many animals, an Indian rode his pony in a large circle. Sometimes the Indian gave a signal like this and then went away to hide. This meant that there was danger.
The blanket signal was visible from far away. An Indian held the corners of a blanket in his hands. Then he began to swing the blanket from side to side in front of him. An Indian could send many different signals with his blanket.
He could also send many signals with a mirror. He usually used the mirror to warn someone of danger. Of course, mirrors could be used only when the sun was shining. At night, Indians used fire arrows for signaling.
Now you can see that Indians didn't need to learn each other's language. They could talk to one another by using signals or sign language. | high13097.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "academic ability"
},
"options": [
"strong will",
"academic ability",
"full potentialities",
"confidence in school work"
],
"question": "The purpose of the SAT is to test students' _ .",
"question_type": "c... | As a professor at a large American university,there is a phrase that I hear often from students:"I'm only a 1050."The unlucky students are speaking of the score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test(SAT),which is used to determine whether they will be admitted to the college or university of their choice,or even if they have a chance to get a higher education at all.The SAT score,whether it is 800,1100 or 1550,has become the focus at this time of their life.
It is obvious that if students value highly their test scores,then a great amount of their self-respect is put in the number.Students who perform poorly on the exam are left feeling that it is all over.The low test score,they think,will make it impossible for them to get into a good college.And without a degree from a _ ,they fear that many of life's doors will remain forever closed.
According to a study done in the 1990s,the SAT is only a reliable indicator of a student's future performance in most cases.Interestingly,it becomes much more accurate when it is set together with other indicators-like a student's high school grades.Even if standardized tests like the SAT could show a student's academic proficiency ,they will never be able to test things like confidence,efforts and willpower,and are unable to give us the full picture of a student's potentialities .This is not to suggest that we should stop using SAT scores in our college admission process.The SAT is an excellent test in many ways,and the score is still a useful means of testing students.However,it should be only one of many methods used. | high8286.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To paint it immediately."
},
"options": [
"To speak it out openly.",
"To photograph it instantly.",
"To purchase it directly.",
"To paint it immediately."
],
"question": "According to Ruskin, what should travele... | Whenever something looks interesting or beautiful, there is a natural desire of us to capture and preserve it--which means, in this day and age, that we are likely to reach for our phones to take a picture.
Though this would seem to be an ideal solution, there are two big problems associated with taking pictures. Firstly, we are likely to be so busy taking pictures that we forget to look at the world whose beauty and interest encourage us to take a photograph in the first place. And secondly, because we feel the pictures are safely stored on our phones, we never get around to looking at them, so sure are we that we'll get around to them one day.
The first person to notice the problems was the English art critic , John Ruskin. He was a keen traveler who realized that most tourists make a poor job of noticing or remembering the beautiful things they see. He argued that humans have a natural tendency to respond to beauty and desire to have it, but there are better and worse expressions of this desire. At worse, we get into buying souvenirs or taking photographs. But, in Ruskin's eyes, there's just one thing we should do--attempting to draw the interesting things we see, regardless of whether we happen to have any talent for doing so.
Ruskin said, "Drawing can teach us to see: to notice properly rather than gaze absent-mindedly. In the process of recreating with our own hand what lies before our eyes, we naturally move from a position of observing beauty in a loose way to one where we acquire a deep understanding of its parts."
Ruskin _ the blindness and hurry of modern tourists, especially those who prided themselves on travelling around the whole Europe in a week by train, "No changing of places at a hundred miles an hour will make us stronger, happier, or wiser. There was always more in the world than men could see, if they ever walked slowly; they will see it no better for going fast. The really precious things are thoughts and sights, not pace." | high14934.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "deprives us of leisure time"
},
"options": [
"entitles us to too much leisure time",
"deprives us of leisure time",
"urges us to get things done punctually",
"imposes on us a perfect concept of time"
],
"questio... | Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese's firm belief is that it doesn't matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o'clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o'clock for this, five o'clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o'clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living. | high13083.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a decision made to improve ourselves"
},
"options": [
"a decision made to improve ourselves",
"a ceremony to celebrate New Year",
"a promise made to your parents",
"a recall of what happened last year"
],
"quest... | Spring will soon be upon us and a new term is here. All over' the world spring is the season of.new life: flowers bloom, baby animals are born, and the weather becomes warmer.During this time of year, people usually walk around with a spring in their steps and a feeling of fresh beginnings.However, for a fresh beginning it takes more than the bright color1s and fresh air of spring.We need to look at ourselves, set new goals, and decide how to improve ourselves.
In England people usually do this on the first day of the year. We look at the past year and think about what we' d like to change or improve in our lives, and we call this a New Year' s resolution.These can be anything from improving one' s health through exercise or cutting out bad habits, to studying harder for better grades or trying to find a good work/life balance.
Luckily, we don' t have to wait for the beginning of a new year to try and become better people.We can do this whenever we like.The milestone of a new term is just a good place to start.
Sometimes it' s difficult to take the first step in achieving newly set goals, but an old saying is "to begin is to be half-way there." I agree with this because taking on a new task or changing habits can seem _ at first, but once we begin, they get easier.For example, spending less time on QQ or playing video games and more time studying or communicating face-to-face can be difficult habits to change at first.But once we settle into the new routine and start to see the results, it' s difficult not to wonder why we didn't do it sooner.
The trick with deciding on a resolution for a new term is not to set unrealistic targets. If we do this, it's easy to lose motivation because the end goal seems so far away. Try to make many small targets you want to reach on the way to your ultimate goal.This way, you can see your progress easily. | high23140.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "he believed ravens helped protect the Tower"
},
"options": [
"he loved animals a lot",
"he believed ravens helped protect the Tower",
"he wanted to train the ravens to watch the prisoners",
"he thought the Tower was a c... | As a palace, the Tower of London.was a great place to live.As a prison, it, wasn't so nice ----especially since so many prisoners lost their heads.Today tourists can explore 5the Tower in the
United Kingdom.Here are some reasons why the Tower was and still is a cool place.
Ravens are like superheroes.
Well, sort of.Legend says if the ravens that live on the Tower grounds ever leave, the Tower will fall apart.No one knows when the ravens first showed up, but Charles II took the legend so seriously that in the 1670s he gave an official order that six ravens be kept there all the time.Today
there are still always six.
You might have lived at a zoo.
In 1204, King John kept a collection of animals, including lions and elephants.About 50 years later, King Henry III received a polar bear.the bear was kept on a piece of rope so it could fish from the Thames River that flows by the Tower.
If you lived at the Tower today, your mom or dad might be in charge.
The 35 Yeoman Warders and their families are among the few still allowed to live at the Tower.Established in 1509 a;? bodyguards! for the king, today they give tours and manage the day-to-day details of the Tower.They're called "beefeaters," possibly because their job once allowed them to eat beef from the king's; table.
You need a secret password at night.
Called the "Word," the password changes every 24 hours and is a must-have to enter the Tower
after hours.It's written on a piece of paper and delivered to the Yeoman on duty for, the night.
You could find buried gold.
In 1662, a goldsmith named John Barfcstead supposedly hid more than $40,000 worth of stolen gold somewhere on.the Tower grounds.Many have searched for the gold, but it has never
been found. | high11694.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "places to visit"
},
"options": [
"places to visit",
". places to gather together in",
"some easy job",
"things you can do online"
],
"question": "The writer compares the Web to _ .",
"question_type": "clo... | The Internet and the World Web are great places to be right now. We use the word "place" because so many of the things you can do online are similar to the things you can do wherever people gather together-in homes , schools , libraries , shopping centers , or at family reunions or town meetings. The Net allows people to learn shop, find important information, and communicate, whether they're local, global or simply virtual .
The Web is useful. You can find old friends online. You can research and book flights, check the weather, find breaking news, find out information about schools and colleges. Yon can even place an order for books, CDs, computers and cars.
The Internet is also fun. You can write to old friends or check out their web pages, enjoy web - based soap operas, laugh at online jokes, join in a live Net Event, chat with other Internet surfers , check to see if your name appears anywhere on the Web .
Millions of users log on to the Net every day, and it's not just to do research. There's a lot of fun there. That's one reason why it's called web "surfing".
Of course, the first step to use the Web for business or for fun is learning how to work a "web browser". If you're new to computers, it may take a while before you are completely comfortable with your browser. Don't worry. You don't have to be a computer whiz . The basics of a web browser are very much like the basics of modem computers- -learning how to point and click the mouse, learning how to scroll up and down a page of text, and learning how to use pull - down menus. Again, be patient. There's no time limit on web surfing. Give yourself a chance to explore the browser itself while you explore the Web. | high21757.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "introduce the film Elephant"
},
"options": [
"report a school killing in a US school",
"tell people to be careful while in peace",
"introduce the film Elephant",
"show American school life"
],
"question": "This ... | The film starts out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school shouting and killing people.
This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives.
Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival.
The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999.
The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house.
The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone - - fun and friendly, or hard and lonely.
In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano.
But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens.
"I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director . | high21031.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "not all working people live with their parents"
},
"options": [
"children never live with their parents",
"not all working people live with their parents",
"aged people are supported by their grandchildren",
"grandchild... | Until late in the 20th century, most Americans spent time with people of generations. Now mid-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves.That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care center, our 13-year-olds in school and sports activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior-citizen homes. Why?
We live away from the old for many reasons: young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears for aging and dying. It is much harder to watch .someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it's so hard that we stay away from the people who need us most.
Fortunately, .some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the young.
A reporter moved her family onto a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But the reporter baked banana bread for the neighbours and had her children deliver it and visit. Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. "My children have never been less lonely," the reporter said.
The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home when a visitor showed up with a baby. She was immediately surrounded. People who hadn't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair. Even those who had seemed asleep wake up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.
Grandparents are a special case. They give grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As my husband put it, "my grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end."
Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. "My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down," one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer, more trusting. | high2973.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "PS52.80"
},
"options": [
"PS52.80",
"PS32.30",
"PS30.60",
"PS39.30"
],
"question": "The admission for a young couple with a 10 -year son and a 4- year daughter is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Buckingham Palace is the Queen's house in London and one of only a few working royal palaces left in the world. Located in the heart of London and surrounded by 2 royal parks, a trip to Buckingham Palace is a must for any visitor to London during August and September.
Ticket Pricing
Adult: PS20.50
Over 60/Student (with valid ID): PS18.80
Child (under 17): PS11.80
Child (under 5): Free
Opening Time 2015
1st August - 27th September 2015
There are plenty of exciting things to see and do at Buckingham Palace.
State Rooms
The 19 State Rooms at the palace are regularly used by the Royal family to entertain guests on their State, and official visits to the United Kingdom. During August and September the Queen makes her yearly visit to Scotland allowing the palace to open up these rooms to the public.
A Royal Welcome Exhibition
This special exhibition at the Palace will provide a unique understanding of what goes into creating an official state visit to Buckingham Palace. What food is cooked in the Royal Kitchen? What porcelain and bed linens are to be used? Every detail is examined carefully and perfected by Royal workers at the Palace during visits by VIP guests.
The Garden
The finale of a visit is a walk along the south side of the garden with views over the famous lake and over 350 different species of wild flowers.
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.
Email Address: info@londonpass.com
Please call us on: +44 (0)20 7293 0972
You can write to us at:
The Leisure Pass Group Limited 75 Wells Street London W1T 3QH | high18868.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "study the danger of heart disease"
},
"options": [
"study the danger of heart disease",
"study the influence of emotional health",
"collect the information of various diseases",
"provide a place for people of heart dise... | Are you feeling blue? An American study suggests that being surrounded by happy friends and neighbours could have more of an effect on your happiness than money.That is the finding of researchers from Harvard University and the University of California at San Diego.
Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler studied the emotional health of more than 4,700 people.They used information from the Framingham Heart Study.That study began sixty years ago in the American community of Framingham.Massachusetts.It was started to learn more about the risks of heart attack and stroke.
For the new study,the researchers examined the emotions of the men and women in the Framingham Heart Study.The information was gathered from 1983 to 2003.
The researchers found that friends of happy people had a greater chance of being happy themselves.That means that happiness spreads,or has a contagious effect,among people.And,the smaller the physical distance between friends,the larger the effect they had on each other's happiness.
Sadness was also contagious among friends,but not as much as happiness.The researchers say social groups did not influence happiness as much as personal situations.
However,people removed by as much as three degrees of separation still had an effect on one's happiness.The expression three degrees of separation means the friends of an individual's friends.
In fact,persons with three degrees of separation had a greater effect on an individual's happiness than having five thousand dollars.The researchers say the study is historic because it shows that social effects on health can be spread among people.
Another finding is that people who work together or are married do not have as much of an effect on happiness levels as friends.The researchers say this is often true among friends of the same sex. | high16845.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A worker."
},
"options": [
"A worker.",
"A man living on fishing.",
"A fishing club official.",
"A reporter of the Southern Daily Echo."
],
"question": "What is Alan Prangrell?",
"question_type": "factiod_qu... | An angler got the shock of his life when his prize catch turned out to be a crocodile.
Alan _ Prangncl], 64, was reportedly fishing in the 22-acre lake near Ringwood when he felt a sharp tugand started to reel the heavy but unknown fish in.
But, according to the Southern Daily Echo, when the end of the line appeared, the angler claimed it was actually a two-foot long crocodile.
Alan, who has been fishing since lie was six years old, told the paper: "When it appeared I saw it was acrocodile about two feet long.
It was underneath where I was sitting on my box on the water and just lay by the side of my fact for about eight seconds. Then it shot back into the lake.
"It opened its mouth and let out the fish-or what was left of it. It had cut it in half and there was just its head and pan of the body.
"I was in disbelief-I had -o justify in my mind what I had just seen."
the NHS worker reportelly thirks the crocodile was dropped in after its owner found it too big to deal with
He added: "1'vc been fishing in that lake for six years and for the club since 1963, so I know everything
about the lake.
"I'm the person who saw it and I've nothing to gain by lying abut it".
Fishing club officials and Mr PrangneLl have refused to disclose the exact location of the Hampshire lake for fear of large groups pouring in. | high17583.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Confidence in oneself."
},
"options": [
"A lot of energy.",
"Training from a good coach.",
"Confidence in oneself.",
"Concentration on contestants."
],
"question": "What is the most important thing to have in pr... | It seems that the key to winning any contest is in the belief that you can win. This belief is what inspires one to do one's best. If we have this belief, we work tirelessly to accomplish our goals, and make whatever sacrifices which are necessary. Whether it's a hot-dog eating contest or a spelling bee, the winners have not just been the ones with the most skills, but those with the greatest desire to win. Much can be said for positive thinking. An entire movement is based on the idea that if you visualize your goals on a daily basis, you will accomplish them, no matter how difficult they may seem. Most life coaches recommend writing down a list of all of your goals on a poster, and then displaying it where you'll see it every day. This way these goals will become so much a part of your life that you will find yourself driven to accomplish every one of them. The same strategy applies to winning any contest.
Practice is, of course, also part of winning. If you're not devoted enough to practice, then you have no hope anyway. Don't take the other contestants for granted. They're working just as hard as you are, and you have to keep practicing all the way up to the moment of competition if you really want to win.
Finally, show grace in victory. Always be generous in your praise of the other contestants. The positive energy of their good will toward you will carry you to countless additional victories. Be proud in you heart that you worked so hard to accomplish your goals, and that you deserve the reward you've just gotten, but accept the reward with a modest and gracious manner. | high23626.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "When the Computer Is Down"
},
"options": [
"When the Computer Is Down",
"The Most Frightening Words",
"The Computer of the Airport",
"Asking the Computer"
],
"question": "The best title for the article is _ .... | The most frightening words in the English language are, "Our computer is down." You hear it more and more when you are on business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said, "I'm sorry, I can't sell you a ticket. Our computer is down."
"If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket."
"I can't write you out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so."
I looked down on the computer and every passenger was just standing there drinking coffee and staring at the black screen. Then I asked her, "What do all you people do?"
"We give the computer the information about your trip, and then it tells us whether you can fly with us or not."
"So when it goes down, you go down with it."
"That's good, sir."
"How long will the computer be down?" I wanted to know.
"I have no idea. Sometimes it's down for 10 minutes, sometimes for two hours. There's no way we can find out without asking the computer, and since it's down it won't answer us."
After the girl told me they had no backup computer, I said. "Let's forget the computer. What about your planes? They're still flying, aren't they?"
"I couldn't tell without asking the computer."
"Maybe I could just go to the gate and ask the pilot if he's flying to Washington, " I suggested.
"I wouldn't know what gate to send you to. Even if the pilot was going to Washington, he couldn't take you if you didn't have a ticket."
"Is there any other airline flying to Washington within the next few hours?"
"I wouldn't know, " she said, pointing at the dark screen. "Only 'IT' knows. 'It' can't tell me."
By this time there were quite a few people standing in lines. The word soon spread to other travelers that the computer was down. Some people went white, some people started to cry and still others kicked their luggage. | high736.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A driver blows his horn when his car breaks down on a Germany's highway."
},
"options": [
"A doctor changing his bulb at his home in Victoria.",
"A driver blows his horn when his car breaks down on a Germany's highway.",
"A s... | There are some strange and wonderful rules in law books around the world. When you are traveling, it's always best to know before you go. Not only could this keep you out of trouble, but it can also help you get the most out of your holiday.
In Victoria, Australia, it's illegal to change a light bulb unless you are a licensed electrician. People who disobey this law could receive a fine of up to AU$10 (PS5.50).
In Milan, Italy, citizens are required to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits.
In England, it is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. This was voted the most ludicrous law in the UK in 2007. A spokesman for the House of Commons said: "The people who know about these things here say there is no basis for such a law, not to say it does not exist somewhere in writing."
In Canada, by law, one out of every five songs on the radio must be sung by a Canadian.
Flushing the toilet after 10pm is illegal in Switzerland. The Government consider it noise pollution.
Running out of petrol is illegal on Germany's autobahn, and so is walking along it. So those who do break down must pull over and use their horn to attract attention. The fine is EUR80 (PS65) for endangering other drivers.
7. In Chicago, it is against the law to eat in a place that's on fire.
No matter how good the pizza tastes, if the restaurant sets on fire - you can't stick around! | high9826.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "made a fool of himself in face of his friends"
},
"options": [
"drew up a careful plan before taking a ride",
"made a fool of himself in face of his friends",
"hurt himself seriously while riding down the hill",
"succee... | The type of things we remember are different. Although we tend to remember good things in our lives, bad things have a way of
on us. One such thing I remember happened when I was 10 years old.
I decided to ride my bicycle over a near-by stream. I carefully planned the adventure, and asked my friends to go there and have a watch. This was going to be my moment! I started riding down the hill, picking up speed and then pulled up on the
at the precise moment and landed face-first into the muddy stream! That painful moment is one that I will never forget. As long as I live, I will remember the pain and embarrassment at that moment. When we do something stupid or thoughtless, it has a way of sticking with us. Fortunately, good momories have a way of over-riding the bad ones. I have memories that I gladly remember, like what happened today.
I had my first conversation with my son today. It was not anything
. It was a simple connection between father and son. It was one of those bonding moments that you can't plan or force. They just happen on their own. I was walking into the living room where my son sat in bed watching television attentively. Then he looked up at me and pointed to the television and
something. I asked him if he was watching
and he nodded his head and said,"Yes". It was at that moment that his eyes lit up and it was as if we both realized we had communicated. And how happy I was! Sure, at eighteen months, he probably did not realize what communication was like, but his joy at that moment was evident. It was a moment I will remember all my life.
Good or bad, memories can last a lifetime. As for an unpleasant memory, though we can't forget it we can get lessons from it and it is like a mirror that will warn us against making such mistakes again. As for a good memory, we should try our best to enjoy it during our lifetime. Such moments are the treasures that we store up forever. | high15394.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "because they regulate atmospheric gases and rainfall"
},
"options": [
"because they increase rainfall throughout the whole world",
"because they regulate atmospheric gases and rainfall",
"because they receive extra heat from ... | Do you know how much tropical rainforest is being destroyed each day around the world, and for what purpose(s)? Putting down exact numbers is nearly impossible, but most experts agree that we are losing upwards of 80,000 acres of rainforests daily. Along with this loss and degradation , we are losing some 135 plant, animal and insect species every day-- or some 50,000 species a year-- with the forests'fall.
According to researcher and writer Rhett Butler, tropical rainforests play a key role in the basic functioning of the planet. They help keep the climate normal by regulating atmospheric gases and rainfall.
Rainforests are also home to some 50 percent of the world's species, making them an outdoor biology library. Environmentalists also point out that a quarter of our modern _ are got from the rainforest, but only less than one percent of the trees and plants in the tropics have been tested for curing diseases. Sadly, then, we don't really know the true value of what we're losing as we cut down and burn them.
Overall tropical degradation rates during the past 10 years are 8.5 percent higher than those during the 1990s. This figure is for all forests in the world's tropics, but researchers believe the loss of ancient rainforests has increased by as much as 25 percent.
Although the public is paying more attention to the importance of tropical rainforests, deforestation rates are actually on the rise, mostly due to activities such as cutting, developing agriculture, animal raising, construction and mining. Indeed, as long as money-seekers are allowed to enter these areas, and as long as the population of poor people continues to increase, tropical rainforests will continue to be destroyed. We can not make the poor rich quickly, but we can at least stop businessmen setting foot on these areas through laws. | high22538.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "whether it was useful to read books"
},
"options": [
"whether it was useful to read books",
"why he forgot what he read soon",
"what kind of book he could understand",
"how he could read books like his grandpa"
],
... | Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don't understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?"
The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead.
The grandpa said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough."
The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, "Grandpa, it's useless!"
"So, you think it is useless?" the grandpa said, "Look at the basket."
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.
"Grandson, that's what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you'll be changed, inside and out." | high7994.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Playingthe iPad and mobile phone for hours"
},
"options": [
"Studyingtoohard",
"Thebadbodyposition",
"Playingthe iPad and mobile phone for hours",
"Hismother'sconcern"
],
"question": "Whatcaused Owaish Batliwala... | Most children have heard their parents at one time or another yell "sit up straight!" or "don't slouch!"
In the past, this was usually heard at the dinner table as children ate dinner. But these days, it is also heard around another activity-video games.
Ten-year old Owaish Batliwala, from Mumbai, India, admits he spends three to four hours each day playing games on his tablet computer. His mother Mehzabin became concerned when her son started saying that his neck hurt.
She said, "My son started having neck problems around June or July. The pain slowly spread to his hand and his back. He plays for hours on the iPad and mobile phone. This is what has caused the problem."
Sadia Vanjara is a physical therapist. She says the number of young children with chronic pain in their necks, arms and shoulders is on the rise. Dr. Vanjara says the pain is not from aging, accidents or disease. It is from poor posture, or body position, while playing video games.
"They are not aging, they haven't had an accident, their age is like, under 10, they are not complaining, the blood reports are fine, their x-rays are fine, their MRI's are fine, then where is the culprit ? And that is the very common thing that is happening amongst all children and that is smart phones and the gadgets ."
This is a problem in many parts of the world. But there are more smartphone users in India than anywhere else in the world, except China. Networking equipment company Cisco estimates that the number of smartphone users in India will increase from 140 million today to 651 million by 2020.
19-year old student Nida Jameel says she feels pain in the finger which holds the weight of her smartphone most of the day.
She says she uses her smartphone 24/7. This means 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or all the time.
"As I use phone 24/7 (all day) like, so probably yeah, it was because of the phone, continuous usage and Snapchat, Whatsapp, more and more you know social media coming, so like phone is the center of everything."
Dr. Vanjara says the best treatments for the pain are daily exercises.
"And start stretching it in all the possible directions that you can."
Correct posture can help prevent pain. Dr. Vanjara teaches children how to hold their gadgets correctly. She tells a patient to hold the gadget in front of the face. She says that bending the head down to look at the device, strains the neck and creates an unhealthy bend to the back.
Sadia Vanjara predicts we will see not only physical but psychological and emotional problems resulting from overuse of gadgets.
Experts advise taking breaks from using a computer or other device often. Stand up. Stretch your legs, back, shoulders and arms. And when your work or school work is done, unplug and exercise. | high9761.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Her inability to have children"
},
"options": [
"Her bad relationship with her husband.",
"Her husband's youthful appearance",
"Her inability to have children",
"Her nervousness at parties"
],
"question": "What ... | Standing alone at Browns party,Anna Mackintosh thought about her husband Edward,establishing him clearly in her mind's eye. He was a thin man,forty-one years of age,with fair hair that was often untidy.In the seventeen years they'd been married he had changed very little:he was still nervous with other people,and smiled in the same shy way,and his face was still almost boyish.
She believed she had failed him because he had wished for children and she had not been able to supply any.She had been annoyed for this fact over the years and in the end,quite some time ago now,she had consulted Dr.Abbat at Edward's request.
In the Browns'rich living room,its walls and ceilings giving out a bright light with a metallic surface of imitation gold,Anna listened to dance music coming from a tape recorder and continued to think about her husband.
In a moment he would be at the party too,since they had agreed to meet there,although by now it was three quarters of an hour later than the time he had planned to come.
The Browns were people he knew in a business way,and he had said he thought it wise that he and Anna should attend this gathering of theirs. She had never met them before,which made it more difficult for her,having to wait about,not knowing a soul in the room.
When she thought about it she felt herself unfairly treated,for although Edward was kind to her and always had been,it was far from thoughtful to be as late as this. Because of her nervous condition she felt afraid and had developed a sickness in her stomach.She looked at her watch and sighed. | high6452.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Being arrested"
},
"options": [
"His job experience",
"The books he read",
"Being arrested",
"Long-hour work"
],
"question": "_ made Jack London reconsider his life in the future.",
"question_type": "cloze_... | Jack London had endured more hardships by the age of twenty-one than most people experience in a lifetime. His struggles developed in him sympathy for the working class and a lasting dislike of hard work and provided inspiration for his career as a writer.
London grew up in San Francisco in extreme poverty. At an early age, he left school and supported himself through a succession of un skilled jobs ----working as a paper boy, in bowling alleys, on ice wagons, and in canneries and mills. Despite working long hours at these jobs, London was able to read constantly, borrowing travel and adventure books from the library.
The books London read inspired him to travel, and his job experiences led him to become active in fighting for the fights of workers. He sailed to Japan on a journey aiming at catching seals and joined a cross-country protest march with a group of unemployed workers. After being arrested for vagrancy near Buffalo, New York, London decided to educate himself and reshape his life. He quickly completed high school and entered the University of California.
After only one term, however, the appeal of fortune and adventure proved uncontrollable. London gave up his studies and traveled to the Alaskan Yukon in 1897 in search of gold. Jack London was among the first of these miners. He may have searched for more than gold, however. London once commented, " True, the new region was mostly poor; but its several hundred thousand square miles of coldness at least gave breathing space to those who else would have choked at home." Although he was unsuccessful as a miner, London's experiences in Alaska taught him about the human desire for wealth and power and about humankind's inability to control the forces of nature. While in Alaska, London also absorbed memories and stories that would make him known one hundred years later.
Once back in California, London became determined to earn a living as a writer. He rented a typewriter and worked up to fifteen hours a day, spinning his Alaskan adventures into short stories and novels.
According to legend, London's piles of rejection slips from publishers grew to five feet in height!
Even so, London preserved. In 1903, he earned national fame when he published the popular novelThe Call of the Wild. He soon became the highest paid and most industrious writer in the country. During his career, he produced more than fifty books and earned more than a million dollars. Several of his novels, includingThe Call of the Wild(1903),the Sea-Wolf(1904),the White Fang(1906),have become American classics. In fact, he was a creative writer whose fiction explored several regions and their cultures: the Yukon, California, Hawaii, and the Solomon Islands. He experimented with many literary forms, from traditional love stories and dystopias to science fantasy. His noted journalism included war communication, boxing stories, and the life of Molokai lepers . He was among the most influential figures of his day, who understood how to create a public persona and use the media to market his self-created image of poor-boy-turned-success. London's great passion was agriculture, and he was well on the way of creating a new model for spreading through his Beauty Ranch when he died of kidney disease at age 40. He left over fifty books of novels, stories, journalism, and essays, many of which have been translated and continue to be read around the world. His best works describe a person's struggle for survival against the powerful forces of nature. "To Build a Fire", for example, tells the story of a man's fight to survive the harsh cold of the Alaskan winter. | high871.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Teens, Television and Depression"
},
"options": [
"Teens, Television and Depression",
"Men Develop Depression Easier than Women",
"Media Use is Harmful to Adolescents",
"Take Great care of Teenager's depression"
],
... | The researchers used a national long-term survey of adolescent health to investigate the relationship between media use and depression. They based their findings on more than four thousand adolescents who were not depressed when the survey began in 2000.
As part of the survey, the young people were asked how many hours of television or videos they watched daily. They were also asked how often they played computer games and listened to the radio. Media use totaled an average of five and one-half hours a day. More than two hours of that was spent watching TV.
Seven years later, in 2007, more than seven percent of the young people had signs of depression. The average age at that time was twenty-one.
The researchers say they did not find any such relationship with the use of other media such as movies, video games or radio, etc. But the study did find that every extra hour of television meant an eight percent increase in the chances of developing signs of depression. Young men were more likely than young women to develop depression given the same amount of media use.
The study didn't explore if watching TV causes depression. But one possibility is that it was taking time away from activities that could help prevent depression.
Last December, the journal Social Indicators Research published a study of activities that help lead to happy lives. Sociologists from theprefix = st1 /UniversityofMarylandfound that people who describe themselves as happy spend less time watching television than unhappy people. The study found that happy people are more likely to he socially active, to read, attend religious services and to vote. | high23961.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "leads to people's feelings of sickness and unsteadiness"
},
"options": [
"is completely equal to motion sickness",
"affects up to 80% of the population.",
"leads to people's feelings of sickness and unsteadiness",
"is c... | Do you suffer from cybersickness?
The rise of mobile phones has been blamed for a number of social ills, but your smart phone may also be making you physically sick as well. Scientists have identified a condition called "cybersickness", which they say is the digital version of motion sickness. The phenomenon, which affects up to 80 percent of the population who own smart phones or tablets, leads to feelings of sickness and unsteadiness. It is caused by seeing fast motion on a screen, which covers anything from a car chase in a film to scrolling through web pages on your phone.
The more realistic the visual content appears to you, the higher your chances of getting cybersickness are . The condition was identified in a piece in the New York Times in which British and US experts said that it needed solving. Motion sickness leaves sufferers feeling ill because they feel movement in your muscles and your inner ear but do not see it. The mismatch in digital sickness is the opposite--you see movement on the screen but do not feel it. The effect is the same and the symptoms include a headache, wanting to throw up, confusion and the need to sit down. Often cybersickness shows itself in a subtle way and sufferers put it down to stress or eyestrain.
Steven Rauch, a professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School, said: "Your sense of balance is different from other senses in that it has lots of inputs. When those inputs don't agree, that's when you feel dizziness and sickness. "
Some studies that have been carried out into cybersickness found that women are more _ than men, the New York Times reported. Those who have Type A' personalities--meaning they are confident and determined--are more likely to suffer from cybersickness as well. Among those who have reported experiencing the condition have been video gamers who spend hours playing fast paced games. Engineers at Oculus VR, the virtual headset manufacturer, have admitted that digital motion sickness is one of their biggest problems. | high12564.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "PETA can count on the movie to promote people' s awareness of tiger' s life."
},
"options": [
"PETA can count on the movie to promote people' s awareness of tiger' s life.",
"PETA can make enough money by encourage people to watch ... | Oscar-winning director Ang Lee' s new epic "Life of Pi" reveals the relationship between a teenage Indian boy and a Bengal tiger. But in reality, the predators are under increasing threat from humans. Animal rights group PETA is hoping to use the popularity of the film to focus people's attention on the real life of Bengal tigers.
With the rising demand for tiger parts from East Asia, illegal hunting remains a tremendous danger for the remaining cat population. Back in 1947, there were 40,000 tigers in India, but the number is experiencing a sharp decline t0 1,706 despite campaigns to protect the animal.
Rising man-animal conflict is also one of the leading causes of decline in tiger numbers. In one of numerous reported attacks on the endangered big cats, villagers near The Bangladesh-India border, armed with sticks and boat oars, set upon the animal suspected to have attacked a local fisherman and beat it to death earlier this month. So far this year, 58 tiger deaths have been reported in the country.
"The first instinct when a tiger is spotted is to just kill it,"grieved Gurmeet Sapal, a wildlife filmmaker. "The feeling of fear and revenge is so strong that it shuts out any other emotion. What we don' t realize is that the tiger never attacks humans until it is forced to. "'
India has been struggling to stop the tiger's decline in the face of the loss of habitat as well that encourages the animals to leave the forest for food. " The tiger's rapidly exhausted prey base causes the predator to go al! out to get its food. Consequently, livestock and human beings become easy prey, which leads inevitably to conflict," says a wildlife conservationist.
Filmmaker Sapal says it is only normal for people to think of the tiger as a dangerous animal, but its image as a human killer bears some injustice. "Tigers never kill for sport nor store meat. They kill their prey only in case of hunger. " | high4245.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "By using a whole chicken."
},
"options": [
"By adding carrots.",
"By using chicken pieces.",
"By adding onions.",
"By using a whole chicken."
],
"question": "How can you make the chicken soup more delicious?",
... | One thing we love about soup is that it's easy to make and it only needs a few simple ingredients .Here are four of our favorite, simple homemade soups.Enjoy! | high19431.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "smoking"
},
"options": [
"drinking",
"smoking",
"lacking exercise",
"eating an apple"
],
"question": "All the following are the causes of the head and neck cancer EXCEPT _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | New research is strengthening evidence that eating vegetables may be some of the best health advice. A study of 500, 000 Americans has found that just one extra serving of fruit or vegetables a day may reduce the risk of developing head and neck cancer. Many studies have shown that diet plays a role in cancer. Cancer experts now believe that up to two-thirds of all cancers come from lifestyle such as smoking, diet and lack of exercise. Tobacco and alcohol use increases the risk of head and neck cancer, which affects the mouth, nose, sinuses and throat.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute asked men and women aged 50 and older about their diets, then followed them for five years to record all diagnoses of head and neck cancer, the sixth-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.
The study found eating six servings of fruit and vegetables per day per 1, 000 calories cut the risk of head and neck cancer by 29 percent compared to eating one and a half servings. An adult needs around 2, 000 calories a day. "One more serving of fruit or vegetables per 1, 000 calories per day reduced head and neck cancer risk by 6 percent,"said Neal Freedman, a cancer prevention fellow at the NCI.
A second study in 183, 000 people of California and Hawaii found a diet high in flavonols might help reduce pancreatic cancer risk, especially in smokers. Flavonols are common in plants but highest in onions, apples, berries, kale and broccoli.
The study found that people who ate the most flavonols reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 23 percent than those who ate the least. | high16702.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It proved to be frightening."
},
"options": [
"It proved to be frightening.",
"It was more comfortable.",
"It turned out to be exciting.",
"It made each of them tired."
],
"question": "Which of the following bes... | They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon;on foot,on mules or by air.We chose the first.Waking up early,my husband and I and our three children couldn't wait to get started.We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.
As we set out,I was shocked at how narrow the path was.And I couldn't help noticing that the other tourists weren't like us.They had heavy backpacks,water bottles,and hats.But as usual we were dressed.As the sun rose higher.Arizona's famous heat seemed to roast us.There was no shade and our legs were aching.We decided to go back,with the girl on my back and the boys far behind.By the time we finally got back, _ .
The next day,after we'd had a long rest and a good breakfast,we were ready for another view of the Canyon--by air.After our last walk,this would be the easiest thing in the world.
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon.But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed the plane around,pretending he was going to hit the ground.I shouted,"STOP,TAKE US BACK!"When we finally arrived back on land,once again our legs were like jelly.We hardly spoke as we drove back.
As I said,there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon.We never tried the mules,but personally I'd suggest a fourth buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic.That way,you can see the Canyon,without fear or tiredness. | high10373.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the schedule of the public school wasn't suitable for her"
},
"options": [
"the schedule of the public school wasn't suitable for her",
"her parents had to work in the school",
"her family had moved to Nashville, Tennessee",
... | Tracy Caulkins is known as the first American to set an American record and win an American title in each of four swimming strokes : breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke, freestyle.
Tracy Caulkins was born in Minnesota and lived in Iowa until she was six. She began swimming when she was eight, after the family had moved to Nashville, Tennessee. While unwilling at first to swim in cold water or get her face wet, she began to train in earnest as her talent became clear. Though her father worked for the public schools, the family sent her to a private school when the public schools could not accommodate her training schedule.
At age 13, Tracy Caulkins took part in the trials for the 1976 Olympics, but did not make the team. She continued to win national and international titles, and was disappointed in 1980 when the U.S. didn't attend the Moscow Olympics. She continued to train and compete.
In 1981, Tracy Caulkins began college, graduating in 1985. In college, she continued competing and training, though she had slowed down from her peak years.
Caulkins trained especially hard for the 1984 Olympics, and not only made the team, but was captain of the swim team and at Los Angeles, won three gold medals and was named Sportswoman of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. After that she retired from swimming, and was a commentator for swimming events as well as taking advantage of her fame to do business.
Tracy Caulkins married Australian swimmer, Mark Stockwell, in 1991, their romance having begun at the 1984 Olympics when he jumped into a warm-up pool to introduce himself. They married in Nashville and moved to Australia, where they had three children. Caulkins continued to be professionally involved in sports. | high2634.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "health, medicine, education, sports"
},
"options": [
"medicine, disaster, finance, events",
"business, medicine, economy, sports",
"service, health, education, events",
"health, medicine, education, sports"
],
"... | *New labels to show calories
The US government ruled that all food establishments should put the calorie information of their foods on their menus. Within a year chain restaurants, like fast food KFC, will have to say clearly on their menus how many calories their fried chicken wings, fries, and other items contain. Amusement parks, movie theaters and supermarkets will also have to follow the rules. The move is designed to fight against the problem of obesity in the US.
* _ leading to world problem
The entire world is facing this problem: antibiotic resistance. And the resistance will lead to the deaths of 10 million people across the world by 2025, predicted a new report released by the UK government. Antibiotics are used to destroy or slow the growth of harmful bacteria in our bodies. But overuse and misuse of them can encourage bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming antibiotics, which makes it increasingly difficult for humans to fight diseases.
* _
Australia is the world's most expensive destination for international students, according to a study done by Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). They have to spend an average of $ 42,000 ( about 258 ,000 yuan) a year to study at Australian universities. Singapore is not far behind, with an average yearly cost of $ 39,229, followed by the US at $ 36,564 and the UK at 35,045. However, Australia's education quality only ranks joint fourth with Canada, well below the US, the UK, and Germany. In addition, international students studying in Germany only have to pay about one-sixth the cost of studying in Australia.
* New Games sports may be added
The International Olympic Committee has canceled the 28-sportcap for future summer Olympics But each summer Games will still only be allowed 10, 500 athletes and 310 events. Countries that could host the games will discuss plans with the committee during a new invitation stage before bidding. They are also allowed to hold events outside their own countries and get financial support from the committee. No changes will be introduced for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. | high10415.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "earthquakes close to the surface"
},
"options": [
"blast earthquakes",
"earthquakes close to the surface",
"deep earthquakes",
"earthquakes more than 6.8 Richter scale"
],
"question": "According to the passage, ... | The Kingdome in Seattle was destroyed on March 26, 2000. It was taken down to make room for a new stadium. The blast from the falling building caused the earth to shake as if an earthquake had happened
Scientists placed more than 200 earthquake recorders in the earth to measure the movement. They found which parts of the city shook the most. This information helped them know which parts of the city would be damaged in a real earthquake at an early time.
A real earthquake happened on February 28, 2001 in Seattle. The Nisqually earthquake was 6.8 on the Richter scale(6.8). It damaged the same parts of Seattle that scientists had predicted from the pulling down of the Kingdome. It was a plate quake. It started deep in the earth, 37 miles below the surface on the Juan de Fuca Plate. Sometimes, huge plates under the earth cause earthquakes when the plates move against each other suddenly.
Scientists have learned that deep earthquakes have very few aftershocks . The Nisqually earthquake had only 4 ones. Another earthquake in California that was close to the surface had over 120 aftershocks. Scientists do not know why the deep earthquakes have fewer aftershocks.
Scientists plan to blast in the ground near Seattle with the purpose of testing the plate. The shockwaves from the blast will jump off the plate and give them an idea of where the plate is and how it is moving. This will give them more information in case another real earthquake hits the area. | high21810.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the evolution of different species of cats"
},
"options": [
"the status of cats throughout history",
"the evolution of different species of cats",
"the popularity of the cats today",
"communication between cats and thei... | It seems that there is no middle ground when it comes to cats. People either love them or hate them. These feelings are not new either. All through history, cats have been worshiped or hated. A study of ancient writings and evidence found in tombs indicates that for the past 5,000 years, cats have been kept as pets in China, Arabia, Egypt, and India. However, this isn't very long compared to dogs, which have been domesticated for 50,000 years. Still, while the period in which cats have been domesticated may be quite short, it has definitely had its high and low points.
Cats were at their highest position of domesticated life in ancient Egypt. There were more cats living in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs than in any other place in the world since that time. This high number of cats was probably due to the laws protecting them. Cats were associated with the moon goddess, Bast, so the Egyptians worshiped them as holy animals. If anyone was caught killing a cat, the person could be put to death. Families in Egypt also mourned the death of a cat and had the body of the dead cat wrapped in cloth before it was finally laid to rest. This respect for cats carried over to the Roman Empire where cats were the only animals allowed into temples. This fact was probably due to the ability of cats to keep the temples free of mice and rats. With the coming of the Dark Ages in Europe, the place of cats in society took a turn for the Empire, Christians began to associate cats with pegan beliefs. Cats had a reputation as helpers of witches. When a person was accused of being a witch, a cat would often be put on trial with the person. The cat would be tortured to try and make the person tell the truth, and usually the cat and the person would end up being burned in a bonfire or drowned. Bonfires of collected cats were not uncommon during this time.
The days of hunting witches have ended, but other myths about cats still hold out. For a while, people in some places used to bury live cats under new buildings for good luck. As well, many people today continue to believe that black cats bring bad luck. If a black cat walks in front of a person, that person must take extra care in the near future to watch out for dangerous situations. Regardless of superstition , cats remain a popular pet today. Some cat experts believe that a cat never truly be domesticated because it may turn wild and run away at any time. However, this claim has not put people off keeping cats in their homes. A third of homes in the United States have cats, and one out of every three of these homes keeps both a dog and a cat. Especially in large cities, many people in small apartments have found that cats make much better pets than dogs.
Cats may not be worshiped as gods any more, but there are people who seem to think of their cat as their children. These cat owners will do almost anything to keep their pets healthy and happy. For those cat owners who have always wondered what their pets are trying to tell them, a Japanese company may have come up with the perfect invention. In 2003, the Takara Company announced the Meowlingual, a cat translation device. The Meowlingual uses a microphone, display, and cat voice analyzer to analyze a cat's meows to determine which of 200 phrases a cat is trying to say.
According to a company spokesperson, "... cat owners all over the world have been telling Takara, ' We want a cat translator!'" Now, the company "is making their dream come true by bringing in a new era of communication between cat lovers and their pets." | high2152.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Neither the bank nor the company admitted their fault."
},
"options": [
"Daniel had been repaid when he called the author.",
"The author was to blame as he didn't have enough details.",
"Neither the bank nor the company admit... | I went online to check if my pay was in my bank account . To my amazement I discovered that not only had I been paid, a company I'd never worked for had also paid me! I know I'd have been beside myself if my own salary was not in my account, so I tried to get the money back to the right person. Easier said than done.
The bank couldn't help as it "wasn't a bank problem." The human-resource department at the company that paid me was unable to help as I didn't have enough details. I rang the bank again. Thankfully I had a sympathetic call operator who gave me a name, so I again rang the company "Daniel" worked for.
I expected the bank would get in touch with me to arrange to take the money from my account and repay Daniel. I heard nothing for a month and the money remained in my account when Daniel called, explaining he'd tried to get back his money but had been unsuccessful as neither the bank nor his company felt it was their error. He had rung to ask if I could speak to the bank, but after chatting for a few minutes we realized we could probably fix this problem ourselves.
We decided I would take the money from my account and he would pick it up from me. Due to my busy job I was unable to meet Daniel personally but he left me a lovely bottle of wine in exchange for what was rightfully his. I never had any intention of keeping Daniel's pay but red tape made it difficult to do the right thing. It all came down to two people being able to do what a huge bank and a large company couldn't do -- admit a mistake had occurred and fix it. | high18049.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The responsibilities of the students"
},
"options": [
"The violence in the school",
"The study pressure of students.",
"The responsibilities of the students",
"The right to achieve students' potential."
],
"ques... | "A very disruptive six-year-old child kicked my legs and clawed at my hand," said one teacher. " I broke up a fight and was kicked between my legs," said another. Many people have heard stories like this. But the situation is more worrying still and it involves parents.
Every child, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born, has the right to achieve their potential, regardless of their parents' wealth and class. And we recognize that, as a nation, it is a long way to achieve this goal. But with rights come responsibilities and what worries people is that we are in danger of ignoring the latter.
Far too many children are behaving badly at school, even to the point of being violent to staff. This is terrible enough, but it is hard to be surprised since many children are just mirroring the behaviour of their parents.
My members tell me that parents also come into school often and threaten staff and some staff have been attacked by a pupil's parents. One father encouraged his child to start a fight on the playground before school started. A primary teacher reported that a parent shouted at him. We need to have a serious and sensible debate about the roles and responsibilities of parents and the support that they can reasonably expect of schools and teachers.
Children will not learn how to behave as social beings if they are stuck in front of the TV for hours every day. They need their parents to show an interest in them and to spend time with them, helping them to play with their peers and to learn the rules of social behavior.
Children are now arriving at school socially undeveloped, increasingly unable to dress themselves, unable to use the toilet properly, unable to hold a knife and fork and unused to eating at a table, Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, writes in today's Observer. Instead of taking responsibility themselves, too many parents expect teachers to control their children's behaviour and wellbeing, she adds. Bousted says one mother blamed staff when she discovered that her 16-year-old son was smoking.
We are in danger of becoming a nation of _ . The bedroom, once a place to sleep, has become the living space for the young. Spending hours in front of computer screens, on social networking sites or being immersed in computer games, children and young people spend little time with their parents. Parents are unable to monitor just what their children are watching.
Schools cannot right the wrongs of society and teachers cannot become substitute parents. Both parties need to work together. Parents must be helped and given confidence to take back control. They are responsible for setting boundaries for their children's behaviour and sticking to those boundaries. They are responsible for setting a good example to their children and for devoting that most precious of resources -- time -- so that children come to school ready and willing to learn. | high4523.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "in South Laguna"
},
"options": [
"on the way to South Laguna",
"in South Laguna",
"on the way to Los Angeles",
"in Los Angeles"
],
"question": "When the author found he was short of gas he was _ .",
"ques... | The summer of 1975 I'd just graduated from college in Southern California and received a 1968 Ford Capri for a graduation present. I had my first job, in Los Angeles. One Sunday night, thinking myself a very independent gown-up, I left my uncle's place in South Laguna after a visit, without admitting to him that I had less than an eighth of a tank of gas and no cash to buy more on the way to L.A. I pulled onto the Pacific Coast Highway and watched the needle move down as I headed north. When the engine started giving off strong smells, I pulled into a gas station. There was no self-serve then; there were no credit cards, no ATMs.
I begged the guy at the station. I could write him a check for gas, I said, or I could sleep in my car and try to walk to a town with a bank the next morning. As he was informing me that I could sleep in my car but he'd have me arrested, a station wagon pulled up to the next pump. The driver--a thin, plain, middle-aged guy--overheard the tail end of my failed request. As the attendant went to serve him, he nodded at me. "Fill her tank first," he said.
"Really?" I said. Hope bloomed. "Oh, thank you. Thank you. But please. I just need two bucks' worth. I just need to get home."
"Fill it," he repeated to the attendant. Then he turned to me, "You'll do the same one day, for someone else." | high19357.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "green"
},
"options": [
"black",
"grey",
"green",
"brown"
],
"question": "67. According to the passage, men's 110-meter hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang is most likely to love the color ... | What color do you like best? Do you like yellow, orange and red? If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, or an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grey and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are likely to be strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us. They have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference, and the effects that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you do so as soon as you open your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
Black is
while light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one does, and a red dress adds warmth and cheer to sad winter days. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark grey.
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a few colorful things. Also remember that you will know your friends (and your enemies) better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about you when you choose a piece of handkerchief. | high16064.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Her GPS device didn't tell her about the crossing"
},
"options": [
"Shewasnotfamiliarwiththeroad.",
"Itwasdarkandrainingheavilythen.",
"The railway works failed to give the signal.",
"Her GPS device didn't tell her abou... | One evening in February 2007 . a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote in Wales . She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path . That's when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train.Her Renault Clio parked across a railway line. Second later,she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely's _ made the news because she blamed it on her GPS device .She had never driven the route before .It was dark and raining heavily . Ceely was relying on her GPS. But it made no mention of the crossing ."I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train ,"she told the BBC.
W ho is to blame here ? Rick Stevenson ,who tells Ceely's story in his book When Machines Fail US, finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says,
but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it's not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless key boards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it's not clear why he only focuses digital technology,while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signaling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the CPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn't say.
It's a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an accout of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it's also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors .
The game between humans and their smart devices is complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be way a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long . | high12202.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "wait for her husband"
},
"options": [
"take exercise on the way",
"meet the beautiful lady",
"enjoy the scenery and reading",
"wait for her husband"
],
"question": "In the afternoons the woman walked three miles... | Most teens can't wait to learn to drive. Not so with me. Driving made me nervous. I didn't get a license until I turned 24 years old. As a result, when I first married, we only had one car and car pooled to work. My husband's hours were different from mine by one hour. I worked earlier. So he dropped me off and went to the diner to drink coffee until work time.
Then, in the afternoons, I leisurely walked the three miles to his work place where I waited in his car, reading a book.
One day while waiting for him, I noticed the most beautiful Cadillac pull in the lot. It was powder blue and sleek looking. The kind of car you dream about. I was busily admiring the car, when I noticed the driver. Honestly, she was probably the prettiest woman I had ever seen off the movie screen.
She pulled into the spot beside our car and it was all I could do not to stare. There was a striking resemblance to Liz Taylor. Jet black hair and alabaster skin. Our eyes made contact and she smiled at me. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, and teeth like an even row of pearls. She was wearing a light blue shirt that just matched her car. Peeking through her long, softly curled hair I could see gold hoop earrings. They had to be gold to shine like that. A couple of minutes later, a nice looking man came out of the building, entered her car, leaned over and kissed her and she drove away.
Sitting there in my jeans, shirt and hair in a pony tail, I wanted to cry. How could some people have it all?
Maybe I would have forgotten about her, but the following week, I saw her again. Then it became almost routine to see her about once a week. She seemed friendly and always waved, flashing a big smile. My envy lingered long after she drove away.
Many nights when sleep evaded me, I would think about the beautiful lady. I wondered if she and her husband ate out, and where they dined, and what she was wearing. I wanted her to get out of the car and let me see her full length. Did she wear really high heeled shoes and pants, or a skirt.
I would get my answers in a couple of weeks.
Sitting in our usual parking lot, I was holding my book, watching her over the top of it. She was waiting and when her husband came to the car, she called to him. They spoke a few words and he opened the car door for her to step out. He took her arm and helped her out of the car. I could see very well as she moved to get out. She was wearing a skirt.
She _ walked around to the passenger side very slowly, leaning on a walking cane. Sitting sideways in the car, she lifted one leg with her hands and then the other one. The beautiful lady had a prosthesis on the left leg and a brace on the right leg. I couldn't watch them drive away as the tears were blinding me. For weeks I had envied this woman and her way of life, while I had been able to walk three miles to our car!
When my husband arrived and found me crying, he immediately asked what was wrong. Through my tears, I told him about the beautiful lady. He said he knew her husband and also knew the story. The beautiful lady and her parents were in a car that either stalled or got caught on the railroad tracks and was hit by a train. Both parents were killed and she was severely injured. She was only 12 years old. The railroad made a large settlement with her because the crossing had no signals. He explained her car was specially built for her needs as well as the home.
I prayed for forgiveness all the way home. The lady I thought had everything I didn't. I realized how lucky I was to have my parents, the ability to walk, run or dance through life and many wonderful things money can't buy. I would not have traded places with the beautiful lady for anything.
When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you, don't be fooled. | high14673.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "stop occupying your mind with lots of things"
},
"options": [
"carry out your plans when you are free",
"stop occupying your mind with lots of things",
"forget everything annoying when taking a walk",
"enjoy your life w... | Finding time to enjoy life is becoming harder and harder. As the average workweek lengthens, leisure time drops. Yet some of the world's busiest people are able to develop rewarding careers and also make time for family and leisure activities. Here is their best advice plus that of time-management experts:
1. Use your peak hours wisely.
People tend to be most alert in late morning and midevening. Afternoon brings an increase in sleepiness. Use your high-efficiency hours to handle difficult jobs or engage in creative thinking. For low-efficiency times, concentrate on cleaning up or sorting your mail. By adapting to your mental condition, you can accomplish more in less time.
2. Make a plan.
Just 20 minutes of organizing can save an hour of extra effort remembering what must be done. "Don't try to carry your life around in your head," says Lucy Hedrick, author of Five Days to an Organized Life. "Write things down so you can free your brain for more inventive pursuit ."
3. Discourage drop-ins.
The person who welcomes every visitor will get plenty of conversation but won't accomplish much.
The trick is to develop harmless ways to protect yourself from minute-stealing interruptions. David E. Levy, a public-relations consultant , uses an alternative to the open-door policy by keeping his door half open. The message is clear: he really doesn't want you to come in, but you can if it is important.
4. Tame the telephone.
Few devices save more minutes--or waste so many more--than the telephone. Signal the end of your conversation with a phrase such as "Before we hang up..." You can save even more time by not taking every incoming call.
Keep a record of when people you call regularly are least busy and call them at those times. Even better, make appointments to call important contacts.
To help us gain an extra hour every day, a clockmaker in Dallas has created a timer measuring each minute at 57.6 seconds. The 2.5 seconds borrowed from each minute add up to an extra 60 minutes at the end of each day. | high9007.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "sounds"
},
"options": [
"actions",
"expressions",
"sounds",
"signs"
],
"question": "We learn from the text that language might have begun with",
"question_type": null
}
] | How words came into being is unknown. All we assume is that some early men invented certain sounds, in one way or another, to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could talk with each other. Later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be put together to show those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, are called words.
The power of words, then, lies in their associations - the things they bring up to our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words bring back to us the happy and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which have powerful effects on our minds and feelings. This clever use of words is what we call literary style . Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can express his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them correctly, or they will make our speech silly and common. | high6334.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Just ignore it."
},
"options": [
"Talk to friends.",
"Go to see a doctor.",
"Just ignore it.",
"Ask your teacher for guidance."
],
"question": "How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage?"... | Most people feel lonely sometimes,but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours,This kind of loneliness is not serious.In fact,it is quite normal.For some people,though,loneliness can last for years.Now researchers say loneliness comes in three different types.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary.This is the most common type.It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention.The second kind is situation,for example,family problem,the death of a loved one,or moving to a new place.Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems,such as headaches and sleeplessness,it usually does not last for more than a year.The third kind of loneliness is the most serious.Unlike the second type, chronic (the opposite of'temporary') usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause.People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others.Unfortunately,many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts,for example,friends,family members,co-workers,etc.We depend on various people for different reasons.For instance.our family give us emotional support,our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our fiends share similar interests and activities.
However,psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts,they sometimes feel they should have more.They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons:they are unhappy and unable to socialize arid there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease,while temporary and situational loneliness can be a sad,and sometimes dangerous condition. | high15579.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "know the car's position and direction"
},
"options": [
"know the car's condition",
"ensure the robber's safety",
"play a fair game with the robber",
"know the car's position and direction"
],
"question": "When t... | It's illegal for the police to attach a GPS unit to your car without your permission, as the U.S. Supreme Court settled in 2012.But if the police are in hot pursuit of a bank robber or other escaping criminals that threaten public safety, a GPS tracker is acceptable. But exactly how can the police GPS track a car that is moving fast?
The answer to that question comes from StarChase,a new police technology being used by a small but growing number of law enforcement agencies.It allows the police to fire 4.5-inch glue-covered GPS bullet-like projectiles from an air gun fixed in their police cars.If the GPS tracker makes contact with the escaping robber's car, it'll stick no matter how fast the vehicle is going.That way, the police will have a constant read on the car's location and heading.Aside from simply apprehending criminals,it's believed this new technology could help save lives.If the police successfully fire a GPS unit at a speeding criminal,they can pull back from a high-risk chase.Chases can be incredibly dangerous to all involved,including innocent bystanders and other drivers.Once the GPS bullet connects,there's no need for the chase any longer.
Now,predictably,a GPS-loaded gun isn't cheap. Police departments need to pay about $5.000 per vehicle for the technology,and individual GPS bullets cost as much as $250 each.That may sound expensive,but remember:The alternative is often thousands of dollars in property damage,and great human cost in injury and lost life.According to Star Chase,their GPS bullet system has an apprehension rate of 80%without any report of inury or property damage.If you'd like to learn more about the StarChase system,Popular Mechanics has just published a good article about it.There's also plenty more information available at the company's website. | high9013.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Germans chat to kill the time."
},
"options": [
"Brazilians choose to drink.",
"Americans do in-flight shopping.",
"Germans chat to kill the time.",
"The Chinese switch off the seat-belt sign."
],
"question": "W... | A survey has shown that what you do on a plane can be determined by which nationality is listed on your passport.
According to the results of an international passenger survey, Australians are the biggest drinkers on board with 36 percent choosing to down the hatch, compared to 35 percent of Americans and 33 percent of Brits.
The Airline Passenger Experience Association(APEX) spoke to around 1,500 people, aged 18 and older, who have travelled by plane at least once during the last three months and were living in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Australia and Brazil.
The results found Chinese travelers are most likely to nod off once the seat-belt sign switches off. They are also the first to take out their credit card for some in-flight shopping and the biggest fans of gaming. Americans on the other hand like to use their time in the air more productively---- when not drinking---- choosing to work while flying at 35,000 feet.
Meanwhile, Brits and Germans are the best at making chat with random strangers----spending 50 percent more time than any other nationality. Comparatively, Brazilians conduct their conversations online via email, messaging apps or social media.
Despite plane food having a bad reputation, seven out of ten interviewees said they were happy to eat up on the selection of in-flight snacks and meals. In-flight magazines were also popular with four out of five passengers.
The international flyers did however express their desire for better in-flight entertainment. "The industry has greatly improved the comfort, entertainment and onboard service, and passengers are accepting those improvements" said Russell Lemieux, APEX executive director. "At the same time, passengers are demanding more from their air travel experiences which will drive more improvements touching all aspects of the journey. " he added. | high14667.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the physical laws behind"
},
"options": [
"the visual attraction",
"the powerful sounds",
"the physical laws behind",
"the lovely creatures"
],
"question": "When appreciating a wave crashing on the beach,a physi... | For many centuries,countless scholars have asked the question:What is beauty? As designers update the latest fashions and artists create their masterpieces, what is considered beautiful changes at an alarming pace.
Fifty years ago,the full-figured Marilyn Monroe was a symbol of the American aesthetic value;today,many Hollywood actresses different in appearance from Marilyn's have taken her place. However,aesthetic values not only differ from generation to generation,but do so along cultural lines as well. Often, what is considered disgusting to one civilization is just the aesthetic appeal in another. Thus it is difficult to give an absolute definition of beauty.
As fundamental physicists,my colleagues and I like to believe that we are involved in a search for a beauty that affects definition. The beauty that we search for is not what is set up through the work of people and subject to the tastes, but rather what has been laid down by nature Physics allows its students to look past outer appearances,into a deeper beauty. As a human being,I am attracted by the visual appeal of a wave crashing on the beach. As a physicist, however I am able to see the deeper beauty of the physical laws that govern such a phenomenon.
In truth,since Albert Einstein put forward the idea that there might be one main physical theory that governs the universe,aesthetics have become a driving force in modern physics. Einstein and other later physicists have discovered that:Nature, as its most fundamental level,is beautifully constructed. The extraordinary simplicity of the laws that govern the universe is really breathtaking . As Einstein said, it would seem more likely that we should find ourselves living in a"chaotic world,in no way graspable through thinking". Yet we are now closer than ever to a full understanding of the universe's beautiful clockwork. As new discoveries and technologies allow us to examine the physical world on deeper and deeper levels,we find that the beauty itself becomes much deeper. | high6320.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "two"
},
"options": [
"one",
"two",
"three",
"four"
],
"question": "In this passage the author mentions _ prize( s) that Tu Youyou received.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Tu Youyou, the 85-year-old Chinese pharmacologist ,received the Nobel Prize for medicine in Stockholm on December 10,2015. Tu is the first Chinese Nobel winner in physiology or medicine. Also, in 2011, she became the first Chinese person to receive the US-based Lasker Award for clinical medicine.
Based on a fourth-century Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) text, together with her team, she managed to get artemisinin from sweet wormwood through trial and error and developed an important drug that has significantly reduced death rates among patients suffering from _ . Tu delivered a speech titled Artemisinin is a Gift from TCM to the World. She has urged more research into the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine and called for joint efforts worldwide to fight against malaria and develop more potential uses for TCM, which she called a "great treasure" with thousands of years' history and empirical knowledge. She said that by combining TCM with modem scientific technologies, "more potential can be discovered in searching for new drugs " .
According to the WHO, more than 240 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have benefited from artemisinin, and more than l. 5 million lives are estimated to have been saved since 2000 thanks to the drug. Apart from its contribution to the global fight against malaria, TCM played a vital role in the deadly outbreak of SARS across China in 2003.
Besides treating viruses, TCM has been most effective in diagnosing diseases, cultivating fitness, treating difficult multisource illnesses, and using nonmedical methods such as acupuncture and breathing exercises.
However, TCM, which is based on a set of beliefs about human biology, is seldom understood or accepted by the West. Tu's success will bring more recognition and respect for TCM, experts say. The Western world should learn to appreciate the value of the treasures of TCM, which will lead to more basic scientific research into ancient TCM texts and ways to explore research findings worldwide. | high13108.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she didn't follow her own advice about pruning shears"
},
"options": [
"she should have kept a closer watch on her husband",
"she feels regretful about her marriage after many years",
"she didn't follow her own advice about p... | On the eve of our daughters' weddings, I gave both of them what I considered to be excellent marital advice: never leave your husband unsupervised with pruning shears .
_ I recently let my guard down. Thirty-some years of marriage can do that to a woman. Give a man pruning shears and electric trimmers and he will give new meaning to "armed and dangerous."
One day earlier this year, my husband said that the crab apple tree was dead.
"Why do you think it is dead?" I asked.
"Look at it. There's not a leaf on it."
"There's not a leaf on anything. It's March," I said.
"It looked sick last fall and with this bitter winter we had, I'm convinced it's dead."
The truth is he's never liked the crab apple. Sure, it has beautiful blooms in the spring, but then it gets a disease, the leaves curl, and it drops those little apples that sit on the driveway.
Each passing week he pronounced the tree dead. Eventually I began to believe him. Though he agreed it would be a regrettable loss, there was a twinkle in his eye. He armed himself a couple of weeks ago and began trimming. A branch here, a branch there, a small limb, then a large limb. I watched and then decided to check the wood on some of the branches closer to the trunk. I broke one off and saw green.
The crab apple was not dead. It just hadn't had time to leaf out. The tree was now falling to one side, but it was not dead. I would have told him so, but he had moved on to a maple. Once the man starts, he can't stop. One trim leads to another.
"Please, stop!" I called.
He smiled and nodded, but he couldn't hear because he had started the hedge trimmers and was getting ready to fix a line of hedges.
Zip , zip, zip.
"What do you think?" he shouted.
"It's supposed to be a privacy hedge; now all that will be private are our ankles."
He started the trimmers again. "Stop!" I called, "Come back!"
"Why?" he shouted.
"You're in the neighbor's yard." | high10401.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the researchers reached their conclusion by analyzing the data"
},
"options": [
"the researchers reached their conclusion by analyzing the data",
"the research centered on the 26 types of behavior of the matriarch",
"the scie... | Elephants have four distinct personalities that help their herd survive in the African bush, scientists have found.
With their grey skin, mournful eyes and slow heavy pace, you could be forgiven for thinking elephants are uniformly melancholy creatures. But scientists have now discovered the largest living land animals have personalities to match their size.
In a new study of African elephants, researchers have identified four distinct characters that are common in a herd - the leaders, the gentle giants, the playful rogues and the reliable plodders .
Each of the types has developed to help the giant mammals survive in their harsh environment and is almost unique in the animal kingdom, according to the scientists.
Professor Phyllis Lee and her colleague Cynthia Moss studied a herd of elephants in the Amboseli National Park in Kenya known as the EB family -- famous for their matriarch Echo before she died in 2009.
Using data collected over 38 years of watching this group, the researchers analyzed them for 26 types of behavior and found four personality features tended to emerge.
The strongest personality to emerge was that of the leader. Unlike other animals, where leadership tends to be won by the most dominant and aggressive individual, the elephants instead respected intelligence and problem solving in their leader. Echo, the matriarch and oldest in the group, her daughter Enid, and Ella, the second oldest female, all emerged as leaders.
The playful elephants tended to be younger but were more curious and active. Eudora, a 40-year-old female in the herd, seemed to be the most playful, consistently showing this feature throughout her life while playfulness in some of the other elephants declined with age.
Gentle elephants, which included two 27-year-old females Eleanor and Eliot, touched and rubbed against others more than the others.
Those that were reliable tended to be those that were most consistent at making good decisions, helped to care for infants in the herd and were calm when faced with threats. Echo and her youngest daughter Ebony seemed to be the most reliable.
Professor Lee said that elephants with these features tended to be the most socially integrated in the group while those who tended to be less reliable and pushy were more likely to split from the herd. | high2146.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Changes to the American lifestyle."
},
"options": [
"The interpretation of \"the American dream\".",
"The significance of the current economic crisis.",
"Changes to the American lifestyle.",
"The traditional American wa... | Many people would interpret "The American dream" as "living like an American"--a two-story house with a white picket fence; a family with two cars; and two children.
However, the economic situation is now affecting the American way of life for 4.4 million people living in the US, according to new census data. "It's going to have a long-term impact and to say it's going to end is optimistic, " says Cheryl Russell, former editor-in- chief of American Demographics magazine. "I'm more pessimistic that this is the new normal."
So what is the new normal?
*Marrying later. The average age of the first marriage has increased to 28.7 for men and 26.7 for women, up from 27.5 and 25.9 respectively in 2006. At the same time, fewer people are getting married. If the marriage rate had stayed the same as in 2006, there would have been about 4 million more married people in 2010.
*Fewer babies. There were 200,000 fewer births among women aged 20 to 34 in 2010 compared with two years before. This was despite the fact that the number of women of childbearing age had gone up by more than 1 million. "The recession is the likely cause ," says Kenneth Johnson, demographer at the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institue, "Economic fertility " because women delay ...in uncertain times.
*Breaking up is harder. The number of divorces has been falling for 25 years as people wait longer or choose to live together before they get married. There were about 65,000 fewer divorces in 2010 than in 2008, a 7 percent decrease.
*Crowd living. Unemployment is forcing more people to live together. The number of households where people lived with "other s" climbed from 6.7 percent in 2006 to 7.2 percent in 2010.
*Going public. Private school enrollment decreased from 13.6 percent in 2006 to 12.8 percent in 2010.
*Fewer cars. The percentage of households without a car rose to 9.1 percent against 8.8 percent in 2006. The percent-age of households with two or more cars fell from 58 percent to 57.1 percent.
*Driving solo. When people are not working, they don't carpool. The proportion of people aged 16 to 64 in employment dropped greatly in all but one of the 50 largest metropolitan areas. That has helped push the share of people driving to work alone from 76 percent in 2006 to 76.6 percent in 2010. Ride-sharing is down a full percentage point, to 9.7 percent. | high21804.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Boryeong Mud Festival was originally held to advertise for their mineral resources"
},
"options": [
"Boryeong Mud Festival was originally held to advertise for their mineral resources",
"people around the world celebrate Holi diffe... | Festivals play an important role in a culture's identity.I can't think of a better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. Here are some special festivals around the world.
Boryeong Mud Festival-Boryeong, South Korea
For two weeks in July, millions gather in Borueong to experience the grey pools and slides.What began as a way of promoting the region's mineral-rich mud has turned into a festive party, complete with music and fireworks.While the mud is usually only available in cosmetic products, here you can cake yourself in grey as you want.
Holi-India
Holi, the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu celebration full of joy and one of India's most important holidays, During the day of the last full moon of the lunar month, usually late February throughout the country, but the cheerful spirit is common throughout Hindu communities around the world.
Koninginnedag-The Netherlands
Although their current Queen's birthday is really during the winter, the Queen still celebrates it on April 30th, the country's official " Queen's Day" since 1949.Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of feather boas and body paint as crowds gather in the plazas .Amsterdam is the center of this outdoor party, with many live music acts, but nearly every town is alive with orange on this day.
National Elephant Day in Thailand
In Thailand, March 13 is regarded as National Elephant Day to show that the Thai elephant plays an important role in the Thai history.Thai Elephant Day has been held on an annual basis since the idea was first approved by the Thai government in 1998.Special events are held at a number of venues in northern Thailand.At the Mae Sa Elephant Camp, it has become a tradition on March13 for the dozens of elephants there to be treated to a huge feast of fruits and sugarcane. | high5629.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "several meanings"
},
"options": [
"one meaning",
"several meanings",
"few meanings",
"no meaning"
],
"question": "Many words have _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Most dictionaries will tell you a number of things about a language. There are three important things. These three things are spelling, pronunciation and meaning.
First, a dictionary will tell you the spelling of a word. If you are not sure about the spelling of a word, you can try to find the correct spelling in a dictionary. Words are listed in an alphabetical order--- a, b, c and so on. For example, on a dictionary page the "poor" comes before "poverty" and the word "poverty" comes before the "power". The words are always given in alphabetical order. The second thing, a dictionary will tell you the pronunciation. Most dictionaries give phonetic , or sound alphabet. The phonetic alphabet shows pronunciation. The third thing, a dictionary will tell you the meaning of words. You can look up a word and find out what it means. Many words have more than one meaning, and a good dictionary will tell you all of the word's meanings. For example, in English the common word "get" has over 20 different meanings. | high19343.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "because of the Internet and fast travel"
},
"options": [
"because of the Internet and fast travel",
"because of e-mail and personal computers",
"because travel is fast",
"because the rural areas are developing faster th... | If you are living in the city, have you ever thought of going to live in the country for a change? Many people want to move from the country to the city because they think life in the city is more exciting and better than that in rural areas, especially young people who like new and modern things.
Often people feel that they can find the latest styles only in the city. Other people are interested in technological things and high-tech jobs and think they can find them only in a big city. If they want to find a job, especially a good position in a company, they feel they have to live in a city. To get these jobs, they are willing to _ many of the disadvantages of city life such as heavy traffic and pollution.
However, it is now possible to enjoy a higher quality of life in the countryside and still enjoy some of the advantages of living in the city.
Nowadays, travel is fast and information is available on the Internet, so many people are able to do their work in home offices.
Because they have e-mail and personal computers, they don't have to be in big cities to do their business. It is not important where they actually work because the results of their work can be sent everywhere with technology. Now they can enjoy life in the countryside and still be able to do good business and successful careers. | high4537.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "changes have taken place in both the appearance and the concept of banks"
},
"options": [
"money is not as valuable as it was in the past",
"changes have taken place in both the appearance and the concept of banks",
"the arch... | My father's reaction to the bank building at 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York city was immediate and definite: "You won't catch me putting my money in there!" he declared, "Not in that glass box!"
Of course, my father is a gentleman of the old school, a member of the generation to whom a good deal of modern architecture is upsetting, but I am convinced that his negative response was not so much to the architecture as to a violation of his concept of the nature of money. In his generation money was thought of as a real commodity that could be carried, or stolen.
Consequently, to attract the custom of a sensible man, a bank had to have heavy walls, barred windows, and bronze doors, to affirm the fact, however untrue, that money would be safe inside. If a building's design made it appear impenetrable , the institution was necessarily reliable, and the meaning of the heavy wall as an architecture symbol reflected people's prevailing attitude toward money.
But the attitude toward money has, of course, changed. Excepting pocket money, cash of any kind is now rarely used; money as a
has largely been replaced by credit. A deficit economy, accompanied by huge expansion, has led us to think of money as product of the creative imagination. The banker no longer offers us a safe: he offers us a service in which the most valuable element is the creativity for the invention of large numbers. It is in no way surprising, in view of this change in attitude, that we are witnessing the disappearance of the heavy-walled bank.
Just as the older bank emphasized its strength, this bank by its architecture boasts of imaginative powers. From this point of view it is hard to say where architecture ends and human assertion begins. | high16070.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Objective."
},
"options": [
"Objective.",
"Disapproving.",
"Skeptical.",
"Optimistic."
],
"question": "What is the author's attitude towards this debate?",
"question_type": null
}
] | If you are looking to putting a tree in your home for Christmas, there is always one debate that seems to arise in most households: whether you want a real tree or fake tree. Year after year, as we find ourselves cleaning old pine needles for months on end, we decide that we will never get another real tree. So that begs the question: Which kind of tree is better?
There is certainly a lot to be said for real trees. There is something fun about gathering the family together, going to a Christmas tree farm, and selecting or even cutting down your own tree. Real Christmas trees have that lovely holiday pine needle smell and they look great in your home.
Of course, on the other hand, they also leave a complete mess behind and needles that seem to keep appearing for weeks or even months after the tree comes down. You must also find a way to deal with your real Christmas tree after you're done, which may mean cutting it into pieces so it will fit in the trash. Many dustmen will refuse to take away a tree that is left beside your regular trash, especially if it is a big tree or an old, yellow one with falling needles, making it hard to pick up. They don't want a face full of sharp needles any more than you do!
With a fake Christmas tree, there is no mess, but there is also no Christmas smell and no exciting trip to the Christmas tree farm. Of course, these trees look the same in appearance as a real tree when decorated. _ For some people, a can of pine air freshener is enough to recreate the pleasant smell of a real tree.
As to which tree is the better choice, it is really a matter of personal preference. Both real and fake trees certainly have their benefits, and knowing which is better for you this Christmas really depends on what your family wants. | high11079.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "23 yuan"
},
"options": [
"16 yuan",
"23 yuan",
"30 yuan",
"20 yuan"
],
"question": "If you go to visit the Long March exhibit with an Australian, how much will you pay altogether for the admission?",
"questi... | Events
Long March exhibit
The Shanghai History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and 40 items that explain with pictures how the communist Red Army drew back from its besieged bases in Jiangxi Province and fought its way to northern Shanxi province in the mid-1930s. Explanations are all in Chinese. The show will end on November 20.
Time: 10:00 am--4:00 pm.
Address: 1286 Hongqiao Road
Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese/ 15 yuan for foreigners
Thai elephants
Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at Changfeng Park by riding bikes, playing basketball, balancing on a beam, dancing and blowing a mouth-organ. People are encouraged to have a tug-of-war with the animals or lie on the ground and have the elephants walk over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30 am, 3:30 pm and 8:00 pm and there is an additional show at 1:30 pm at weekends. The show will end on November 15.
Address: 189 Daduhe Road
Admission: 30-40 yuan
Dancing dolphins
Dolphins jumping from the water to touch a ball, swaying their bodies to music, kissing people and solving math by tapping their tails have made the dolphinarium in Peace Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform.
Hours: 10:30 am, 4:00 pm, and 7:30 pm
Admission: 20 yuan for adults and 10 yuan for children. | high19425.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Tube Exits"
},
"options": [
"iShoot",
"Tube Exits",
"iSteam",
"iPod"
],
"question": "Those who want to save time to reach where they go can download _ to their iPhones.",
"question_type": "cloze_question... | Many cities have subways and underground public transportation to take locals and tourists alike rapidly around the city.However, there's something different about riding a London subway.It may not look different, but the historical value of one of England's most popular forms of transportation is enough to make riding the subway a must when visiting London.With a little under 300 different stations, the subway can take you almost anywhere you need to go.
Riding a London subway, a person from other countries will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other.In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times.That's not rudeness --people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet thinking.Nor are they reading a book.New technology has replaced quiet habits.Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters .Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000--yes, that's 40,000 " _ " have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers.One "app", called iShoot, is a game that features tanks.Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination.iSteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone.You can then write in the "steam" on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction of choice.It's not just teenagers who "plug in" to their music-iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV shows or films on the way to work.With all these distractions, it's amazing that people still remember to get off the train. | high4251.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to warn readers that some sales are not bargains"
},
"options": [
"to show that there are no real bargains",
"to warn readers that some sales are not bargains",
"to sell a certain product",
"to warn readers not to spend... | Few people find it easy to refuse a bargain (a product sold at lower price). But bargains are not always what they seem. Some sales and bargains are good deals, but not all are. Here are some pointers to help you tell the difference between real bargains and bad deals.
Sometimes a product is on sale for "below producer's cost". Watch out for this kind of "bargain". Why would anyone want to sell a product for less than it cost to make it? Before buying, you should find out why it is being sold at a loss to the producer. Is it damaged? Is it out of style? Does it come with any guarantee ?
Another pointer is to read price tags on sale items carefully. For example, a price tag in a store may say " regular price $16". The regular price is the price of the item before the sales started and after the sale ends. The regular price is only for that store, however. In another store, the price could be lower.
A price tag may also say "original price $ 16". That means at one time the item sold for $16 ------even as much as five years earlier! For example, the original price of pocket calculators was high when they were introduced. Now the price is much lower. Showing the original price would be misleading.
Finally, be careful how you use cents-off coupons . A coupon can save you money only if you intend to use the item. The price of an item may not be the same at different stores. So use the coupon at the store with the lowest price. Don't forget to add any sales tax to the item before you figure out the "cents-off' price. | high16716.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "why the national military park is important"
},
"options": [
"how to march like real soldiers",
"how to make fake guns",
"why the national military park is important",
"what the area will be like in the future"
],
... | There's nothing like experiencing history to understand it.So instead of reading about the U.S.Civil War in textbooks,some schoolchildren in Virginia are creating videos related to the conflict,in which the northern Union and southern Confederate states fought over several issues,including slavery,from l861--1865.
In one scene, children act as two Union generals, meeting at the Kaploan Klver in central Virginia.The l2-and l3-year-olds are producing a mini--video on the key role temporary pontoon bridges played during the war.After building and crossing a pontoon bridge,Union soldiers defeated a Confederate army in the Battle of the Wilderness.
In another scene,students act as soldiers who are marching to the river with guns.Today,the area is part of a national military park.Park Educational Coordinator Peter Maugle shows the children how to hold the fake guns."Hopefully they will understand why these places are important through projects and programs like this,and they will make an effort to keep these places preserved for future generations,''he said.
Another background is a plantation where much of the Battle of the Wilderness was fought. At this location,another group of children is focusing on the diary of a woman who lived in the region during the war.Student director John Ashley says the experience has made him think more about the human aspect of the war.Filmmaker Ghil Hong donated his time to help the students, who have understood it quickly."They are trying to convey the emotions during the Civil War.They really focus on wanting the story to be accurate,''Hong added.
With help from advisors,the children also research,write,and edit the videos.Alexis Albert got a chance to try out directing and learned a lot about Civil War history in the process. "It helps me more as a student understand it more than reading a book and looking at words,"he said.
The project is sponsored by the Journey Through Hallowed Ground,which raises awareness of historical sites from Pennsylvania to Virginia, including many Civil War battlegrounds. | high17408.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "diaphragm movement"
},
"options": [
"heart stop",
"diaphragm movement",
"lung burst",
"jaw dislocation"
],
"question": "Laughing too much may cause the following harmful results EXCEPT _ .",
"question_type... | Next time you hear a funny joke you'd better not laugh too hard. According to a paper published by the British Medical Journal, laughter isn't always the best medicine. Sometimes it can even be harmful. Professor Robin Ferner from the University of Birmingham, one of the authors of the study, found that bad things could happen to people who laughed too much. He says: "We found people with heartbeat problems which had stopped their heart, we found people who had fainted, and we found people who'd dislocated their jaws or burst their lungs."
It seems that laughing can be no laughing matter. But it's not all _ . Professor Ferner says there are benefits to laughing when you want to lose weight, for example. Yes, that's right: laugh and be slimmer! Professor Ferner explains that: "You use energy when you laugh, you move your diaphragm , you expand your lungs, and both those things can be helpful."
According to the research, laughing for a quarter of an hour can burn up to 40 calories, and if you laughed all day you'd use up about 2,000 calories, which is what most people consume in a day. But don't do that or you might end up with a painful jaw. Ouch! Or you might find people looking at you in a funny way.
But I don't want to finish this article leaving you feeling desperate. Laughter comes naturally for most of us. Babies begin to laugh at around 3-6 months. So give in to your sense of humour and keep smiling. Life is short anyway. | high10367.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are characters in \nAlice in Lace"
},
"options": [
"turn out to be the author's classmates",
"are characters in \nAlice in Lace",
"get along quite well",
"become dismissed from school"
],
"question": "We can inf... | When I first saw the bookAlice in Lace, I thought I was going to like it. And as it turned out, I love it! I love books about life and being a kid. And Alice in Laceis just that kind. It's a humorous book about being thirteen and the problems kids might face. Alice and her friends get a strange assignment from their totally cool teacher, Mr. Everett. It was like playing the game of "Life," but you had to act it out.
So Pamela is pregnant, Elizabeth buys a car and Alice gets married. Well, of course, Pamela wasn't really pregnant, but she walked around with a pillow under her shirt to get people's reactions. Elizabeth didn't really buy a car, but she went to the car lot and made the sales guy think she was. The whole class got assignments like these! I would love to do something like that for school.
In the book Alice has a lot to think about. "Getting married is hard!" Alice says. She has to plan the ceremony, the honeymoon, find a place to live, pay for furniture and two months' rent and food. Maybe she and her "husband" could work it out -- if they were getting on fine!
Although this book was funny, it really made me think about how problems like these could really mess up your life. Take teenage pregnancy for example. How could you have a baby and stay in school? You couldn't find a babysitter every day to stay with your kid. A child really consumes your life. I understand what the teacher was trying to do. He was trying to discourage the class from getting into these problems by giving them a glimpse of life. As someone about to become a teenager myself, I can say sometimes a story makes you think about what's up ahead.
Overall, I would say this book is wonderful. My favorite part of the book is discovering that if I like it, there are seven other Alice books I can check out at my local library. I love this book, and I hope you will too. | high2620.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "play in the Major League"
},
"options": [
"play baseball",
"play in the Major League",
"play football and basketball",
"watch Major League games"
],
"question": "Before Jackie Robinson, no African-American playe... | When Jackie Robinson walked onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York, on April 15, 1947, he changed baseball forever. As the first African American to play in the Major League in modern times, many believe he changed the country forever.
Robinson was born in 1919. He lived in a time when rules controlled what African Americans could do. He was a top athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball. But playing for a major League team was off limits to Robinson because of his race.
Branch Rickey, president and manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed (......) Robinson in 1947. He believed that Robinson not only had the skills, but the courage to face the challenge of becoming modern baseball's first black player.
It wasn't easy. Robinson sometimes faced boos from fans. But he became a star, anyway. In 1962, he became the first African-American player chosen to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2005, he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award Congress can give to an American.
By breaking baseball's color barrier , Robinson opened the door for many to follow his footsteps, not only in baseball, but in other areas of life as well. After he stopped playing the game, Robinson worked as a manager for a coffee company. He wrote a newspaper column . He also started a bank. | high7980.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Four"
},
"options": [
"Two",
"Three",
"Four",
"Five"
],
"question": "According to the article, how many aspects should a pet owner pay attention to?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answe... | The new year has begun and some people may be looking to 2015 as the year they get a dog. A furry friend will bring a lot of fun and companionship to your family -- especially for urban residents who always feel lonely living in the fast-paced society. But looking after a pet does require some responsibility from the pet owner if you want your new friend to be healthy and happy in your family.
The following is a checklist for people who are considering adopting an animal.
Where to find a dog
There are hundreds of pet shops in Shanghai, big and small, where you can find puppies at a cost ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands of yuan. The pet shop will tell you some basic facts about dogs of a specific breed. But don't forget to ask about the vaccination status if you are buying a puppy, which needs three injections with an interval of three to four weeks between shots.
Another option is to ask your friends if they know anyone with a dog that has recently had puppies. This option is more reliable than buying a puppy from someone you don't know, especially the street peddlers who might carry animals with diseases.
Another highly recommended option is to adopt one from an NGO dedicated to providing shelter and protecting stray animals. This is quite practical if you don't care about the dog's breed.
Vaccination
As a pet owner, there are some things you must do otherwise you may get into big trouble, and one of these is getting your dog vaccinated.
Dogs need regular shots to fight against canine parvovirus , rabies and other diseases or viruses.
To ensure the vaccines are not substandard, we strongly recommend you get your furry friend a shot from a qualified _ , which may cost a few hundred yuan each year.
Another advantage of using the vet as opposed to getting your dog vaccinated yourself, is that the vet will examine its condition to see whether it is suitable to get a shot now and take immediate action if it has an allergic reaction to the vaccine.
Because you are advised not to give your animal a bath for one week following its vaccination, you should clean your animal one or two days before the shot if you don't want your dog to get too dirty.
Parasite protection
As a pet owner, you need to be prepared to get rid of fleas , heartworm , roundworm , intestinal worms and other parasites from your dog.
Dogs need regular flea and tick control and parasite protection, even if it does not show symptoms of being affected by the parasite. An adult dog needs to be fed with a tablet every six months to make sure it does not have any parasite.
You also need to take measures every three months to help expel fleas and ticks from your animal. You need to learn the signs of a flea bite: they may immediately cause a dog to feel extremely itchy. Within 30 minutes of a bite, they may develop a red bump. Secondary infections caused by scratching are also common.
Dog training
No dog is born with good manners. Pooping on the carpet, leaping enthusiastically onto guests, pulling so hard that it practically yanks your arm out of the socket when on walks -- that's all perfectly acceptable in the canine world. It's up to you to teach your dog to behave the way humans want it to.
Despite the adage(;) about old dogs and new tricks, there are no age limits to teaching dogs. And whether you've got a brand-new puppy or an older dog, the first step is the same: learn how to be a good teacher.
Every dog is different and will respond better to a slightly different training style, but these general guidelines apply: stay consistent and patient, and reward your dog for getting it right. | high9775.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Javier faced a number of challenges that put him at some risks."
},
"options": [
"Javier established good relationship with the author and his team.",
"Javier faced a number of challenges that put him at some risks.",
"Javier... | Last August, I traveled with a group of volunteers to Tres de Mayo, a small community near Tela, Honduras to help renovate a community centre. During my stay there, I learned many things and I also had plenty of opportunity to interact and work with local children, and I often could not help but think about the hardships they faced day to day, all factors considered to place children at-risk for problems later in life.
One young boy in particular, Javier, 16, stood out for me. Javier's father had left a year earlier for the U. S., and the family had not heard from him since. This put his mother in a difficult position, stay in Tres de Mayo with no job and no source of income. In the end she decided to move to another province to find work. Javier with his little brother had to stay to live with their grandfather in a small house. Many of the children we met in Tres de Mayo were in similar situations.
As our last day approached, I remember the look in Javier's eyes, as they welled up with tears when we told him we were leaving. One of the volunteers held him close, but it did little to _ him. He had already experienced so much loss, his father abandoning him, his mother leaving to find work, and it was hard to realize that our departure was adding to the list.
As I looked beyond Javier, I could see the many men and women whom Javier looked up to, depended on, and gathered strength from. I did know that without parents to raise him, he was not left alone. Instead, the adults in the community took responsibility for the care of their collective young. | high14101.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they consider the food free of pollution"
},
"options": [
"they are getting richer",
"they can get the food anywhere",
"they like home-grown fruit",
"they consider the food free of pollution"
],
"question": "Mor... | LONDON(Reuters)--Organic fruit, delivered right to the doorstep.That is what Gabriel Gold prefers, and he is willing to pay for it.If this is not possible, the 26-year-old computer technician will spend the extra money at the supermarket to buy organic food.
"Organic produce is always better," Gold said."The food is free of pesticides , and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms.And more often than not it is locally grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty." Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into _ , and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business.But how many shoppers really know what they are getting, and why are they willing to pay a higher price for organic produce? Market research shows that Gold and others who buy organic food can generally give clear reasons for their preferences--but their knowledge of organic food is far from complete.For example, small amounts of pesticides can be used on organic products.And about three quarters of organic food in Britain is not local but imported to meet growing demand."The demand for organic food is increasing by about one third every year, so it is a very fast-growing market," said Sue Flock, a specialist in this line of business. | high6446.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He will reply to it by the means of being a stranger to the town."
},
"options": [
"He will direct the right way to the person willingly.",
"He will reply to it by the means of being a stranger to the town.",
"He will give th... | Some people are lucky enough to be born with a good sense of direction and even if they have only visited a place once, they will be able to find it again years later.
I am one of those unfortunate people who have poor sense of direction and I may have visited a place time after time but I still get lost on my way there. When I was young I was so shy that I never dared ask complete strangers the way and so I used to wander round in circles and hope that by some chance I would get to the spot I was heading for.
I am no longer too shy to ask people for direction, but I often receive replies that puzzle me. Often people do not like to admit that they didn't know their hometown and will insist on telling you the way, even if they do not know it; others, who are anxious to prove that they know their hometown very well, will give you a long list of directions which you can not possibly hope to remember, and still others do not seem to be able to tell between their left and their right and you find in the end that you are going in the opposite direction to that in which you should be going.
If anyone ever asks me the way to somewhere, I always tell them I am a stranger to the town in order to avoid giving them wrong direction but even this can have embarrassing results.
Once I was on my way to work when I was stopped by a man who asked me if I would direct him the way to the Sunlight Building. I gave my usual reply, but I had not walked on a few steps when I realized that he had asked for directions to my office building. However, at this point, I decide it was too late to turn back and search for him out of the crowd behind me as I was going to meet with someone at the office and I did not want to keep him waiting.
Imagine my embarrassment when my secretary showed in the very man who had asked for directions of my office and his astonishment when he recognized me as the person he had asked. | high25.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Raffles Place."
},
"options": [
"Raffles Place.",
"Selector Airbase.",
"Piccadilly Circus.",
"Paya Lebar Crescent."
],
"question": "Which of the following places is named after a person?",
"question_type": n... | Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits _ and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.
Many roads and places in Singapore are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries --in both the West and the East.
Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus --obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.
Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, "Base Basah" means "wet rice" in Malay . Now why would anyone want to name a road "Wet Rice Road"? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.
A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is "Circular Road" for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like "Paya Lebar Crescent". This road is called a crescent because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again. | high865.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a webpage"
},
"options": [
"magazine",
"a webpage",
"text book",
"TV programme"
],
"question": "This passage is probably take from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"... | Chinese Ancient Science & Inventions
Chinese Inventions--Can You Name Them?
The Invention of Paper and find out everything about paper-making at The Rober C.Williams American Museum of Papermaking.
The Art of Printing(Matteo Ricci)
The Origin of Chinese Books and Printing
Chinese bookmaking an ancient craft
Paper,a contribution to human progress
The History of Chinese Mathematics
Chinese Ancient Science & Technology
Chinese Ancient Agriculture
The Coins of Ancient China
Chinese Agriculture
The Coins of Ancient China
Chinese Agriculture
Invented in China?
The History of Calculating(abacus)
Return of the Dragon:Hazards of Man-Made Magnetism(a discussion)
Chinese Ancient & Modern Think-tanks
Kong Fu Zi--Confucius(James A.A.Tucker)
The Philosopher Confucius (551~479 B.C.)
The Analects--Confucius (English text)
The Great Learning--Confucius (English text)
The Doctrine of the Mean--Confucius (English text)
Mencius--Meng Zi and some text (GB)
Mao Zedong--A Great Man in China History
Man of the Year--Teng Hsiao-ping (Times)
The Tao Te Ching--Lao Tzu (Translated by S.Mitchell)
XUN KUANG (Xunzi--25 B C)
Han Fei
Welcome to Taoist Resource Center A Complete Guide to Taoism and its many applications.
ASIAWEEK--MAO NOW--The Great Helmsman led China into some of the most monumental disasters of the modern era.Now,20 years after his death,Mao Zedong's star is shining asbrightly as ever.How can it be so?
Chairman Mao's Poems--In Chinese (GIF).
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen--The founding father of Republic of China.
Mao Zedong--An unofficial site which collects quotations of Mao and some articles on Mao.(CHINESE GB) (CHINESE PS)
Mao Zedong--A Great Man in China History--Internet resources on Mao & his era.
Sun Yat-Sen:Fundamentals of National Reconstruction--"This book is Sun Yat-sen's most important political statement.It enunciates his famous three principles whereby he set China on the road to modernity."
DENG Xiaoping--Deng Xiaoping leads a far-reaching,audacious but Risky Second Revolution.(Man of the Year 1985,Time Magazine)(in English)
...For more information Click the Underlined. | high7758.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Birthday present offers new direction in life"
},
"options": [
"Birthday present offers new direction in life",
"How I become a rock star",
"The guitar for my birthday",
"My writing work"
],
"question": "What's ... | I got a guitar for my birthday, and since then I have been struggling. It's kind of sad. To be honest, it is surprising how many problems are caused by such little things in the life of a teenage . It has awakened another side of myself within me. And it couldn't have happened at a worse time.
I'm a senior. I'm going to graduate soon and I know what college I'm going to. And now I have to deal with the little voice in my head constantly reminding me that I'm going to be a rock star., not a scientist. So you can see my problem. A few weeks ago I was given the seemingly simple task of writing a short story. No specifics, no strict rules on organization. Just write. So I sat down to create a beautiful work of fiction that would surprise my teacher and classmates. To be honest, this is an area I generally feel very strong in. Writing , that is. I really enjoy it and such writing tasks used to take the least amount of time. So I was trying to write my story, and across the room lies my beautiful birthday present.
"Once upon a time," I wrote. Then I stopped, turned in my chair, and stared for a moment at the instrument. And then my reflection started dancing and singing. I wasn't moving, but it sure was..
So I grabbed my guitar and plucked a string . The note sang out pure and heavenly, and there was no stopping what was coming. I sat rocking with my guitar until late into the night. I was sure I was preparing for the future much more efficiently now that I wasn't spending time writing stories.
Needless to say, no story was written, and many doubts arose in my mind. Since then, I have constantly asked, "Am I normal for not wanting to do my work anymore?" More importantly, though, I learned I am really going to be a rock star. | high23975.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They don't know their personal data enriches Facebook."
},
"options": [
"They are reluctant to give up their personal information.",
"They don't know their personal data enriches Facebook.",
"They don't identify themselves wh... | Have you ever used Facebook? Many people are being lured onto it with the promise of a fun,free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up large amounts of personal information.Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.
Most Facebook users don't realize this is happening.Even if they know what the company is up to,they still have no idea what they're paying for Facebook because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.
The biggest problem,however,is that the company keeps changing the rules.Early on,you keep everything private.That was the great thing about Facebook -- you could create your own little private network.Last year,the company changed its privacy rules so that many things -- your city,your photo,your friends' names--were set,by default to be shared with everyone on the Internet.
According to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage,the company is simply making changes to improve its service,and if people don't share information,they have a "less satisfying experience".
Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money.Its original business model,which involved selling ads and putting them at the side of the page,totally failed.Who wants to look at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?
The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington.In April,Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy.He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites."I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them," Schrage admits.
I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy is only the beginning,which is why I'm considering deactivating my account.Facebook is a handy site,but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't know.That's too high a price to pay. | high12570.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "are trying to settle the problem of air pollution"
},
"options": [
"are keeping practicing for health",
"have no cars of their own",
"are complaining there are not enough buses",
"are trying to settle the problem of air... | In a great many cities, hundreds of people ride bicycles to work every day. In New York City, some bike riders have even formed a group called Bike for a Better City. They declare that if more people rode bicycles to work, there would be fewer automobiles in the downtown part of the city and so less dirty air from car engines.
For several years this group has been trying to get the city government to help bicycle riders. For example. They want the city to draw special lanes for bicycles only on some of the main streets, because when bicycle riders must use the same lanes as cars, there are accidents. Bike for a Better City feels that if there were special lanes, more people would use bikes.
But no bicycle lanes have been drawn. Not everyone thinks it is a good idea-they say it will slow the traffic. Some store owners on the main streets don't like the idea-they say that if there is less traffic, they will have less business.
The city government has not yet decided what to do. It wants to keep everyone happy. On weekends, Central Park-the largest place of open ground in New York-is closed to cars, and the roads may be used by bicycles only. But Bike for a Better City says that this is not enough and keeps fighting to get bicycle lanes downtown. | high3516.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the importance of facing failures"
},
"options": [
"the reasons why people fail",
"how to fail",
"the ways to prevent failures",
"the importance of facing failures"
],
"question": "This passage mainly tells us a... | Why are so many people so afraid of failure? Quite simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes an experience that will lead to growth. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.
Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child's hurriedly-made table as "perfect"! Even though it couldn't stand on uneven (not same in height) legs. Another way is to shift blame. If John fails in science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.
The trouble with failure-prevention methods is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, that no one can win all the time and that it's possible to enjoy a game even when you don't win. A child who's not invited to a birthday party, who doesn't make the honor roll or the baseball team feel terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick comfort prize or say "It doesn't matter" because it does. The young should be allowed to experience disappointment and be helped to master it.
Failure is never pleasurable. It hurts grown-ups and children exactly alike. But it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it. Step one is to ask "Why did I fail?" Control the natural impulse to blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong, and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don't be shy about asking them. | high21192.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because Radel wanted to create two groups of testers, hungry and non-hungry."
},
"options": [
"Because hungry people needed time to fill their stomach.",
"Because Radel wanted to create two groups of testers, hungry and non-hungry.... | Our senses aren't just delivering a strict view of what's going on in the world; they're affected by what's going on in our heads. A new study finds that hungry people see food-related words more clearly than people who've just eaten.
Psychologists have known for decades that what's going on inside our head affects our senses. For example, poorer children think coins are larger than they are, and hungry people think pictures of food are brighter. Remi Radel of University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, France, wanted to investigate how this happens.
Does it happen right away as the brain receives signals from the eyes or a little later as the brain's high-1evel thinking processes get involved. Radel recruited 42 students with a normal body mass index. On the day of his or her test, each student was told to arrive at the lab at noon after three or four hours of not eating. Then they were told there was a delay. Some were told to come back in 10 minutes; others were given an hour to get lunch first. So half the students were hungry when they did the experiment and the other half had just eaten.
For the experiment, the participant looked at a computer screen. One by one, 80 words flashed on the screen for about l/300th of a second each. They flashed at so small a size that the students could only consciously perceive. A quarter of the words were food-related. After each word, each person was asked how bright the word was and asked to choose which of two words they'd seen-a food-related word like cake or a neutral word like boat. Each word appeared too briefly for the participant to really read it.
Hungry people saw the food-related words as brighter and were better at identifying food- related words. Because the word appeared too quickly for them to be reliably seen, this means that the difference is in perception, not in thinking processes, Radel says. "This is something great to me. Humans can really perceive what they need or what they strive for. From the experiment, I know that our brain can really be at the disposal of our motives and needs. "Radel says. | high4279.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Angry."
},
"options": [
"Angry.",
"Sympathetic.",
"Happy.",
"Positive."
],
"question": "What is the writer's attitude towards the Gazette?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index... | Dear Editor:
I have been reading your newspaper, the Hometown Gazette, for the past two years, ever since I moved to Smithville because of my work. We moved here from New York City, so I am used to reading excellent newspapers such as the Washington Post and the New York Times. In fact, we still have the Times delivered on Sundays. All the members of my family enjoy reading the recipes in the magazine, as well as the Styles section. My children are crazy about their sports section.
The Times is great, but the Gazette is another story. I've never read an article that doesn't contain at least three or four spelling or grammatical errors. For example, in last week's issue, you misspelled the word "secretary", used a singular verb with a plural noun, and used "it's" as a possessive . And that was just in the lead story! In case you never went to elementary school, "it's" means "it is". It's not a possessive pronoun! In another case, the re-port you gave on an event was completely different from other newspapers. I didn't know what the reason was.
It's a pity that this city, Smithville, Wisconsin, has only one newspaper, because I'd like to have an alternative to the newspaper you publish. I find it hard to believe your news stories. If you can't spell correctly, how can you get your facts right?
I've been meaning to get this off my chest for some time. Please cancel my subscription . And buy your-self a dictionary.
Sincerely, Jane Z. Jones | high18713.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A man wanted to speak to him"
},
"options": [
"A beggar stopped him",
"A robber stopped him",
"A man wanted to speak to him",
"A man wanted to have words with him"
],
"question": "What happened to Edison when he... | One day when the famous American scientist Edison was on his way home, a young man stopped him and required to have a word with him. Edison accepted his request.
The young man asked, "How can you invent so many things and achieve your fame?"
The scientist said, "It seems that you have been thinking of becoming famous every day." The young man nodded, "Yes. I have been dreaming of being a person as notable as you. Every minute I am thinking of how to become reputable. I don't know when I can achieve my fame (,)."
Edison told him, "Don't worry, young man. If you want to be a famous man this way, you will have to wait until you die!"
"Why should I?" the young man was puzzled.
Edison said, "What you dream is actually a high building. You never think of how to build it with bricks . Thus the building will never come into reality . However, your story can serve as a mirror. People will remember you because of your illness and laziness. They will often speak of your name while they give warnings to their children. Aren't you a notorious person by then?" | high2608.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "she is a great young rock climber"
},
"options": [
"she is a great young rock climber",
"she can always find climbing holds that don't exist",
"she doesn't look like an athlete at all",
"she is the first female climber ... | Veteran rock climbers are calling her one of the most promising climbers in the world. She flies up, grasping the rock and heading gracefully for practically non-existent holds. She's only 14. Ashima Shiraishi, the New York-born teen, has shaken up the climbing world. At 1.55 meters and 45 kilograms, Ashima might not look like the groundbreaking athlete. But she could be, though still young, the first female climber whose accomplishments go beyond gender.
The evidence: At just 14, Ashima has already made history in the sport. She won the American National Youth Bouldering Championship every year from 2010 to 2014. And last March, the young climber completed the "Open Your Mind Direct" course in Spain. It's a very big deal because the course, with a hold broken off near the top, is widely considered one of the hardest in the world. Only one woman and a small number of men have ever conquered it. She first learned to climb on rocks in Central Park when she was only six. Her father, who works as a dancer, is her coach. At age nine, Ashima went on a bouldering trip to Texas. Falling brought tears to her eyes, but she didn't give up. Now, she finds she "couldn't live without climbing."
For the past six years, Ashima has been a climbing legend. Her love for the sport has taken her around the world. There have been articles and photo spreads in newspapers and sports magazines, films, countless online video clips, and an appearance on Time Magazine's list of America's most influential teenagers.
"I think people are shocked if I do something they can't do or because I'm still very young and I'm a girl," Ashima says. "In most sports, men lead the way. But with climbing, who knows, maybe women will be leading. Doing something that a guy can't do is pretty special." | high13646.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "became a star of Cruzeriro Belo Horizonte in 1992"
},
"options": [
"comes from a rich family",
"began to play soccer at 14",
"won a total of 58 goals at 14",
"became a star of Cruzeriro Belo Horizonte in 1992"
],
... | Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima was born on 22 September 1976 in a poor suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Like most of his childhood friends, Ronaldo began his soccer career playing barefoot in the streets of his neighborhood. At the age of 14, he joined SCristovo soccer club and only two years later became the star of Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte scoring a total of 58 goals in 60 matches and earning himself a reputation for his explosive pace and outstanding finishing skills. His goal-scoring record and unusual _ led him to be included in the Brazilian World Cup winning team the following year. After the World Cup, many top European football clubs were trying to sign him. Many people, including Brazilian football legend Pele, referred to him as the most promising footballer of his generation.
Since his transfer to Dutch team PSV Eindhoven, Ronaldo's biography is one of success after success. Two Copa America s, a UEFA Cup, a Dutch Cup, a Spanish League Cup, and two awards as best player in the world, all in the space of two years, are some of Ronaldo s impressive achievements. On arrival to Inter-Milan in 1997, Ronaldo became the idol of the local fans who refer to him as "il Fenomeno."
Since the 98 World Cup he has suffered two serious knee injuries that have severely limited his appearances. Just when people began to wonder whether Ronaldo would be able to continue with his football career, he proved to the world that he still could play. In the World Cup held in Korea and Japan, the magical striker won the Golden Shoe award and tied Pele's Brazilian record for career World Cup goals with 12. He helped Brazil capture its fifth World Cup championship on June 30 with a 2-0 win over Germany. It was the third time that Ronaldo has ever played in the World Cup. | high695.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It won't function if you are negative about medicine."
},
"options": [
"It contains some sort of medicine.",
"It won't function if you are negative about medicine.",
"People who don't believe placebo can't be healed by it.",
... | When you go to the doctor, you like to come away with a prescription.It makes you feel better to know you will get some medicine.But the doctor knows that medicine is not always needed.Sometimes all a sick person needs is some reassurance that all will be well.In such cases the doctor may prescribe a placebo.
A placebo is a sugar pill,a harmless shot,or ail empty capsule.Even though they have no medicine in them , these things seem to make people well.The patient thinks it is medicine and begins to get better.How does this happen?
The study of the placebo opens up new knowledge about the way the human body can heal itself.It is as if there was a doctor in each of us.The doctor will heal the body for us if we let it.But it is not yet known just how the placebo works to heal the body.Some people say it works because the human mind fools itself.These people say that if the mind is fooled into thinking it got medicine,then it will act as if it did,and the body will feel better.
Placebos do not always work.The success of this treatment seems to rest a lot with the relationship between the patient and the doctor.If the patient has a lot of trust in the doctor and if the doctor really wants to help the patient,then the placebo is more likely to work.So in a way, the doctor is the most powerful placebo of all.
A placebo can also have bad effects.If patients expect a bad reaction to medicine,then they will also show a bad reaction to the placebo.This would seem to show that a lot of how you react to medicine is in your mind rather than in your body.Some doctors still think that if the placebo can have bad effects it should never be used.They think there is still not enough known about _ .
The strange power of the placebo does seem to suggest that the human mind is stronger than we think it is.There are people who say you can heal your body by using your mind.And the interesting thing is that even people who swear this is not possible have been healed by a placebo. | high14129.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Heart doctors won't call your house so long as you keep eating fish each day."
},
"options": [
"The Dutch research has proved that eating fish can help to prevent heart disease.",
"There is a low incidence of heart disease in count... | A small piece of fish each day may keep the heart doctor away. That's the finding of an extensive study of Dutch men in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce of salt water fish per day than those who never ate fish.
The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific backing to the long-held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart.
Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States , with more than 550, 000 deaths occurring from heart attacks each year . But researchers previously have noticed that the incidence of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do. There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption averages more than 3 ounces.
During the next two decades, 78 of the men died from heart disease. The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese or Eskimos. This relationship was true regardless of other factors such as age , high blood pressure , or blood cholesterol levels . | high23785.txt |
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