questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Dr.Snider is director of this nonprofit organization."
},
"options": [
"Dr.Snider is director of this nonprofit organization.",
"It is a commercial organization belonging to Yahoo Health.",
"It helps private schools to set he... | Good news for middle and high school students. When it comes to sleeping a little longer, physicians are on your side.
On Monday, the American Academy Pediatrics announced its recommendation that middle and high schools start at 8:30 a.m.or later. "Doing so will match school schedules to the biological sleep patterns of adolescents," the AAP writes in a press release regarding its new policy statement called "School Start Times for Adolescents" .
"Chronic sleep loss in adolescents is one of the most common public health issues in the U.S.today," according to Judith Owens, director of Sleep Medicine at Children's National Health System.
"The research is clear that adolescents who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and an overall better quality of life," Owens said in the press release. "Studies have shown that delaying early school start times is one key factor that can help adolescents get the sleep they need to grow and learn."
Even before the AAP's announcement, school districts across the country have been rethinking start times. Earlier this year The New York Times wrote about Dos Santos, a student at Rock Bridge High School. When Dos Santos learned that school officials were considering starting school 30 minutes earlier than the existing time, she became worried.The student gathered others to her cause. In the end, school officials decided against the earlier start time.
One of the organizations that Dos Santos reached out to for help was Start School Later, a nonprofit organization that focuses on getting public schools to set "healthy school hours."
"It's going to take collective action, perhaps on a national scale, to get many districts to take on this issue," Terra Ziporyn Snider, PhD, director and co-founder of Start School Later, told Yahoo Health.
"The science is clear, the will to change isn't," she explained. "The reason for that is that community life goes around school schedules, and any suggestion of change - earlier, later, whatever - brings powerful opposition from everyone who fears a change in routine." | high8443.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "You can make $ 3,200 in the academic year at least."
},
"options": [
"You can make $ 3,200 in the academic year at least.",
"You will get $ 6,000 scholarship a year.",
"You can take courses free of charge.",
"You may ge... | A program in our college helps you work part-time to ease your pressure from costs. If you need more money to cover all of your education-related costs, this program may be fit for you.
Advantages
Work experience: Last year, more than 1,400 positions were available across all departments. The jobs wary from one department to the next, and in most cases, participants find a position in their chosen field.
Money: During the regular academic year(September to April), you can work party-time and earn $3,200---sometimes more---while you take courses! During the summer time, you work full-time and can earn around $6,000 over 18 weeks.
Easy access: Applying for the program is easy. There is no need for face-to-face interview. All the forms you need are online; just fill in the forms and email us; we accept no letter or phone application!
Did you know?
At the University of Ottawa, it is not necessary to receive government assistance to qualify for our Work-Study Program. _
You could have one of these great Work-Study jobs:
*Student ambassador
*Computing and network technician
*Marketing assistant
*Sports team manager
*Researcher/translator/Writer
And more!
The admission Section receives and evaluates applications to undergraduate programs, in addition to answering applicants' questions.
Phone: 613-562-5315 Toll-free: 1-877-868-8292(#5315) | high12558.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they don't pay much attention to the birthdays of famous people."
},
"options": [
"they don't care about Confucius at all.",
"they consider their own national heroes more important.",
"he has become a bridge between foreigner... | If Confucius were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake,there would be a lot of candles.He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day,few people in the United States will give him a passing thought.It's nothing personal.Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius.In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades,the Chinese study programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities.More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries.These schools teach both Chinese language and culture.The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art,history and philosophy.Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the old Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy.Students in the United States,at the same time,are racing to learn Chinese.So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States.Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker,he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West,even if his birthday is. | high7016.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The spoken form of fairytale came earlier than the written form."
},
"options": [
"The fairytale first appeared as a written form.",
"The spoken form of fairytale came earlier than the written form.",
"The fairytale came from... | If you can see the magic in a fairytale, you can face the future." --Danielle Steel
Who have not read fairytales? We all have had the experience of reveling in the beauty and innocence of fairytales. May it be Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty... fairytale is a word which cannot be new to us. But have you ever traveled ages back to the earliest of times and uncovered the fascinating facts about these stories? Well, if not, then here are some mystical finds I discovered when I undertook this journey.
A fairytale or fairy story is a fictional tale that usually features folkloric characters (such as fairies, talking animals). A fairytale often stars transformed princes, princesses, animals, as in "fairytale ending" where the humble but heroic princes defeat the wicked enemies or as in "fairytale romance" where after much ado the beautiful princesses marry their Prince Charming.
One distinct feature of fairytales is that, they take place "once upon a time". The history of the fairytale is particularly difficult to trace. The oral tradition of the fairytale came long before the written page. The oldest known fairytales stem from ancient Egypt around 1,300 B.C and now, after traveling through various periods of time, they have grown and matured in various aspects and have become the most popular genre of stories for young children.
The most famous authors of fairytales are the Grimm Brothers whose works include Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and many more; The Grimm Brothers collected their tales from farmers and edited them to suit their audience.
But whatever may the form be, fairytales are after all fairytales! G. K. Chesterton said, "Fairytales do not tell children the dragons exist; they tell the dragons can be killed." This quote has great weight. Every child believes in fairies, dragons, etc. They do not need fairytales to tell them that. Instead fairytales tell that good always succeed over evil. So fairytales are necessary for young minds.
Fairytales are narrated to children when they are young. This is very essential indeed, for if in the beginning of our lives our minds are touched by the beauty, innocence and the morals in these tales, we will be able to trace the optimistic side of happenings. The fairies are like our wildest dreams, which seem unreachable but we can make them plausible . | high8325.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "why we smile when we see someone else smile"
},
"options": [
"why we cry when we are hurt",
"why we cough when we suffer from a cold",
"why we smile when we see someone else smile",
"why we yawn when we see someone else... | Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it's because we have mirror neurons in our brains.
Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains imitate it,whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further: mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions
they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.
Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to (for example: "The hand took hold of the ball"), the same mirror neurons were
as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball).
Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much research suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.
Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and interact .Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent for neuroscience of what Einstein's theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does---well, perhaps you'll understand why. | high15551.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Sign up with Plink."
},
"options": [
"Link a credit or debit card.",
"Make a purchase at CVS.",
"Open a bank account.",
"Sign up with Plink."
],
"question": "What is the first step to get the gift card?",
"q... | FREE $ 10 Gift Card with ANY Purchase at CVS
September 4, 2013 by Michelle
New Plink members are invited to join and make any purchase at CVS to get a $10 gift card from your choice at places like Amazon.com, Target, Walmart, Kohls, Starbucks and more!
Just sign up with Plink, then make your purchase. You'll receive 1,000 points in your Plink account --- enough to redeem for a $10 gift card!
* New Plink members only, one sign-up bonus per person.
*Plink Member must link a credit or debit card and make a purchase at CVS by Sunday, 9/15 11:59 EST.
* Purchase is necessary (after the member links a credit/ debit card to their Plink account) to qualify for the bonus 1,000 Plink Points by Sunday, 9/15 11:59 EST.
*Bonus 1,000 Plink Points will be awarded within 7 business days of the transaction posting date.
* CVS purchases that occur on 9/16 or later will not qualify the bonus.
I happen to love Plink because they make it easy to earn without doing anything extra! | high6308.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Mr.Wright's designs have been widely recognized"
},
"options": [
"Mr.Wright's designs are out of style today",
"Mr.Wright's designs have been widely recognized",
"Mr.Wright's designs on modern buildings and homes are a failur... | Frank Lloyd Wright is often called the father of American modern architecture.He designed buildings and homes across the United States for more than 70 years.He created most of his works from 1900 through the 1950s,but his open-living spaces and imaginative designs still appear very modern today.
Last week,the United States nominated 10 of his buildings for the UN Educational,Scientific,and Cultural Organization--or UNESCO--the World Heritage List.The World Heritage List recognizes the most,important cultural and natural sites worldwide.
The 10 buildings,titled."Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright,"were built between 1906 and 1969.They include several of his personal homes and studios,churches,government buildings,private residences,and one very famous museum--New York City's Guggenheim Museum.
The Solomon R.Guggenheim Museum is one of the most visited sites in New York City.About one million people visit it every year.Frank Lloyd Wright worked on it from 1943 to 1959.It was designed to create a new type of space for new types of art.The museum remains an international symbol of modern architecture that represents Wright's unique design.
Many of Mr.Wright's modern buildings and homes in the U.S.Midwest have also become symbols of modern American architecture.Richard Longstreth is the president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy.He calls Mr.Wrisht"the father of modern architecture,fundamentally redefining the nature of form and space during the early 20th century that would have enduring impacts of modern architecture worldwide."
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will announce its decision in mid-2016.If Frank Lloyd Wright's 10 buildings were chosen for the list,they would be the first World Heritage listings for modem U.S.architecture.The World Heritage List already includes 22 other American sites,including the Grand Canyon,Yellowstone National Park and the Statue of Liberty. | high13120.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Children with hearing impediments."
},
"options": [
"Children with learning disabilities.",
"Children with speech impairments.",
"Children with hearing impediments.",
"Children with normal hearing."
],
"question... | If you want to learn anything at school, you need to listen to your teachers. Unfortunately, millions of kids can't hear what their teachers are saying. And it's not because these students are _ . Often, it's the room's fault. Building architecture and building design can createecho -filled classrooms that make hearing difficult.
Children with hearingimpairments suffer most from noisy classrooms. They sometimes can't hear questions that other students ask in class. Compared with kids with healthy hearing, they have a harder time picking up new vocabulary words by hearing them in talking.
Even kids with normal hearing have a harder time in the classroom when there's too much noise. Younger children in particular have trouble separating important sounds - like a teacher's voice - from background noise. Kids with learning disabilities and speechimpediments and kids for whom English is a second language also have a harder time learning in noisy situations.
In recent years, scientists who study sound have been asking schools to reduce background noise, which may include loud air-conditioners and pipes. They're also targeting outdoor noises, such as highway traffic. Noise reduction is a big deal. Why? Because quieter classrooms might make you smarter by letting you hear your lessons better.
"It's so obvious that we should have quiet rooms that allow for access to the lesson," says Dan Ostergren, a hearing scientist. "Sometimes it surprises me that we spend so much time discussing this topic. I just want to go. Why is this hard for anyone to grasp?" | high1467.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Homes & Gardens and Mother & Baby"
},
"options": [
"TIME and Delicious",
"Delicious and Mother& Baby",
"TIME and ON THE WHEEL",
"Homes & Gardens and Mother & Baby"
],
"question": "Mrs Smith has a baby of only th... | Homes & Gardens
12mths: PS27.04
Established for over 80 years, Homes & Gardens has always been engaging and accessible. Delivering inspirational decorating through real-life stories and beautiful photography, it is the ultimate sourcebook of beautiful ideas and detailed information, and inspires its readers to become their own interior designers.
Delicious
12mths: PS29.99
Whether you are passionate about cooking and entertaining, or simply love food, Delicious is the magazine for you. Every month it's packed with mouth-watering recipes, including menus from Jamie Oliver, tasty mid-week suppers and children's meal ideas.
Mother & Baby
12mths: PS19.50
Mother & Baby is the UK's best selling parenting magazine, and is full of information on pregnancy, birth and caring for your baby. Mother & Baby has over 40 years of experience on advising mothers how to care for their babies and is a well loved and trusted brand.
TIME
12mths: PS34.99
TIME brings you the pick of the most interesting and relevant new stories, delivering accurate knowledge at all times on all topics, which allows you to anticipate trends. With more than 30 million eager readers every week, can you afford not to take TIME?
ON THE WHEEL
12mths: PS55.00
The perfect read for anyone interested in classic cars, as it has the best buying advice, road tests and features. Features on restorations, road tests, reader models, keep the car fan entertained every month. The classified section and buyers guide provide a rich source of valuable information on price and makes and models. | high17346.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Parents expect their children to become dragons and phoenixes"
},
"options": [
"Exam scores are not regarded to be valuable",
"Parents expect their children to become dragons and phoenixes",
"Dragons and phoenixes are part of... | China was to reform school curriculum to ease the burden put on children by pushy teachers and parents eager to see them succeed in an increasingly competitive society.
Chinese pupils were suffering from poor eyesight in increasing numbers and at a younger age. Tiring homework and increasing exam pressure were to blame. The primary reason is the traditional East Asian culture in which all parents want their kids to become dragons or and phoenixes. Too much emphasis is placed on "diplomas" and exam scores.
That was _ by the fact thatprefix = st1 /Chinais a developing nation with 1.3 billion people and its one-child policy. Yuan, a government staff, said, "The competition in employment is fierce and that pressure has been cascaded back to schools. Every parent expects his child to outperform peers. "
The Education Ministry would cut the difficulty of the textbooks, reduce homework, make classes more interesting and limit the number of tests. Another problem the government had to deal with was the education of 13 million rural children who swarmed into the cities with their parents working as migrant workers. More than 100 million peasants across the country migrate to the booming cities every year for manual labor and small-time businesses.
But policy hurdles for them to settle in the cities abound, including those that prevent their children from receiving a good education. An estimated 23 million "left-behind children" of migrant workers stay in the countryside
"The government has ordered urban public schools to open up to the 7. 88 million migrant children of school age," Yuan said, adding private schools are also allowed to accommodate some of them. | high18075.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It should not aim at a narrow audience."
},
"options": [
"It should not aim at a narrow audience.",
"It should be attractive to young readers.",
"It should be based on original ideas.",
"It should not include too much c... | "A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right" says Mollie Hunter. Born and brought up near Edinburgh,Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She firmly believes that there is and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market is. In Mollie's opinion it is necessary to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story,which is what every writer should be doing. "If you aren't telling a story, you're a very dead writer indeed." She says. With the chief function of a writer being to entertain,Mollie is indeed an entertainer. "I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language," she says. "This love goes back to early childhood. I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and,because my family always had dogs,and I was very good at handling them,I said I wanted to work with dogs,and the teacher always said 'Nonsense,Mollie;dear,you'll be a writer.' So finally I thought that this woman must have something,since she was a good teacher and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer."
This childhood intention is described in her novel,A Sound of Chariots,which although written in the third person is clearly autobiographical and gives a picture both of Mollie's ambition and her struggle towards its achievement. Thoughts of her childhood inevitably brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields--sadly now covered with modern houses. "I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I'll never go back,"she said "Never. When I set one of my books in Scotland" she said "I can recall my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields,or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that's important because children now know so much so early that romance can't exist for them, as it did for us." | high5601.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "designed like a Rubik's cube both in shape and size"
},
"options": [
"named after Manitoba and its shape",
"intended for international communication",
"designed like a Rubik's cube both in shape and size",
"challenged b... | In June, 2007, a group of students from eight high schools in Winnipeg, the capital of Canada's Manitoba province, will begin test-launching a satellite the size of a Rubik's cube.
The one-kilogram Win-Cub satellite, named for its home city and its shape, will be put into low orbit. Once in space, it can perform for a few months or up to several years, communicating information that could help find the signs of earthquakes.
There are 80 similar satellite projects worldwide, but this is the first high-school based program of its kind in Canada. 30 Manitoba high school students are having a hand in designing and building the satellite, in cooperation with aerospace experts and 10 students from the University of Manitoba, and with support from two other organizations.
The Win-Cube project is not something that goes on a piece of paper; it is real-world engineering, allowing high school students to have an opportunity to learn more about the exciting world of engineering through their participation in this challenging program. It is also taken as a wonderful example of the unique partnerships within Manitoba. Designing, building and launching a satellite with high-school participation will bring this world-class educational project into reality and Manitoba closer to space.
"These Manitoba high school students deserve congratulations for their enthusiasm, innovation , and a strong love for discovery," said Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjomson. "We want to make science more relevant, interesting and attractive to high school students by showing them how classroom studies can relate to practical experience in the workplace or, in this case, in space," Bjomson added.
The Win-Cube program is mainly aimed at inspiring a strong desire for discovery on the part of the students. It also shows Manitoba's devotion to research and innovation and the development of a skilled workforce -- all important drivers of knowledge-based economic growth. | high16058.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a state school"
},
"options": [
"a state school",
"a private school",
"a school in London",
"a school in Brighton"
],
"question": "According to the passage, more and more parents in Britain prefer to send their ... | The use of lotteries to allocate school places is to be reviewed by the British government because more than 20 percent of children are failing to get into their first-choice schools in parts of the country.
The struggle for secondary school places has reached record levels this year, increasing anxiety for hundreds of thousands of families. A report from 43 local authorities suggests that in many areas, up to a fifth of children face disappointment. Families in London are the hardest hit.
This week is admissions week, when about 570,000 families will receive notice about their child's secondary school acceptance. As the recession forces more parents to consider a state education rather than a private one for their children, more than a third of local authorities have noted rises in the number of applications for secondary school places.
This year, just 62 percent of children in Richmond-upon-Thames got into their parents' first-choice school, down from 64 percent last year. The council said this was caused by an increase in applications.
In another London authority, Tower Hamlet, 71.1 percent of children were admitted to their parents' first choice school. In Leeds and Warwickshire, 85 percent were successful. In Derby the figure was 81 percent, while in Wiltshire, Stockport and Lincolnshire, the figure was 89 percent.
In many authorities, the figures are similar to those of last year. Exceptions include Brighton and Hove, which introduced a lottery system to allocate oversubscribed places last year. This year, it has seen a 3.5 percent increase in the number of children obtaining their first choice, bringing the total to nearly 88 percent. However, more than 5 percent of children in this area have been allocated a place at a school that was not among any of their choices.
Lotteries are being used at the government's suggestion by a small number of oversubscribed schools in around twenty-five local authorities. They were meant to prevent middle-class parents from abusing the system by buying or renting homes close to the best schools. | high3270.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Make an apology"
},
"options": [
"Make an apology",
"Come over to stop her",
"Blame her own boy",
"Take her own boy away"
],
"question": "What did Stella Bianchi expect the young boy's mother to do when she talk... | It was a lovely day at the park and Stella Bianchi was enjoying the sunshine with her two children when a young boy, aged about four, approached her two-year-old son and pushed him to the ground.
"I'd watched him for a little while and my son was the fourth or fifth child he'd pushed," she says. "I went over to them, picked up my son, turned to the boy and said, firmly, 'No, we don't push.'" What happened next was unexpected.
"The boy's mother ran toward me from across the park," Stella says, "I thought she was coming over to apologize, but instead she started shouting at me for blaming her child. All I did was let him know his behavior was unacceptable. Was I supposed to sit back while her kid did whatever he wanted and hurt other children?"
Getting your own children to play nice is difficult enough. Dealing with other people's children has become a hidden danger.
In my house, jumping on the sofa is not allowed. In my sister's house it's encouraged. I find myself saying "no" a lot when her kids are over at mine. That's OK between sisters but becomes dangerous when you're talking to the children of friends or acquaintances.
"Kids aren't all raised the same," agrees Professor Naomi White of Monash University." But there is still an idea that they're the property of the parent. We see our children as a mirror of ourselves, so if you're saying that my child is behaving improperly, then that's somehow a criticism of me."
In those situations, it's difficult to know whether to approach the child directly or the parent first. There are two opinions.
"I'd go to the child first," says Andrew Fuller, author of Tricky Kids. "Usually a quiet reminder that 'we don't do that here' is enough. Kids have antennae for how to behave in different settings."
He points out bringing it up with the parent first may make them feel careless, which could cause problems. Of course, approaching the child first can bring its own headaches, too.
This is why White recommends that you approach the parents first. Raise your concerns with the parents and ask them to deal with it," she says.
Asked how to approach a parent in this situation, psychologist Meredith Fuller answers: "Explain your needs as well as stressing the importance of the friendship. Start with something like: 'I know you'll think I'm silly but in my house I don't want...'" | high11737.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "High academic scores are considered an important measure of education quality in South Korea."
},
"options": [
"High academic scores are considered an important measure of education quality in South Korea.",
"The memorization skill... | Focus on class
SOME US parents are sad that their high school children score badly in math , science and reading compared to kids in other countries.
There has been an endless series of mostly fruitless education reforms to address this gap ( ).
Now comes an approach based on the insights of a group of US exchange students. They spent a year in some of the most successful high schools in the world -in Finland, Poland and South Korea.
Author and journalist Amanda Ripley followed three exchange students for her new book, The Smartest Kids in the World - and How They Got That Way. She argues that to improve academics, US schools should de-emphasize sports.
Instead, students should bring their passion and intensity to academics , she concludes.
"High school in Finland, Korea and Poland had a purpose, just like high school football practice in America," she writes. "There was a big , important contest at the end, and the score counted."
Sports are a distraction ,Ripley argues, and most countries require them to take place outside of school.
Trading in US school sports culture would be a huge change for people in the US , who respect teamwork and sportsmanship as training for life.
But playing down sports could pay off, as it has elsewhere, if we redirect money , focus and glory to learning.
Ripley is critical of memorization in South Korean education, but she praises the system's high goals and the free-dom its students have to fail and recover through hard work.
Too often , we don't ask teachers to give our kids harder assignments -and we're quick to complain about a failing grade. What's working elsewhere is to set ambitious goals for kids ,and then allow them to discover that they have it within themselves to reclaim success from failure.
Each of the countries in Smartest Kids came to education reform after an economic crisis . Finland was losing jobs after graduating just 10 percent of its teens from high school in the 1950s. Today , the graduation rate is 95 percent . Poland's wakeup came in 1999, as students consistently tested below average in reading.
We've tried so many "reforms" in education. Maybe what we need is a truly radical shift away from sports in favor of schooling. | high17352.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because it made her bad mood even worse."
},
"options": [
"Because she could not tolerate the harm to it.",
"Because it made her bad mood even worse.",
"Because her son did not ask her for permission.",
"Because she wan... | My day began on a definitely sour note when I saw my six-year-old wrestling with a limb of my azalea bush. By the time I got outside, he'd broken it. "Can I take this to school today?" he asked. With a wave of my hand, I sent him off. I turned my back so he wouldn't see the tears gathering in my eyes.
The washing machine had leaked on my brand-new linoleum. If only my husband had just taken the time to fix it the night before when I asked him instead of playing checkers with Jonathan.
It was days like this that made me want to quit. I just wanted to drive up to the mountains, hide in a cave, and never come out.
Somehow I spent most of the day washing and drying clothes and thinking how love had disappeared from my life. As I finished hanging up the last of my husband's shirts, I looked at the clock. 2:30. I was late. Jonathan's class let out at 2:15 and I hurriedly drove to the school.
I was out of breath by the time I knocked on the teacher's door and peered through the glass. She rustled through the door and took me aside. "I want to talk to you about Jonathan," she said.
I prepared myself for the worst. Nothing would have surprised me. "Did you know Jonathan brought flowers to school today?" she asked. I nodded, thinking about my favorite bush and trying to hide the hurt in my eyes. "Let me tell you about yesterday," the teacher insisted. "See that little girl?" I watched the bright-eyed child laugh and point to a colorful picture taped to the wall. I nodded.
"Well, yesterday she was almost hysterical. Her mother and father are going through a nasty divorce. She told me she didn't want to live, she wished she could die. I watched that little girl bury her face in her hands and say loud enough for the class to hear, 'Nobody loves me.' I did all I could to comfort her, but it only seemed to make matters worse." "I thought you wanted to talk to me about Jonathan," I said.
"I do," she said, touching the sleeve of my blouse. "Today your son walked straight over to that child. I watched him hand her some pretty pink flowers and whisper, 'I love you.'"
I felt my heart swell with pride for what my son had done. I smiled at the teacher. "Thank you," I said, reaching for Jonathan's hand, "you've made my day."
Later that evening, I began pulling weeds from around my azalea bush. As my mind wandered back to the love Jonathan showed the little girl, a biblical verse came to me: "...these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." While my son had put love into practice, I had only felt anger.
I heard the familiar squeak of my husband's brakes as he pulled into the drive. I snapped a small limb bristling with hot pink azaleas off the bush. I felt the seed of love that God planted in my family beginning to bloom once again in me. My husband's eyes widened in surprise as I handed him the flowers. "I love you," I said. | high5615.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "can help people think clearly"
},
"options": [
"Can be found in every plant",
"can improve people's health",
"is contained only in coffee",
"can help people think clearly"
],
"question": "From the passage,we can... | Many people say they can not start their day without first having a cup of coffee or tea.People say these drinks help them think clearly and feel more awake.This is because of caffeine,a kind of matter found in some plants.Caffeine helps to give a jumpstart to the nervous system.Now a new report says it may also improve long-term memory.
Michael Yassa is a neurobiology professor at the University of California.He and other researchers wanted to know if caffeine could improve what they called memory consolidation.They asked a group of individuals to learn something new,then the same people were given caffeine,the active component in coffee,tea and chocolate.
He and the other researchers worked with a group of l60 people who were Caffeinefree.On the first day,all the subjects were shown pictures of everyday objects.They were asked to identify whether the pictures could be found inside the house or outdoors.Some of the subjects were then given a caffeine pill,the others were given a placebo--a pill containing an inactive thing.On the second day,all of the subjects were asked to look at more pictures.Some of the images were exactly like the ones they had seen 24 hours early.But other images were different.And a third group of pictures was similar to the first group but a little different.The participants had to decide whether the images they saw were the same or different from the ones on the first day.
Professor Yassa says their answers help to show the effects of caffeine on memory.He says those who took the caffeine pills had a ten to twelve percent increase in their ability to remember the objects.The amount of caffeine the researchers used in the study was similar to one strong cup of coffee.
Professor Yassa says pills with a little more caffene also increased memory,but resulted in some participants appearing more nervous. | high18061.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "his answer didn't show his knowledge of physics"
},
"options": [
"the teacher wasn't satisfied with him",
"his answer wasn't complete or correct",
"the teacher clicln\n5t fully understand his answer",
"his answer didn't... | One day, I received a call from a colleague. He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physical problem ,while the student claimed a perfect score. I was elected as their arbiter( ).I read the examination problem: "Show how it is possible to determine the height of a tall building with the aid of a barometer ." The student had answered: "Take the barometer to the top of the building,attach a long rope to it,lower it to the street,and then bring it up, measuring the length of the rope. The length of it is the height of the building. "
The student had really answered the question completely ,but the answer didn't confirm his competence in physics. I suggested the student try again. I gave him six minutes to answer the question, warning that the answer should show some knowledge of physics. Five minutes later, he said he had many answers and clashed off one, which read: "Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof. Drop the barometer, timing its fall with a stopwatch. Then, use the physical formula to calculate the height of the building. "
At this point, my colleague had to accept it, and then the student made almost full marks. I couldn't help asking the student what the other answers were. He listed many others ,and then added5"Probably the best is to take the barometer to the. administrator and said to him,' Sir, here is a fine barometer. If you tell me the height of the building, I will give it to you.,"
Then, I asked the student if he really did not know the conventional answer to this question. He admitted that he did ,but said that he was fed up with high school and college instructors trying to teach him how to think.
The name of the student was Bohr who later was famous all over ,the world. He won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922. | high3264.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "outside the center of Honolulu"
},
"options": [
"outside green Manoa valley",
"in the business area of Honolulu",
"outside the center of Honolulu",
"outside the city of Honolulu"
],
"question": "The University o... | Hello! The University of Hawaii is located just outside of downtown Honolulu in green Manoa valley. We invite you to visit and want to let you know about our learning programs, the richness of our culture, the beauty of our environment, the spirit of our students and teachers, advanced equipment and modern buildings. We look forward to seeing you come. The following information is given so that your visit will be as easy as possible.
You should get in touch with us ahead of time. You may directly contact the office of the College to schedule appointment service at 1-877-447-3233. To arrange a campus tour please hand in a request through our Online Campus Visit Request Form.
Tours are on weekdays:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
9:00a.m. -- 9:30a.m.: Meet with a University Representative
9:30a.m. -- 11:30a.m.: General Campus Tour with a UHM (The University of Hawaii at Manoa) student
Tuesday & Thursday
1:00p.m. -- 1:30p.m.: Meet with a University Representative
1:30p.m. -- 3:30p.m.: General Campus Tour with a UHM student
You also can get in touch with us by:
Phone Number: 1 (877) 447-3233, or 1 (808) 956-6524
E-mail: visituhm@hawaii.edu
How do you get to UHM?
It is in Honolulu less than 3 miles away from Waikiki and about 9 miles from Honolulu International Airport.
By car: From Waikiki and from Honolulu International Airport
Taxi: Taxi fare to UHM is about $25.00, except baggage charges and a tip of 10 to 15 percent.
Public bus: Luggage is allowed on city buses. Bus stops are on the second floor of the airport. A one-way fare is $2.00 (in exact change). | high11723.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Captain's Chair."
},
"options": [
"Torso Track.",
"Captain's Chair.",
"Ab-Doer.",
"Body Shaper-Q8SP."
],
"question": "Which of the following is the most effective in building abdominal muscles?",
"question_t... | We've all seen them: perfectly toned famous people on late-night television telling us that we too can develop rock-hard abdominal muscles . It's easy! Just pay $149.99 for the Torso Track or $149.75 for the Ad-Doer and watch those unwanted inches leave your waist. Americans spend tens of millions of dollars on various products to firm up their fat around the waist.
And did they work? Not necessarily. Independent studies have concluded that most of these products -- no matter who approved them or how expensive they are -- shape your midsection no better than old-fashioned stomach crunches . Some can even cause injury -- like the $518.99 Body Shaper-Q8SP, which left electrical burns on some researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Others, like the popular Ab-Doer, typically burn less energy than a gentle walk, according to a study to be published in September by the American Council on Exercise.
The fact is that many Americans don't have the biological makeup to develop an obvious abdominal muscles. They are either unable to get the necessary muscle mass or they can't lose enough fat to make a difference. Even if the underlying muscles are well developed, all it takes to hide it is one-sixteenth of an inch of fat. That's enough to exclude most healthy women as well as plenty of guys who do crunches every day.
So what works best? In its new study, the exercise experts researched on the results of the popular Ab-Doer. A lengthy TV advertisement promises that just 10 minutes a day performing such movements as "Body Boogies" and "Good Mornings" will "help form those muscles the fun and easy way without diets." Steven Loy, professor at California State University, Northridge, tested the promise by measuring the electrical activity produced by the abdominal muscles during three Ab-Doer movements. He and his colleagues then compared the results with those produced during traditional exercises. They determined that the muscles were no more active, and in some cases less so, when exercisers were using the Ab-Doer.
Taking a broader approach, researchers at San Diego State University compared 13 abdominal exercises for their ability to develop the central abdominal muscles. They concluded, in a report published in May, that the most effective exercises kept turning the body and worked the muscles the entire time. Among the winners: the bicycle movements -- so called because it looks as if you are riding a bike while lying flat on the floor -- and exercises performed on the "Captain's Chair", a product typically found in gyms that helps hold the body in the air while you raise your legs up toward your chest. Researchers suggested that a varied routine of the different exercises could deliver the best results. | high14883.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the world"
},
"options": [
"China",
"audience",
"the world",
"schools"
],
"question": "Mei Lanfang was the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"... | Any introduction to Peking Opera would not be complete without telling of Mei Lanfang. During his stage life, he combined the traditions of the past with his own creations, shaping a style of his own and giving birth to "The Mei Lanfang School". He was also the first artist to introduce Peking Opera to an overseas audience, making it popular to the world.
Mei Lanfang began his stage life at the age of 8. His teacher said he showed little hope because of his boring eyes. To improve this, he exercised them day after day. Thanks to his efforts, he managed to change his dull eyes into a pair of bright and expressive eyes and win national fame before the age of 20.
In over 50 years on the stage, Mei Lanfang played no less than 100 different characters in the performance. He also wrote many new plays, designing the dances himself. The many dances he created form part of the great treasure that he left to Peking Opera.
In 1930, Mei Lanfang started on a successful US tour. There his brilliant performances impressed the audience, making them realize that Peking Opera was a theatrical form of great value. | high7002.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they are feeling sad"
},
"options": [
"they have lots of money",
"they are taking drugs",
"they are feeling sad",
"they win a prize"
],
"question": "The compulsive shoppers will go shopping when _ .",
"... | Compulsive shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their wild shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the "shop-till-you-drop" habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them distress .
"It becomes a problem when you are out of control," psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. "When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop." Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money.
Compulsive shopping was first discovered in 1915, although it was then known as monomania. Few studies have been done on the problem.
An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is "clearly not rare". He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. "As psychologists we are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties," Mr. Wilson said.
Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. "Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better," he said. "You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problems and are very sensitive to short-term benefits," he said.
The aim of the treatment was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management.
"You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems connected with what's making you feel that way," Mr. Wilson said. | high15545.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "People can reduce pain by relaxing."
},
"options": [
"People can reduce pain by relaxing.",
"Researchers study how pain is caused.",
"Everyone should know the effect of pain.",
"People should think more about pain."
... | When someone steps on your toe by accident, you will hurt plenty.But it hurts even more, if you think the person does the same thing on purpose.Earlier studies have found that the feeling of pain can change with how it is experienced.That is why giving people sugar pills and saying they are medicine can make them feel better.
This study examined whether self-reported pain is indeed higher when the events producing the pain are understood as intentionally caused by another person.For the study, the researchers told 40 volunteers that they were going to do a series of tasks, including color matching, number counting and discomfort assessment.This last task involved their receiving a brief electric shock to the wrist.They were told that a partner, sitting in another room, would choose which task they would do, and a computer screen helped them to know their partner's choice.
In some cases, the volunteers were told their partner had chosen the pain tolerance test.In others, they were told the computers would select the pain tolerance test regardless of their partner's choice.When volunteers thought that their partners were making the shocks on them on purpose, the feeling made the pain worse.As a matter of fact, _ were the same.
This study provides evidence that the experience of pain changes depending upon how they think when people have been harmed.Specifically, the meaning of a harm -- whether it was intended -- influences the amount of pain it causes.So, although a broken toe may hurt, an intentionally broken toe should hurt more. | high8331.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Movies."
},
"options": [
"Pre-show music.",
"Fireworks show.",
"Amusements.",
"Movies."
],
"question": "Which of the following isn't mentioned in the text?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | Glasgow Fireworks
25th July 2012
Location: Glasgow Green
Tickets: This event is free, and no ticket is required
Events:Celebrate Bonfire Night , with Glasgow's famous and splendid musical fireworks show. The night is not just about fireworks though; there will be pre-show music and fun with Clyde 1's Romeo and Knoxy, amusements and food and drink booths. Enough to make sure that everyone is entertained!
The timetable:
5:30 pm amusements (ends 9:30pm)
6:30 pm Pre-show music and fun with Clyde 1's Romeo and Knoxy
7:30 pm Fireworks show begins
Notice:
* Entry is free, and it is usually very busy. Make sure you get there early for a good view (unless you're 7 feet tall).
* You should enter Glasgow Green from the west end of the park. There is no other public entry.
* If you're driving, please be concerned about road closing time. All roads to Glasgow Green will be closed to vehicles between 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm.
* Join our mailing list to stay up to date with all the latest information on www. Glasgow Green. com. Should it be put off or called off, we will keep you informed as soon as possible!
For Your Safety
* Do not bring fireworks, sparklers, alcohol or pets to the Glasgow Green Fireworks.
* Follow the directions of staff and police.
* Dress properly - We live in Glasgow and there is always a good chance we will get rubbish weather! | high13134.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "learning from the bad decision can help make a new choice"
},
"options": [
"making a bad decision is very terrible",
"making decisions helps us become a great man",
"being afraid to make a bad decision is very natural",
... | The decisions that we make shape us throughout our lives. No matter what decisions we make, good or bad, each one puts us on a new road in the future. Make a bad decision? No problem. Learn from the decision and make another decision to get on a different path. This is advice that I got from Tony Robbins in his book Awaken the Giant Within. This is a book that I recommend to anyone wanting to develop a fire to make changes in their life. It helped me to understand how fear of making poor choices was _ me from becoming the great man who I am today. Now I am not saying I am a well-known person in any particular circle. But I am the king of my castle working hard and trying to make good decisions in regard to the paths that I have chosen. I am a great man in the eyes of my wife and my children. And that is all the recognition that I need in my lifetime. And I know that my past failures have been the building block that I continue to use to build my career and self-image in my community that I live in.
Ben Lerer, cofounder of the CEO of Thrillist Media Group, is a good example of this. In an article on the Fast Company website, Lerer talks about this very subject. He says, "I've had to make some really tough decisions but finally, I think the best companies are those that can recognize when something isn't going right, and fix it, instead of just turning a blind eye because it's easier." Great people make decisions. When a decision does not have the desired result, make a different decision. It does not get any simpler than that. | high13652.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "ill"
},
"options": [
"ill",
"busy doing housework",
"angry",
"going to buy things"
],
"question": "The man took care of the baby instead because his wife was _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | "You'll have to take care of the baby today," a woman told her husband. "I'm not feeling well."
"Then you must stay in bed and rest, dear" her husband said. "I'll be pleased to look after our baby." "By the way, shall I do the shopping for you as well?" her husband asked.
The woman was very glad and said, "That will help me very much. I'll give you a list of things to buy"
She wrote out the list and gave it to him.
The man took the baby to the supermarket and put him in the shopping cart. Then he pushed the shopping cart along the rows of things and looked for those that were on his list.
At first everything was OK, but then the baby began to cry.
Then he started to scream.
And scream!
And SCREAM!
"Keep calm, George," the man said. "Don't get excited. Don't shout, George. _ , George."
A woman in the supermarket heard him saying so. She walked up to him.
"I think you are wonderful," she said. "You are so patient with your little George."
"Madam," the man said, "I'm George. He's Edward." | high1315.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It was carried out without any lights."
},
"options": [
"It was organized by the local authority.",
"It was carried out without any lights.",
"It was so cold that people chatted to cheer up.",
"It was held in the town c... | More than a hundred adults and kids gather for the Star Party on a cold evening, chattering excitedly as they stand in the dark on a Virginia hillside. The odd thing is, no one has turned on a flashlight, and no streetlights or house lights wink on around them.
These people have traveled to the countryside more than an hour from Washington, D. C., to get away from the glow of city lights. That's because they are attending a star party. Star parties are gatherings where professional and amateur astronomers set up their telescopes and invite people to come learn about the night sky. Getting away from light pollution, or artificial skylight from buildings for example, helps stargazers see objects in the sky much better.
At this star party, Sean O'Brien of the National Air and Space Museum's Einstein Planetarium starts off by asking the crowd to simply look up and take in all they can see. He points out plenty of things that can be seen without special equipment. Stars, satellites, and even the Andromeda galaxy can be found if you know where to look.
After that, several dozen astronomers offer close-up views. Each has focused their telescope on a different part of the sky. As kids take a look, the owner gives a mini-lesson.
O'Brien says you can have your own star party at home and learn a lot just by paying attention to what's happening up above. "Watch the sky as the seasons pass, and you will see that it changes," he says. "Or start with the moon. Notice when and where you are seeing it--maybe even in the early morning while you wait for the school bus. " | high681.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she had been worrying about her children in her life"
},
"options": [
"the hard times she experiences in her life",
"the different stages of her children",
"the support she received from her mother",
"she had been worry... | Is there a magic cutoff period when children become responsible for their own actions? Is there a wonderful moment when parents can become lookers-on in the lives of their children and shrug , "It's their life," and feel nothing?
When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital passage waiting for doctors to put a few stitches in my son's head. I asked, "When do you stop worry?" The nurse said, "When they get out of the accident stage. " My mother just smiled gently and said nothing.
When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little chair in a classroom and heard how one of my children talked continually and disturbed the class. As if to read my mind, a teacher said. "Don't worry, they all go through this stage and then you can sit back, relax and enjoy them" My mother just smiled gently and said nothing.
When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come home, the front door to open. A friend said, " They're trying to find themselves, Don't worry, in a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be adults. " My mother just smiled gently and said nothing.
By the time I was 50, I was sick and tired of being weak. I was still worrying over my children, but there was a new wrinkle, there was nothing I could do about it. My mother just smiled gently and said nothing.
I continued to suffer from their failures, and be absorbed in their disappointments. My friends said that when my kids got married I could stop worrying and lead my own life. I wanted to believe that, but I was haunted by my mother's warm smile and her occasional "You look pale. Are you all right?" Call me minute you get home. Are you depressed about something ?" Can it be that parents are sentenced to a lifetime of worry?
One of my children became quite anxious about me recently, saying, "Where were you ? I've been calling for three days, and no one answered. I was worried. "
I smiled a warm smile . The torch has been passed. | high23791.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "their fossils are often in poor condition"
},
"options": [
"there are only a few shark fossils",
"shark skeletons are made of bones",
"their fossils are often in poor condition",
"their fossils are found in a nearly thr... | A new study, led by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, shows that living sharks are actually quite advanced in evolutionary terms, despite having retained their basic "sharkiness" over millions of years. The research is published today in the journal Nature.
"Sharks are traditionally thought to be one of the most primitive surviving jawed vertebrates . And most textbooks in schools today say that the internal jaw structures of modern sharks should look very similar to those in primitive shark-like fishes," said Alan Pradel, a postdoctoral researcher at the Museum and the lead author of the study. "But we've found _ is not the case. "
The new study is based on an extremely well-preserved shark fossil collected by Ohio University professors Royal Mapes and Gene Mapes in Arkansas, where an ocean basin once was home to a diverse marine ecosystem. The fossilized skull of the new species, named Ozarcus mapesae. The heads of all fishes -- sharks included -- are segmented into the jaws and a series of arches that support the jaw and the gills . These arches are thought to have given rise to jaws early in the tree of life.
Because shark skeletons are made of cartilage , not bone, their fossils are very fragile and are usually found in flattened parts, making it impossible to study the shape of these internal structures. But the Ozarcus mapesae specimen was preserved in a nearly three-dimensional state, giving researchers a rare glimpse at the organization of the arches in a prehistoric animal.
"This beautiful fossil offers one of the first complete looks at all of the gill arches and associated structures in an early shark. There are other shark fossils like this in existence, but this is the oldest one in which you can see everything," said John Maisey, a curator in the Museum's Division of Paleontology and one of the authors on the study. "There's enough depth in this fossil to allow us to scan it and digitally dissect out the cartilage skeleton."
Working with scientists at the European Synchrotron, the ESRF, Pradel imaged the specimen with high-resolution x-rays to get a detailed view of each individual arch shape and organization. "We discovered that the arrangement of the arches is not like anything you'd see in a modern shark or shark-like fish," said Pradel. "Instead, the arrangement is fundamentally the same as bony fishes."
The authors say it's not unexpected that sharks -- which have existed for about 420 million years -- would undergo evolution of these structures. But the new work, especially when considered alongside other recent developments about early jawed vertebrates, has significant implications for the future of evolutionary studies of this group. "Bony fishes might have more to tell us about our first jawed ancestors than do living sharks," Maisey said. | high9749.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He couldn't live on his pension because he had a chicken recipe in hand."
},
"options": [
"He received a pension of a little more than $100 every month after he retired.",
"He couldn't live on his pension because he had a chicken r... | When Colonel Harland Sanders retired at the age of 65, he had little to show for himself, except an old Caddie roadster, a $105 monthly pension check ,and a recipe for chicken.
Knowing he couldn't live on his pension, he took his chicken recipe in hand, got behind the wheel of hisvan ,and set out to make his fortune. His first plan was to sell his chicken recipe to restaurant owners, who would in turn give him aresidual for every piece of chicken they sold--5 cents per chicken. The first restaurateur he called on turned him down.
So did the second.
So did the third.
In fact, the first 1,008 sales calls Colonel Sanders made ended in rejection. Still, he continued to call on owners as he traveled across the USA, sleeping in his car to save money. Prospect number 1,009 gave him first "yes".
After two years of making daily sales he had signed up a total of five restaurants. Still the Colonel pressed on , knowing that he had a great chicken recipe and that someday the idea would _ .
Of course, you know how the story ends. The idea did catch on. By 1963 the Colonel had 600 restaurants across the country selling his secret recipe of Kentucky Fried Chicken (with ll herbs and spices ).
In 1964 he was bought out by future Kentucky governor John Brown.Even though the sale made him a multi-millionaire, he continued to represent and promote KFC until his death in 1990. | high7764.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "for no good reason"
},
"options": [
"because they both came from China",
"because of their physical similarities",
"because their US parents suspected they were twins",
"for no good reason"
],
"question": ". Bot... | Two years ago, the Funk family of suburban Chicago adopted a Chinese baby girl who had been abandoned on a sidewalk near a Yangzhou textile factory.
Last year and halfway across the United States, the Ramirez family of suburban Miami adopted a girl who had been abandoned a week later on the same spot.
Both families named their daughters Mia. It turns out, a first name and Chinese heritage aren't the only things the three-year-olds have in common. The girls' mothers--Holly Funk and Diana Ramirez--met on a website for parents who had gone through international adoptions. After a flurry of e-mails comparing photographs and biographical details, DNA testing proved the families' suspicions: The girls are probably fraternal twins.
"I was in shock," said Ramirez, who lives with her husband Carlos in Pembroke Pines, Florida. "Well, now this is for real."
The Internet and Web groups revolving around international orphanages are increasingly being used to link adopted children with biological kin . The site that the Funks and Ramirezes used has a membership of 137 people, with 15 sets of twins and seven sets of siblings whose relationships have been confirmed.
At a reunion on Friday at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Mia Diamond Funk Mia Hanying Ramirez shyly surveyed each other, then reached for each other's hand.
DNA tests established an 85 percent probability that the girls are at least half sisters. Scientists did not have a biological parent to test and reach a greater certainty, but given their ages and physical similarities, experts say it is likely they are fraternal twins.
Douglas and Holly Funk hope to take Mia to Miami in October. Both sets of parents say they are committed to staying in touch and often let the twins talk to each other on the phone. | high15223.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They were suspected to have resulted from electromagnetic interference."
},
"options": [
"They may have been caused by the damage to the radio systems.",
"They may have taken place during take-off and landing.",
"They were pr... | The biggest danger facing airlines nowadays may not be a terrorist with a gun, but the man with portable computer in business class. In the last 16 years, pilots have reported well over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic interference . The source of this interference remains not proved, but increasingly, experts are pointing the blame at portable electronic devices such as portable computers, radio and cassette players and mobile telephones.
RTC.A. an organization which advises the aviation ( )industry, has suggested that all airlines ban such devices from being used during "critical" stages of flight particularly take-off and landing. Some experts have gone further, calling for a total ban during all flights. Currently , rules on using these devices are left up to individual airlines. And although some air- lines prevent passengers from using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are unwilling to carry out a total ban, given that many passengers want to work during flight.
The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an aircraft's computers. Experts know that portable devices send out radiation which affects those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation and communication. But, because they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory, they have no way of knowing whether the interference might be dangerous or not.
The fact that aircraft may be fragile to interference raises the risk that terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation equipment. As worrying,though, is the passenger who can 't hear the instructions to turn off his radio because the music's too loud. | high8457.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The high number of famous people who are called Judy."
},
"options": [
"The association people make with it.",
"Its original meaning.",
"The high number of famous people who are called Judy.",
"The personalities of famo... | What's in a name? Well, apparently, our general happiness. Psychologists say that what we are called has a direct connection with our well-being .
Those called Judy and Joshua are the happiest, while Lynn or Ben is likely to be the unhappiest, according to research. Psychologist Dr David Holmes found that this might due to the association that others made with the name. Hearing the name Judy may make them think of actress Judi Dench or TV presenter Judy Finnigan, people who are seen as good natured and happy. On the other hand, people think Paulines are unhappy because of the character Pauline Fowler from the TV programme East Enders. The research claims that this association influences the person with the name and so their personality becomes shaped to fit it. Dr David Holmes said, "This also has some relation with the original meaning of the name. For example, the original meaning of Judy is 'praised'."
Certain names also work well in certain aspects of life. In the workplace Richard and Judy are happiest, while those called Ruth and Carly are happiest in relationships. At the other end of the scale the unhappiest workers are Stuart and Liz, with the unhappiest in relationships being Frank and Harriet.
Dr Holmes said, "The relation we have with certain names, particularly important namesakes , also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence. Names are like product brands in having a powerful effect on attitudes and should therefore be chosen with care."
"Other names are connected with being brave, outgoing or serious. Therefore, many celebrities change their names to ones which reflect these characteristics. This, in turn, influences parents when they choose names for their babies," said Dr Holmes, "however, names connected with ordinary people are seldom chosen for their babies". | high859.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "NASA has started to care for astronauts' eyesight."
},
"options": [
"Staying for a long time in space will lead to blindness.",
"Scientists' research in space will be banned soon.",
"Space flight makes astronauts' bones funct... | Recently, a study showed that changes found in astronauts' eye tissue might cause vision problems, and possibly even blindness. As well as threatening the health of astronauts, this could influence long-distance missions into space.
Larry Kramer of Texas Medical School in Houston and his colleagues carried out MRI scans on 27 NASA astronauts after they had spent an average of 108 days in space. About half of them had some problems in their optic nerve or eyeball.
The changes match those seen in people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a rare condition in which the pressure of blood is abnormally high in the brain. People with the condition experience headaches, nausea and vision problems including blindness.
In space, the changes are probably caused by living in free fall. "It is not because of the sunlight in space or the spacecraft's function," says Kramer. "One likely reason is that blood which normally pools in the legs is shifted toward the skull , raising pressure."
The findings are similar to the results of a survey of 300 astronauts carried out in 2011. The damage in vision was reported by 29 percent of astronauts on short-term missions, and 60 percent on long-term missions.
"If astronauts are exhibiting these changes after only 100 days in space, what will happen on a three-year flight to Mars?" asks Jason Kring, who studies human performance in extreme conditions at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.
"Deteriorating vision could seriously damage astronauts' ability to carry out routine mission tasks, including monitoring displays and navigating the rocky landscape of Mars," says Kring. "This possibility, combined with what we already know about how micro-gravity affects muscles and bones, paints a dark future for human space flight unless we start to develop effective measures."
Kramer says that NASA has the matter in hand. In the wake of the study, all astronauts now have regular brain scans. This includes those yet to travel into space, providing a baseline from which any changes would be obvious. He also believes it might be possible to identify astronauts' risk of eyesight damage from medical data before sending them into space. | high23949.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Saxon Youth Club"
},
"options": [
"Peterborough Museum",
"Houghton Mill",
"Saxon Youth Club",
"Farmland Museum"
],
"question": "If you are interested in cooking, you can go to _ .",
"question_type": "cloz... | The summer holidays are upon us again. Here is our guide to summer holiday fun in Peterborough!
Peterborough Museum
The Age of the Dinosaurs' is the museum's main attraction this summer. Get up close to prehistoric creatures via some great hands---on exhibits! Watch out for monsters lurking around every ember! The museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays in August.
Call 01733 864663 for details.
Saxon Youth Club
School holiday fun: Young people aged 13-19 will be able to produce their own music, compete in spots activities, or try their hand at cooking at Saxon Youth Club, Saxon Community Center, Norman Road, Peterborough every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 pm. PLUS an aero ball tournament will take place on Thursday, 12thAugust between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
Houghton Mill
Alice through the Looking Class---a new production of the family favorite on Monday, 30thAugust. Bring rugs or chairs to sit on and a picnic if you wish to eat during the play. Gates open 5:30 performance 6:30 pm---8:30 pm. Tea room will be open until end of the interval. Adult PS10. Child PS 7. Family PS 20.
Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey
Farmland Games: From Wellie Wanging to Pretend Ploughing matches, come and join the Farmland Team. Collect your sporting stickers and create a colorful rosette that is fit for a winner! No need to book, just turn up between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Thursday, 19thAugust. Suitbale for children aged four and above, each child should be accompanied by an adult and all activities are included in the normal admission price. Tickets Cost PS 7 per child.
For further information, call 01223 810080. | high9991.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A high-tech scanner."
},
"options": [
"Bacteria.",
"A high-tech scanner.",
"A camera",
"Food safety."
],
"question": "What is the main topic of the text?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | Europe's deadly outbreak of a rare form of E. coli bacteria has brought new attention to food safety issues. One of the problems when people get sick from food is that the simplest question is often difficult or even impossible to answer. Just what did the people eat that made them sick?
Of course, one way to avoid these medical mysteries is to keep dangerous organisms out of the food supply. This is easier said than done, but scientists keep looking for new ways.
Scientists in the United States have developed an experimental system that uses a high-tech optical scanner. The system is designed to identify the presence of contaminants like soil or animal waste on fresh produce. These can be sources of E. coli. E. coli bacteria naturally live in the intestines of humans and many animals. Most kinds of E. coli are harmless but some can make people sick.
The new scanner can also show damage and imperfections that might make the produce unappealing to shoppers.
Scientists designed the system at a Department of Agriculture research center in Beltsville, Maryland. Moon Kim of the Agricultural Research Service led the team.
MOON KIM: "We were requested, we were asked, to develop a method to detect contamination in produce. So we started with the apple as the model sample."
The scanner uses a high-speed camera placed over the conveyer belt that moves the produce along. As the apples move along the belt, the scanner captures images of each piece of fruit.
Moon Kim says the team hopes the system will be available before long.
MOON KIM: "We are targeting for development in commercial plants for the next several years."
The scanner can direct a sorting machine to separate the bad apples from the good ones. The system is currently able to show the surface of only half the apple as it speeds by. The inventers hope to improve the process so it can show the whole surface. | high3502.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good."
},
"options": [
"Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good.",
"There can be no simple therapy for psychological problems.",
"Unhappy people cannot th... | The $ 11 billion self - help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like " I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed." But was positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking?
Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are.
The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, _ In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written.
In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable."
Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts.
The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking. | high11045.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They provide water cure for people with hot springs."
},
"options": [
"They are all located in the southern part of the globe.",
"The climate of all these places is mild most time of the year.",
"They provide water cure for p... | The following five destination shall never be missed
*Blue Lagoon :
Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. The warm waters are rich in minerals and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the Lagoon averages 37degC - 39degC(99F -102F). The Blue Lagoon also operates a research and development facility to help find cures for skin diseases using the mineral-rich water.
*Budapest:
Budapest holds the title "City of Spas" since the year 1934, as it has more hot and medicinal water springs than any other capital city in the world. There are 118 springs in Budapest, providing over 70 million liters of hot water a day. The temperature of the waters is between 22degC and 40degC.
*El Tatio:
El Tatio is a geyser field located within the Andes Mountains of northern Chile at 4,320 meters above sea level. With over 80 active geysers, the site is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere and the third largest in the world. It is a major tourist attraction in Chile and is among the highest-elevation geyser fields in the world. The temperature of the waters goes between 70degC and 85degC.
*Hokkaido:
Visitors to the Japanese island of Hokkaido have plenty of options. These range from top resorts with thermal baths like the Spa Resort Hawaiians to small traditional inns that have their own small hot pools with water temperature comfortable to skin. Some bathing spots are outdoors and are not associated with any spa or inn. The classic forest and mountain landscapes of this nature-rich island make it a great choice for those seeking a science setting for their baths. | high19419.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Summer Scenes"
},
"options": [
"Summer Scenes",
"Acting --Just Acting",
"Laugh Out Loud",
"Drama Days"
],
"question": "Which of the following classes suits those who want to be actors ?",
"question_type": nu... | Show Biz Summer 2014
Location: Rosewood Center for Family arts
Important Information:
* Tuition paid on the first day of class. No tuition refunds .
* DCT reserves the right to cancel any class; refunds made for cancelation .
* Please accompany student to the first day of class.
* Registration begins one-half hour before class time.
How To Register:
* Mail : fill out the form in this brochure.
* Be sure to list the class and group that you want & the dates.
Drama Days! --$ 175
Entering Grades : Group A : lst -- 2nd Group B : 3rd -- 5th .
Time: June 2--June 6
* create the situations and scenes
* SHOWTLME-invite family and friends to your Friday Showcase !
* Bring a sack lunch and drink each day!
Laugh Out Loud --$ 175
Entering Grade : 5 th
Time: June 23--June 27
* Tell a joke! Learn why old jokes can be the best!
* Work with your class to put on a Comedy Show for family and friends!
Acting --Just Acting--$225
Entering Grades : Group A: lst --2nd Group B: 3rd -- 4th
Time: August 4 -- August 8
* Start with the characters: Who are you ? Be the Star of your Dreams.
* Work with your class to create the plot.
Summer Scenes --$ 225
Entering Grades: 5th -- 6th
Time: August 11-- August 15
* Do you want to be an actor?
* Improve your skills with instruction from professional actors & directors. | high17434.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It is a deep sleep similar to hibernation."
},
"options": [
"It is the same as the animals' hibernation",
"It often appears in warm areas all the year.",
"It is done to keep bugs active in winter.",
"It is a deep sleep ... | We bet that on cold wintry days, many of you love to stay in your warm home and, every now and then, come out into the kitchen for a snack. Unfortunately, plenty of creepy-crawly critters like to do the same thing!
Winter is the time when bugs invade your house without an invitation. The season can be tough for such creatures. In winter the air is cold, the ground is hard and many trees have no leaves. So bugs do what they have to do to survive.
Monarch butterflies head south to warmer climates. Ants crowd in deep underground colonies and eat food they have been storing all year. Many insects go into a deep sleep called diapause. There're different kinds of diapause, but all are similar to hibernation, a time when bigger animals become inactive in the cold. Insects go into an inactive period, too, but it often isn't when the temperature drops.
They rely on more dependable signals in the environment. For example, many insects can tell how much sunlight there's each day. They use that to tell themselves when to shut down. Bugs are cold-blood-ed, meaning that their inside temperature is the same as the outside. They can't move much when it gets below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. So they search for any warm place.
They're looking for protection. These guys have been doing this for 300 million years, so they don't really know they're coming into your house. The home is a recent event in terms of their evolutionary behav-ior. They enter through tiny cracks or come in unnoticed on your clothes or shoes. Remember that they may be invading your homes for warmth and food, but they don't care about humans. | high20298.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "attending a program about how to reduce exam anxiety"
},
"options": [
"listening to a speech which is about the war",
"attending a discussion about ancient Egyptian pyramids",
"attending a program about how to reduce exam anx... | Bay Village Branch, 502 Cahoon Road, 440-871-6392.
The Egyptian Pyramids, 7 p. m. Sept. 17. Join us as Don King, a long-time student of Egyptology,
discusses the pyramids and presents the possible theories of the construction, design and mysteries surrounding
these ancient wonders.
Join us as local Bay Village resident, Tom Bell, discusses his book "My Dad Is a Freak: a Memoir", 7
p.m.Sept. 27.
Fairview Park Branch, 21255 Lorain Road, 440-333-4700 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Dress for Success, 7 p. m. Sept. 17. First impressions count. Some job recruiters use
appearance to determine self-esteem, respect, confidence and organizational skills. Learn how to dress to
emphasize your strengths and improve your employ ability. Registration required.
Music Study Groups, 1:15--2:45 p. m. Wednesdays, Sept. 19--Nov. 28. Explore current concert music
performed by The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall through informal lectures and listening. Classes are
designed for both new and experienced music lovers and are led by Dr. Rose Breckenridge.
Practical Herbs, 7 p. m. Oct. 3. Famous doctor Sarah Hurt will talk about growing, drying and storing
herbs and how to use them. Registration required.
North Olmsted Branch, 27403 Lorain Road. 440-777-6211 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Job Club, 1:30--3 p. m. Tuesdays. Join Jim Hansen for helpful tips on resumes, job search strategies and
interviewing. Anyone who is job hunting or looking to change careers is welcome.
War of 1812, 7--8:45 p. m. Sept. 17. This year marks the 200thanniversary. Professor Catherine Rokicky
From Cuyahoga Community College will give a presentation about the war, and immediately following we'll
discuss the book "Mr. and Mrs. Madison's War: America's First Couple and the Second War of Independence"
by Hugh Howard. Registration required.
Olmsted Falls Library, 7850 Main St. , Olmsted Falls. 440-235-1150 or cuyahogalibrary. org.
Family Story-time, 7--7:30 p. m. Wednesdays, through Nov. 27. Join us for rhymes, songs, finger-plays
and a story or two. For children ages birth through age 8 with their caregivers.
Huntington Practice SAT Test, 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. Sept. 15. Follow up, 4--5 p. m. Sept. 26. Get ready for
college by taking a practice SAT exam. Discuss strategies to improve your score, and get tips on preparing for
the real exam. Registration required.
Imaginative Illustrations, 11 a. m. to noon Sept. 29. A hands-on drawing program where children exercise
their imagination while experiencing some basic techniques of cartooning. Grades K-5. Registration required. | high5173.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Isaac Singer's."
},
"options": [
"Thomas Saint's.",
"Bartelemy Thimonier's.",
"Elias Howe's.",
"Isaac Singer's."
],
"question": "Whose sewing machine could do far more than the work that was done by five skilled... | Machines in the home have a short history. Sewing machines, washing machines and tumble dries are common enough today, but a hundred years ago few people could even imagine such things. However, inventors have designed and built a wide range of household machines since then. In most cases the inventor tried to patent his machine, to stop anyone copying it. Then he tried to produce a lot of them. If the machine became popular, the inventor could make a lot of money.
In 1790 the first sewing machine was patented. The inventor was an Englishman called Thomas Saint. There was nothing to match his machine for forty years, and then someone built a similar device. He was a Frenchman, Bartelemy Thimonier. Neither of these early machines worked very well, however. It wasn't until 1846 that an inventor came up with a really efficient sewing machine. He was an American, Elias Howe and his machine was good enough to beat five skilled sewing women. He didn't make much money from it, however. The first commercially successful sewing machine was patented by Isaac Singer five years later.
Today, we take washing machines for granted, but there was none before 1869. The revolving drum of that first machine set a pattern for the future, but it was crude by today's standards. The drum was turned by hand, and needed a lot of effort. Eight years passed before someone produced an electric washing machine. The world had to wait even longer for a machine to dry clothes. The first spin-drier was another American invention, patented in 1924; but it was 20 years before such machines were widely used.
It was yet another American, called Bissell, who introduced the carpet sweeper. He patented the original machine back in 1876. It didn't pick up dirt very well, but it was quicker than a dustpan and brush. Thirty-six years later, even the carpet sweeper was old-fashioned: modern homes now have a vacuum cleaner with an electric motor to suck the dust. | high18707.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the relationship between climate change and mental health"
},
"options": [
"the relationship between climate change and mental health",
"how climate change influences physical health",
"the possibility that more natural disas... | Deadly heat waves, home-wrecking hurricanes, neighborhood-burning wildfires...When you stop to think about it, global warming can be thoroughly depressing.
According to rising evidence, climate changewon't just cause new cases of stress, anxiety and depression. People who already have serious psychological problems will probably suffer most in the result of natural disasters and extreme weather events.
"When these events happen, people with pre-established mental illnesses often have more extreme difficulty," said Lisa Page, a psychiatrist. "This is an area we maybe need to think about a little more seriously."
In public health circles and even in climate talks, scientists have studied how climate change might affect physical health, by for example, causing the spread of malaria, fever and other infectious diseases.
For the most part, though, the experts have made only vague references to the link between climate change and mental health, even though evidence for such connections is starting to pile up.
In the future, climate models predict more destructive storms, floods, droughts and diseases. In turn, the new study suggests, more psychological crises will follow.
Heat waves -- like the one that killed some 70,000 people in Europe in the summer of 2003 -- will also happen more frequently, last longer and be severer in coming years. The mentally ill will be hardest hit by these events because they're more likely to live in poor housing without air conditioning.
People with pre-existing mental challenges will probably also have an extra hard time dealing with other forecasted consequences of climate change, including the sinking of coastlines and mass migration away from flooded shores.
Then, there's the general sense of sadness that can come from reading about climate change, and recognizing that the world is changing. | high20273.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "reduce pollution"
},
"options": [
"save water",
"encourage students to bring water from home",
"reduce pollution",
"keep students away from bottled water"
],
"question": "Some colleges and schools ban selling bo... | As is known to us, Washington University in St. Louis became the first college in the United States to ban selling bottled water in 2009. Since then, more than a dozen small colleges and schools have done the same. The ban isn't because the schools don't want students to have easy access to water. Instead, the goal is to encourage students to bring reusable bottles to save money and, more importantly, to save the environment.
Many people believe that producing and using bottled water not only wastes money but also harms the environment. They say that bottled water is unnecessary because public water supplies in the U.S. are among the best in the world. These people believe that water fountains and reusable bottles with easy access to filling stations are a better choice.
But the makers of bottled water argue that plastic bottles make up a small part of the nation's total waste. They say it's unfair to single out their product when so many other items are packaged in plastic containers, and what's more, water is a healthy choice compared to some sodas and juices that are also sold at school.
What do you think: Should sales of bottled water be banned from schools? We want to hear your opinion. Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids.com . Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade level
and contact information for your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is August 31, 2012. | high16919.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "About 100."
},
"options": [
"About 450",
"About 370",
"About 220",
"About 100."
],
"question": "How many cases were handed to the police by environmental authorities each year in the past 10 years?",
"questi... | Chinese police arrested around 8,500 suspects in more than 4,500 environment-related criminal cases in 2014, as the country waged war against pollution, the leader of the Chinese environment authorities, Chen said.
Environmental authorities handed more than 2,000 cases of suspected environmental law violations to the police, more than double the figure for the past 10 years combined.
Close to 3,400 companies and 3,700 construction sites were also found to have violated environment laws and more than 3,100 workshops were closed following air quality inspections by Ministry of Environmental Protection ( MEP) officials and drones , Chen said.
The announcement came as a result of long lasting heavy smog in Beijing and the neighboring Tianjin and Hebei province for the better part of a week.
The next step is to further optimize the country's industry, and energy structure and cut back one missions of air pollutants, Chen said. Authorities will go on cutting back on outdated factories this year, shut down l,000 small coal mines, improve the quality of coal on the market, guarantee stable supply of natural gas, and promote the use of clean energy and energy-saving buildings.
Chen said efforts will also be made to improve the evaluation of governments' carrying out of air pollution control measures, deepen regional cooperation, step up technological research and sharpen laws and regulations in the field, to make polluters nay the "unaffordable price".
Chen said environmental authorities would "bring new tools introduced in the law into full play, conduct more secret inspections and seek heavier punishment for companies guilty of illegal emissions and those which deliberately change pollution data. "
Government officials who overlook their duties or abuse their power will be examined in line with law, he said. | high18934.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the 5th National Hua Luogeng Gold Cup Mathematics Contest"
},
"options": [
"when the contest started",
"how the contest got its name",
"the 20 pupils who have won gold medals in the contest",
"the 5th National Hua Luoge... | JINTAN, JIANGSU: The 20 students -- 18 boys and 2 girls --had a thousand reasons to be proud of themselves. They had just climbed their way to the top rung out of 4 million students taking part in the Fifth National Hua Luogeng Gold Cup Mathematics Contest on Tuesday evening. The 20 gold medal winners are all primary and middle school students under the age of 14. 'Many of the problems are of college level and these pupils can _ them _ . It is just unbelievable!'said a teacher from Guangdong province. Named after China's most famous mathematician, Hua Luogeng, the contest started in 1986,one year after his death. In less than 10 years, it has been recognized by the State Education Commission as the country's biggest and best contest of its kind. | high4286.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To learn our lessons well and socialize frequently."
},
"options": [
"To devote all of our time to learning our lessons.",
"To try to get full marks in the final examinations.",
"To learn our lessons well and socialize freque... | High school plays a major role in shaping up your future and your whole development. extracurricular
activities along with the studies can be very helpful. Make yourself take part in various activities and at the same time try to stand out in your studies. When you move out to college these efforts that you put in may count for a lot.
High school is not just about books or classes. Schools always provide opportunities for students to socialize . There are various group tasks designed which allow the students to learn to work together.
High school is the right time for you to discover yourself and bring out some of your hidden talents. In your lessons, you may find that you are better at English than you were earlier or have grown an interest for Math. High school also provides many other opportunities for students to take part in. These help develop leadership skills and management skills at an early age, which in turn is a way of preparing students to manage and plan their careers better.
Balancing all activities is an experience in time management. If you have taken up a part-time job along with your high school you would have to arrange your time for studies, and extracurricular activities. Such management can go a long way in teaching you to manage things better when you take up a job. Moreover, they help build your character. You would be better prepared for additional stress that you may feel sometimes.
When at high school you should pick up your classes wisely. Depending upon what you like and your career plan you should choose suitable classes. Doing something that you hardly like may get you very low grades as well as lose valuable time. Take up interesting and challenging classes that would allow you to put in those extra efforts. | high13861.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "most coursework is done on computers"
},
"options": [
"computers are not allowed to be used during exams",
"students shouldn't use their pens during exams",
"most coursework is done on computers",
"most students will us... | A Scottish university is considering allowing students to use their own computers in exams. Edinburgh University already has the equipment to allow a small number of students to use computers during exams. Senior officials at Edinburgh University say that it is unfair to expect students to use pens and paper in exams when the majority of their coursework is done on computers. Undergraduates at the School of Divinity have the choice of using computers with their final answers being collected on a USB stick, but the take-up stands at less than 10 per cent.
Dai Hounsell, professor of higher education at the university, said, "We've got to look at alternatives to the handwritten exam. Looking ahead ten years from now, I'm sure there will not be handwritten answers any longer in the exam of certain subjects, but how we get there from here isn't easy. The plan doesn't apply so much to science and engineering subjects where students have to use charts and mathematical formulae . There isn't technology at the moment to allow them to do that on a computer." He adds that the approval of students is the key before anything is carried out. He also said, "We don't want to put students' future at risk by experimenting as there are technical things which can go wrong. There could be a power failure."
Nora Mogey, head of Media and Learning Technology Service at the university, said, "A lot of students are not _ enough to make that step in such an important situation. They don't feel they've had enough practice in typing on a computer with a time limit in a high-pressure environment. They think they do better with a pen in their hand than on a keyboard."
Jennifer Cadiz, president at the National Union of Students in the UK, said, "It's great to see universities recognizing that times have changed. Exams can be a really stressful time for students and it's helpful to offer them a flexible way to complete exams."
No other major Scottish universities have plans to follow in Edinburgh University's footsteps and the Scottish Qualifications Authority says it has decided not to carry out the plan in its universities. | high7957.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "took Vansant's car away by chance"
},
"options": [
"was an experienced but unlucky thief",
"took Vansant's car away by chance",
"fould unlock any car with her special key",
"was accused of theft and put into prison"
... | Kate Anderson became an accidental car thief when she went to pick up her daughter's car near an Ohio University building last week.Anderson saw the nickelgray Toyota Camry and used her daughter's key to unlock the car,start the engine and drive home.
When Charlie Vansant left class a short time later,he found only an empty parking spot.He first assumed the car had been towed,but when the police couldn't find a record of it,they took a theft report.
The morning after Anderson took back the car,her daughter discovered the Camry in the driveway wasn't hers.She found Vansant's name on paperwork in the glove compartment and looked up his phone number on the Website for the university.
When she told Vansant the car was in her driveway,"It sounded real fishy at first,like maybe she wanted to hold the thing for ransom,"Vansant said!
He eventually went to the house with a police officer,where he was reunited with his car.According to a police report,the case was closed "because of the mistaken car identity."Anderson wasn't charged.
Vansant seemed to blame the car company more than the "thief"."Her key fit not only my lock,but my ignition as well--so highfive for Toyota,I guess,"he said.
Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said key technology wasn't as sophisticated as two decades ago,and there were so many ways to cut a key,making it possible for such a mixup to occur.He said the company now has a microchip embedded in the keys for 90 percent of its vehicles that allows them to start only with the correct key. | high1498.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "improving physical health"
},
"options": [
"making more friends",
"reducing prejudice",
"earning better grades",
"improving physical health"
],
"question": "Having a roommate of a different race can have the fol... | Fighting racial stereotypes on US campuses often begins by putting students of different ethnic backgrounds together -- under one dormitory roof.
Sam Boakye was a freshman at Ohio State University and the only black student on his floor. He was determined to get good grades -- in part to make sure his white roommate had no basis for negative racial views. "You're pushed to do better, to challenge the stereotype that black people are not that smart," he told theNew York Times.
Several recent studies have found that having a roommate of a different race can reduce prejudice , diversify friendships and even promote students' academic performance. In a study by Ohio State psychology professor Russell Fazio, black freshmen who came to college with high test scores earned better grades if they had a white roommate--even if the roommate's test scores were low. Another study on student interaction by Duke University suggests that freshmen with roommates of a different race were the most likely to diversify their friendships. "Just having diversity in classrooms doesn't do anything to increase interracial friendships," said Claudia Buchman, an author of the Duke study. "But living together with a different-race roommate does lead to more interracial friendships."
There are, however, some problems with such room assignments. Fazio's study found that three times as many randomly assigned interracial roommates weren't living together at the end of the semester, compared with white roommates. Interracial roommates also spent less time together, had fewer joint activities and were less involved with each other's friends than white pairs.
As for Boakye, this is not the case. "A lot of white students come without much exposure to diversity, so when their first interaction with a black guy isn't bad, they will make more black friends. I think I made a good impression on my freshman roommate. I saw him this year, and he said, 'Hey dude, you're not the only black friend I have.' That felt good." | high14868.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because there were no Web sites selling marbles."
},
"options": [
"Because he loved color1ful marbles so much.",
"Because there were no Web sites selling marbles.",
"Because he wanted to improve his computer skills.",
"... | Have you lost your marbles ? Don't worry! You can buy more from Harli Jordean.
Harli Jordean, the 8-year-old kid, soon to be 9, is just too lovely. He was born in Stoke Newington, London in spring 2003. He started up an Internet marble company where he sells the toys. And recently the 8-year-old student was written into the record books for being the youngest founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of an Internet company.
Harli's love for marbles got rolling when he was 6. According to Tina, Harli's mother, he loved the colcorful toys so much that he would go to sleep talking about marbles and the first thing in the morning he did was talking about marbles. And his family started calling him "the Marble King".
"I like the patterns and designs of marbles. You can collect hundreds of different color1s, shaps, and sizes. It's fun," Harli told WR News. "And I really enjoy looking at them, touching them, holding them, studying them and playing them with my friends."
Harli Jordean's marble company has a long history. After losing his marbles to an older boy, Harli and his mom turned to the Internet for ordering more marbles. However, they couldn't find a Web site that sold the toys. That gave Harli an idea-to start a Web site where people could find different types of marbles. With his family's help, Harli created a Web site that sells marbles and marble accessories. His collection includes tiny and large marbles, along with clear and color1ful ones.
Since starting his business, Harli has learned how to work with marble suppliers and fill orders. In the past two years, he's received orders from customers around the world. Some of the countries where he has sold the most marbles are Brazil, Italy, and the United States. Most kids just love marbls!
So how does Harli feel about being the world's youngest CEO?
"It feels marvelous . I like having my own company. I like being the boss," he says. "It really ...surprised me and probably ... my teachers too. I don't think they believed me when I used to say to them 'I have a marble business'!" | high22302.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "By virtual learning provided by the AVU."
},
"options": [
"By teaching herself at home.",
"By employing a famous coach from America.",
"By virtual learning provided by the AVU.",
"By her further education at the Univers... | Zuhur Yasin has never been to the US, but she holds a bachelor's degree from an American university. Part of Yasin's studies in Somaliland were spent in a special classroom, lined with rows of computers equipped with webcams and microphones.
The 29-year-old watched videos and took part in live virtual classes at Indiana University as part of her journalism programme at the University of Hargeisa."We had discussions and shared any challenges or questions," she says.
The African Virtual University(AVU), an intergovernmental organization, connected Yasin with Indiana University. The AVU says it has used virtual learning to train 43, 000 students since its creation in 1997. Professors use programmes and apps including Skype and WhatsApp to communicate with students, but classes are taught using special software. The AVU is considering plans to make lectures accessible on mobile phones.
Like Yasin, many students in sub-Saharan Africa are looking for opportunities to attend university. In 2008, the region had the lowest university attendance in the world, with just 6% of secondary school-leavers advancing to higher education, according to the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
In May, the African Union(AU) opened the e-Learning Africa Conference on ICT for development, education and training at its headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Rebecca Stromeyer, the founder of e-Learning Africa, says, "Now it is the time when technology can really help to protect the progress many African countries have made in education. If the right decisions are made now, they will help to achieve long-term economic growth."
Experts say online learning tools can connect African students to massive open online courses (Mooc,) such as Coursera, an education platform that provides free virtual education from some of the world's top universities. | high19394.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "English conversations usually start with the weather"
},
"options": [
"most commentators agree with Dr.Johnson",
"Dr.Johnson is famous for his weather observation",
"the comment was accurate two hundred years ago",
"Eng... | It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather.Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr.Johnson's famous comment that"When two English meet,their first talk is of weather."Though Johnson's observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago,most commentators fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weatherspeak.
Bill Bryson,for example,concludes that,as the English weather is not at all exciting,the _ with it can hardly be understood.He argues that"To an outsider,the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it." Simply,the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles.
Jeremy Paxman,however,disagrees with Bryson,arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive.Bryson is wrong,he says,because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena."The interest is less in the phenomena themselves,but in uncertainty."According to him,the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider.
Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weatherspeak among the English.Both commentators,somehow,are missing the point.The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all.English weatherspeak is a system of signs,which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other.Everyone knows conversations starting with weatherspeak are not requests for weather data.Rather,they are routine greetings,conversation starters or the blank "fillers".In other words,English weatherspeak is a means of social bonding. | high5826.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "plays an important part in transportation"
},
"options": [
"only takes business within the country",
"is greater than the others in the world",
"is the busiest in the world",
"plays an important part in transportation"
... | England is the largest country in Britain. Its capital is London, which is on the Thames. The port of London is one of the greatest ports in the world. Ships from all countries go up and down the Thames. They bring food to the people of Britain. Then they take British machines and other things back to the ports from which they come.
There are many scenic spots in the West of England. The lakes here are the most beautiful in England. There are trees, flowers and green grass round them.
The water is almost always very still,and you can see the green hills ,the brown mountains and everything else round the lake upside-down in the water. There are boats on all the larger lakes, which take people from one side to the other. There are always a lot of boats on the lakes in summer.
Travelers from many countries of the world go to the west of England in summer. There are boat races on the largest lakes, and people from many places in Great Britain and Europe come to see them. Young people travel from one place to another on their bicycles, or walk from one lake to another. | high11910.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time"
},
"options": [
"prefer handling different things when getting bored",
"have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time",
"seek high product... | In our daily life now, you may often find some people like to do several things together at the same time. They may watch TV while playing cell phones, and they may work while chatting with their close friends. As a new research suggests, people who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once. The findings, based on performances and self-evaluations by about 300 college students, indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity, but because they are easily distracted and can't focus on one activity. And "those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things," said David Sandy, a psychologist at the University of Utah.
Sandy and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked, how good they thought they were at it, and how sensation-seeking or impulsive they were. They then evaluated the participants' multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters.
Not surprisingly, the scientists said, most people thought they were better than average at multitasking, and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cell phone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once. But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test. They also were more likely to admit to sensation-seeking and impulsive behavior, which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted.
"People multitask not because it's going to lead to greater productivity, but because they're distractible, and they get sucked into things that are not as important," Sandy said.
Adam, a researcher at the University of California, who was not a member of the research group, said one limitation of the study was that it couldn't find out whether people who start out less focused tend toward multitasking or whether people's recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking.
The findings do suggest, however, why the sensation-seekers who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving. "People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations," said Paul, another researcher not in the group. "This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they're dangerous. | high19380.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he was indifferent to the killing"
},
"options": [
"he was afraid of the author",
"he thought the author was crazy",
"he looked down upon the author",
"he was indifferent to the killing"
],
"question": "From the... | In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and answers are interesting.
One morning, I got into three different taxis and announced,"Well,it's my first day back in New York in seven years.I've been in prison."Not a single driver replied,so I tried again."Yeah,I shot a man in Reno."I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked.The only response came from a Ghanaian driver,"Reno? That is in Nevada?"
Taxi drivers were uniform sympathetic when I said I'd just been fired."This is America,"a Haitian driver said."One door is closed.Another is open."He argued against my plan to burn down my boss' s house.A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope;he refused to take me to the middle of the George Washington Bridge--a $20 trip."Why do you want to go there? Go home and relax.Don't worry.Take a new job."
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word "BANK" on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks.The driver picked me up every time.My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
"Let's go across the park," I said."I just robbed the bank there.I got $25,000."
"$25,000?" he asked.
"Yeah,you think it was wrong to take it?"
"No, man.I work 8 hours and I don't make almost $70.If I can do that,I will do it too."
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
"Hey,there is another bank,"I said,"Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?"
"No,I can't wait.Pay me now." His unwillingness may have had something to do with money--taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low--but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can't expect unconditional support. | high5832.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the causes and the effects of air pollution are both found in cities"
},
"options": [
"the cause of air pollution is people",
"the causes and the effects of air pollution are both found in cities",
"the effects of air polluti... | People and the sources of air pollution are found in the same places. This means that cities with large populations have the biggest problem of dirty air. Air pollution is caused by many different things. A major source of air pollution is the gas fumes from cars. Statistics show that 93 percent of all auto trips are within cities. Another major source of dirty air is the burning of coal and oil for energy. This energy is needed to make electricity. Of course, much more electricity is used in the city than in the country.
On the average, we throw away more trash and garbage than the year before. The burning of garbage contributes to air pollution. Many major industries are also responsible for the dirty air in the around cities. The fumes from iron, steel, chemical, and petroleum production add particles to the air.
The effects of air pollution range from mild headaches to death. The levels of pollution found in heavy for traffic may cause headaches for loss of clear vision. Wherever coal and oil are used for fuel, fumes may kill trees and plants and cause metal to corrode. In some of the larger cities, these fumes endanger the live of human beings by contributing to lung diseases and causing early death. | high2185.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Curing heart disease"
},
"options": [
"Curing beriberi disease",
"Preventing tiredness",
"Curing heart disease",
"Losing weight"
],
"question": "Green tea can help us in many aspects EXCEPT _ .",
"questio... | For the past many centuries, people had been enjoying the benefits of green tea for the body. Many people would prefer drinking green tea than white tea and black tea, simply because of its _ aroma not found in other types of tea. Nowadays, keeping the natural greenish color1 of tea leaves remained just like before. This is done by preparing the green tea just like the way it was prepared before--by washing the leaves right after pulling off them from the bush, then boiling them.
There have been many healthful claims saying that drinking green tea-based products help a lot in improving the general health of their body. For a long time, there has been many beliefs saying that green tea can help, cure beriberi disease , treat wounds, and even prevent tiredness. Now modern technology determines that there are even added healthful benefits that include reducing the possibility of having a heart disease and helping people to lose more weight easily.
Besides, studies have found out that green tea has Polyphenols , a type of flaonoid that greatly reduces the amount of time of cell maturation. The flavonoid found in green tea is called EGCg- a stronger matter than Vitamin C and E. It is believed to be 20 times stronger than these mentioned vitamins.
Having two cups of green tea daily is a good routine for your body. However, most doctors would suggest drinking at least 4 cups a day is the best. You can slowly increase the amount of drinking it to allow your body to get used to it. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain in drinking green tea. | high20501.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It lists the biggest number of companies."
},
"options": [
"It is the largest stock market in the world.",
"IT lists only small companies.",
"It lists all the new technology companies.",
"It lists the biggest number of ... | NASDAQ, acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation system, is one of the largest markets in the world for the trading of stocks. The number of companies listed on NASDAQ is more than that on any of the other stock exchange in the United States, including the New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) and the American Stock Exchange (AMSE). The majority of companies listed on NASDAQ are smaller than most of those on the NYSE and AMSX. NASDAQ has become known as the home of new technology companies, particularly computer and computer-related businesses. Trading on NASDAQ is started by stock brokers acting on behalf of their clients. The brokers negotiate with market makers who concentrate on trading specific stocks to reach a price for the stock.
Unlike other stock exchange, NASDAQ has no central location where trading takes place. Instead, its market makers are located all over the country and make trades by telephone and via the Internet. Because brokers and market makers trade stocks directly instead of on the floor of a stock exchange, NASDAQ is called an over-the-counter market. The term over-the -counter refers to the direct nature of the trading, as in a store where goods are handed over a counter.
Since its inception in 1971, the NASDAQ Stock Market has been the innovator . As the world's first electronic stock market, NASDAQ long ago set a precedent for technological trading innovation that is unrivaled . Now ready to become the world's first truly global market, the NASDAQ Stock Market is the market of choice for business industry leaders worldwide. By providing an efficient environment for raising capital NASDAQ has helped thousands of companies achieve their desired growth and successfully make the leap into public ownership. | high23008.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a person who spends much time on the computer"
},
"options": [
"a mouse that lives by potatoes",
"a person who spends much time on the computer",
"a mouse that is shown on the screen of the computer",
"a person who like... | Mouse potatoes joined couch potatoes (who spend much time watching TV on the couch), google officially became a verb and drama queens (extremely emotional persons) finally found the attention when they crossed over from popular culture to mainstream English language.
The mouse potato, the himbo (attractive, empty-headed man) and drama queen were among 100 new words added to the 2006 update of America's best-selling dictionary, the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary<<>> . The Internet search engine Google also found its way into the dictionary for the first time as a verb, meaning to find information quickly on the worldwide web.
New words and phrases from the fields of science, technology, pop culture and industry are chosen each year by Merriam-Webster's team of editors after months of looking through books, magazines and even food labels. "They are not tracking spoken language. They are looking for evidence that words have been used in the written English language," said Arthur Bicknell, senior editor of Merriam-Webster.
Other words first coming into the dictionary this year were soul patch (a small growth of beard under a man's lower lip), unibrow (two eyebrows joining together) and supersize - the fast food industry phrase for extra large meals.
The technology world contributed ringtones (changeable incoming cellphone call signals) and spyware (software installed in a computer to track a user's activities) while biodiesel and avian influenza came from the world of science.
America's first dictionary - Noah Webster's A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language - was published 200 years ago and also introduced some fresh words that have now become familiar. Those "new" words in 1806 included slang, surf, psychology, naturally and Americanize. | high118.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "fill in questionnaires"
},
"options": [
"sign a contract with the employer",
"travel a lot around the city",
"provide exact facts to the company",
"fill in questionnaires"
],
"question": "According to the text a... | "I find myself glancing at my watch to see how long I've been standing in line," she said. "Everywhere I go, I notice if the dumpster gates are open or if there's trash in the parking lot." Ms. Clark is a "mystery shopper", one of thousands of contract workers that companies hire to pretend as regular customers in order to judge customer service, cleanliness and whether a store is selling a product that meets company specifications .
Mystery shoppers can be found or, rather, not found, everywhere from restaurants and automotive shops to convenience stores and department stores. They play a constant cat-and-mouse game with store and restaurant employees and managers. However it's not all fun and games. Once in the field, a mystery shopper will typically visit several stores or restaurants per hour, taking mental notes while inside, then jotting down physical notes after they leave.
It's important for mystery shoppers to be as exact as possible, because the client companies are looking for data they can use to improve their service. The questionnaire won't say, "Does the trash can need to be emptied?" What an educated shopper will say is, "The trash can to the left of the front door was overflowing with 10 pieces of trash on the ground." Companies don't need opinion but facts.
Nowadays mystery shoppers are armed with a number of high-tech devices, such as a digital scale and a digital thermometer, as well as a handheld PC for recording the entire experience. It's a challenging job but a rewarding one. Mystery shoppers can be full time or part time, but the full-time workers tend to stick to standard mystery shopping while part-timers often choose the less complex reward-based programs. In _ , the shoppers stay disguised only until the "shop" is finished, and then reveal themselves to the store management and award prizes to employees who provided excellent service.
To be a mystery shopper, it's important to be a good observer, but sometimes it's important to have the right profile , too. Companies often hire shoppers from particular backgrounds to better blend in with clients' regular customers. If a secret shopper will be sent in, for example, to do a high-end automotive shop, the candidate must have a particular profile that meets a high-end, luxury car-type buyer profile. "It's a challenge to perform your shop without being discovered," Ms. Clark said, "because most of the people that we work for are very aware of the mystery shopping program." | high22316.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "show they have the same lifestyle"
},
"options": [
"show there are too many dumpster divers",
"introduce the topic of the text",
"show they have the same lifestyle",
"show the close relationship between them"
],
... | Kate Hashimoto was picking up a few groceries at the Upper West Side Food Emporium when she ran into a friend. "Hey Kate, do you like wraps? Here's a chicken wrap,'' her pal said. "But be careful, it's kind of wet." They weren't in the food store. They were in front of the store, digging through three overflowing trash bins.
Hashimoto Dumpster-dives for all her food, doesn't use toilet paper or do laundry, and hasn't bought makeups in 10 years. She doesn't have to live this way -- she's an employed CPA . "I've always been money-saving, but it was when I was fired that I became extreme," Hashimoto explained."No job is guaranteed, so I live as if I could be fired at any time."
Manhattan, she said, is a gold mine for dumpster divers."Consumers in wealthy areas expect their products to be perfect, so _ stores throw out a lot of items that are still good."New York can be the most expensive place to live, but it can also be the least expensive if you know how to work the system."
Hashimoto let the reporter of a newspaper spend a day with her learning how to work the system. She lives in Harlem, where she bought a studio in 2010 and paid it off in nine months, but walks down to the Upper West Side three times a week for good, free food. Her other money-saving methods include using soap to wash herself after using the toilet, taking surveys online to earn gift cards, participating in medical trials, testing products for free samples, cutting her own hair, washing her clothes while she showers, and running to work to avoid using subway. "I was very angry about the latest round of subway fare rises," she said.
Hashimoto does have her limits. Her furniture is a collection of found free gifts-- but she won't take an old mattress for fear of bedbugs, and sleeps instead on used yoga mats. And she won't stay in a relationship with a boyfriend for free meals."I've been in a relationship where I stayed because I was getting free gifts, but I got out of it," she says. "It's better to be single and dumpster-diving than to be with someone you can't stand." | high13875.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The discovery that light darkens silver salt."
},
"options": [
"The invention of the camera.",
"The discovery that light darkens silver salt.",
"A small box with a hole to let in light.",
"Temporary images made by a sci... | Today, I'm going to talk about the invention of the camera and photography. The camera is often thought to be a modern invention. But as early as 1727, a German physicist discovered that light darkened silver salt, a chemical compound. Using as a camera, a big box with a small hole to let the light in, he made temporary images on the salt. Silver salt is still the base of film today.
Then a French scientist made the first permanent picture by using a special piece of metal sensitized(...)with silver salt. A photograph he made in 1826 still exists. The painter Daguerre improved on the process by placing common salt, the kind we eat, on the metal. This was in 1839, the official date of the beginning of photography.
But the problem was the printing of the photographs. And it was not until other scientists developed the kind of paper we now use that good printing was possible and photography became truly common. In the 1860s, Mathew Brady was able to take his famous pictures of the American Civil War, thus making portrait poses very popular.
In the 20thcentury, George Eastmen of theprefix = st1 /United Statessimplified film-developing film, and Dr. Edwin Land invented the so-called instant camera with self-developing film. If we say that the photography came into existence in 1839, it follows that it has taken more than one hundred years for the camera to reach the present condition of technical refinement . | high24001.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It's illegal to eat shark fin soup in the United States."
},
"options": [
"There are 400 shark species in the United States.",
"It's illegal to eat shark fin soup in the United States.",
"Most sharks are not interested in a h... | Sharks have been swimming in the ocean for millions of years. They were on Earth even before dinosaurs! At the top of the world's ocean's food chain, sharks help keep the population of other ocean animals in balance. A large drop in the number of sharks can cause serious problems for all ocean animals. Saving sharks makes sense!
Many people are afraid of sharks. But most sharks are harmless. Only a small percentage of sharks are known to attack humans. It adapt well to new habitats and eat whatever is available. However, today, sharks are in trouble. Nearly one-third of the 400 shark species are in danger of extinction, largely due to over-fishing. Each year, tens of millions of sharks are caught and killed just for their fins . The fins are used to make shark fin soup.
Humane Society International (HSI) joined with the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots program and Beijing Zoo to protect sharks. An exhibit at the zoo, "the Price Behind the Taste-----Protect Sharks. Don't Eat Shark Fins", was designed to tell people that shark finning is cruel and unnecessary. It's hoped that the activity will help put an end to _ .
Shark fin soup is also eaten in the United States. In fact, the numbers of some shark species in US waters have dropped 90 percent in the last 30 years. To slow the fall, laws against the sale of shark fins have been passed in several states, including Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and California. | high7943.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It was put in the bank."
},
"options": [
"She kept it as pocket money.",
"It was spent on toys.",
"She used it to buy more pigs.",
"It was put in the bank."
],
"question": "What did Lindsay do with her first pri... | Lindsay Binegar of Greenfield, Ohio, made her first $ 100 at the age of four, when she won a prize for showing a pig from her family's farm to the local 4H Club. Most kids would be thrilled to spend that money on toys, but not Lindsay. "I didn't get the money; it went to the bank," she told the Columbus Dispatch.
Over the years, Lindsay kept on raising and showing pigs, and kept on winning prizes. Some were $ 100 for small wins, but she won thousands of dollars for championship prizes at county fairs. Before long, she earned an impressive amount of cash--but, aside from a purse when she was 14, Lindsay had never spent a dollar of her savings. By the time she was 18, she had got more than $ 40,000, which she planned to put towards her college education at nearby Ohio University.
But her parents said that if she continued living at home while attending school, they wouldn't have to pay for her dorm housing, and would be willing to cover the entire cost of her education. It sounded like a good deal to Lindsay. But what should she do with her savings?
Her father had an idea:buy a house, just as he'd done when he was young. He used the house's sale to help him buy the family farm where Lindsay had grown up and raised all those lucrative pigs. Lindsay was able to buy a house in Greenfield, paying for the entire purchase in cash. She did a bit of painting and then rented it out for $ 450 a month.
After finishing college, Lindsay plans to marry Heath McNeal, and use the income from her house to buy a block of land and build a new house. But she'll never move too far from home. "I would like to stay in Greenfield," she said. "I just love everybody here. "
At her current rate, she'll probably be the town's biggest real estate tycoon by the age of 25. | high18920.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the reserve of heart diseases"
},
"options": [
"the treatment of mental diseases",
"the reserve of heart diseases",
"the cure of gene-related diseases",
"the bearing of babies"
],
"question": "According to the t... | Human cloning technology could be used to reserve heart attacks. Scientists believe that they may be able to treat heart attack by cloning their healthy heart cells and injecting them into the areas of the heart that have been damaged, and other problems may be solved if human cloning and its technology are not forbidden.
With cloning, _ couples could have children. Current treatments for infertility, in terms of percentages, are not very successful. Couples go through physical and emotionally painful procedures for a small chance of having children. Many couples run out of time and money without successfully having children. Human cloning could make it possible for many more infertile couples to have children than ever before.
We should be able to clone the bone marrow for children and adults suffering from leukemia . This is expected to be one of the first benefits to come from cloning technology. We may learn how to switch cells on and off through cloning and thus be able to cure cancer.
Cloning technology can be used to test for and perhaps cure gene-related diseases. The above is just a few examples of what human cloning technology can do for mankind. This new technology promises unprecedented advancement in medicine if people will release their fears and let the benefit begin. | high4292.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "her looks and shape"
},
"options": [
"her desire to succeed in it",
"her looks and shape",
"the help of her father",
"the competition with her friend"
],
"question": "Aria's success as a model resulted from _ ... | Aria Ricardo was a beautiful, slim young woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin.She used to work as a model and earn as much as $ 2 000 in one day in front of the camera.She modeled for top magazines in Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and throughout the United States.
Aria's father, now retired because of a disability, was a police officer who really loved his work.Aria would rather follow in her father's footsteps than pursue her modeling career.She remembered listening to her father tell stories when he came home after a day on the beat.The excitement, tensions and risks of police work appealed to her.
Aria got started in the modeling business quite by accident.She accompanied a friend to an interview at a modeling agency.Her friend wanted the job, while Aria didn't.The people at the agency were impressed with Aria's appearance and poise.They knew she'd be brilliant in front of the camera.So they sent her on her first modeling job--for Seventeen Magazine--right away.
Despite her success as a model, Aria never gave up her dream of being a police officer.She passed the written exam for the New York Police Department.She planned to enter the Police Academy as quickly as possible.Her family and friends thought she was out of her mind even to consider such a thing.Police work was dangerous and the pay couldn't compare to a top model's income.But Aria knew what she wanted, and she went for it.She had never really intended to be a model anyway.Finally she hooked her fish. | high21179.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "forget one's part before the audience"
},
"options": [
"forget one's part before the audience",
"smile all the time on the stage",
"make a speech faster than ever",
"be cautious to improve his performance"
],
"q... | People who speak or perform before the public sometimes may suffer from "Stage Fright. " Stage fright makes a person nervous. In the worst case it can make one's mind go back and forget what one ought to say, or to act. Actors, musicians, dancers, lawyers, even radio show hosts have suffered from stage fright at one time or another.
Diana Nichols is an expert in helping people free from stage fright at a medical centre in New York City. She helps actors learn to control themselves. Miss Nichols says some people have always been afraid to perform before the audience. Others, she says, develop stage fright after a fearful experience.
She offers them ways to control the fear. One way is to smile before going onto the stage. Taking two deep breaths also helps. Deep breathing helps you get control of your body.
Miss Nichols persuades her patients to tell themselves that their speech or performance does not have to the perfect. It's all right to make a mistake. She tells them they should not be too cautious while they are performing. It is important that they should continue to perform while she is helping them. After each performance, they discuss what happened and find out what advice helped and what did not. As they perform more and more, they will fear less and less as much as 50%. Miss Nichols says the aim is only to reduce stage fright, not to _ it completely. This is because a little stage fright makes a person more cautious, and improves the performance. | high8480.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "3"
},
"options": [
"2",
"3",
"4",
"5"
],
"question": "How many countries are mentioned in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "On the a... | Well-known lines by Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu describe a sad scene in early April: "The ceaseless drizzle drips all the dismal day. So broken-hearted fares the traveler on the way.(,)".
In China, Qingming Day, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls every April. People visit their ancestors' graves to clean away the dirt. Schools sometimes organize a trip to a local martyr's park where students show their respect for those who lost their lives in revolutionary wars.
In most Western countries there is no equivalent of tomb-sweeping day, but people still value the opportunity to remember loved ones. On the anniversary of a death, s visit the cemetery. Often they will leave flowers.
In the US, the last Monday of May is Memorial Day. It is a holiday to show respect for those who died defending the country. The most common way to recognize the day is to wear a small piece of yellow ribbon on the chest. People also fly their own American flags. Sometimes they put a small flag on their car, tied to the antenna .Flags are also flown in yards. In the morning, all flags should be flown at half-mast in honor of fallen soldiers.
In Britain, people wear red paper replica poppies in November in remembrance of those who died or were injured in all fighting, but most particularly in World War I. Why the poppy? It goes back to a poem written by John McCrae in 1915. He saw the fragile flowers growing on the graves of soldiers.
McCrae wrote: "In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row." The poppies make people think of fields of blood. The flowers also live only briefly, like the soldiers who fell in the war. | high22458.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they are twins with different skin colours"
},
"options": [
"they are fraternal twins",
"their siblings are all black",
"they are hybrids of multi-racial parents",
"they are twins with different skin colours"
],
... | When Lucy and Maria Aylmer tell people they are twins, disbelief is the response. The 18-year-olds from Gloucester, U.K. are two of the five children born to their Caucasian father and "half-Jamaican" mother. While their other siblings (brothers and sisters) have a blend of features from their parents who have different skin colours, Lucy and Maria are unique: Lucy has fair skin and red hair, while Maria has brown skin and dark hair.
"No one ever believes we are twins because I am white and Maria is black," Lucy said. "Even when we dress alike, we still don't look like sisters, let alone twins. When we meet friends for the first time they all refuse to believe we are twins and some have even made us produce our birth certificates to prove that we are really twins."
Unlike identical twins, fraternal twins are bom from two separate eggs. The BBC reports that for a biracial couple expecting twins, there is about a 1 in 500 chance those twins will have different skin colors.
The Aylmers are proud of their uniqueness.
"Now we have grown older, even though we still look so different, the bond between us is much stronger," Lucy said. "Now we are proud of the fact that we are each other's twin sister. Maria loves telling people at college that she has a white twin sister -- and I'm very proud of having a black twin sister, too." | high9946.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "RMB 0.2 will be saved each time if you use E-purse rather than cash on the bus."
},
"options": [
"It's always important to carry enough small money with you every day.",
"It only costs RMB 25 to get around in Chengdu by bus per mon... | When foreigners come to Chengdu, a good alternative is to get around by taking the bus. Once getting used to going by bus, you will discover that it is actually not that bad.
Although a ride usually covers two or twenty stops, a bus ride costs RMB 2 in Chengdu. It is important to carry enough small money with you, because it is not usual to get back changes. Even though it is cheap, you can pay less and save some trouble if you get a RMB 25 bus card at your local pharmacy, Hongqi Chain Store or bus station terminal office--note that personal identification is needed. Explain to the worker that you want to purchase a bus card.
With this card, one bus drive costs only RMB 1 if you use a card based on frequency of your ride. If your card is based on the so called E-purse, you pay each time RMB 1.80 for the bus. If you require the use of subway, you can ask the cashier at the Hongqi Chain Store to activate the metro. After having your bus card, you can store money on your travel card. The fees for bus and metro have to be stored separately.
It is important to keep in mind that the money on the card does not overlap. For example, you charge 40 bus rides on the card, but you only used 20 during the month, the rest 20 will be invalid at the beginning of the next month and you have to recharge the card. Therefore, it is important to calculate the exact numbers of bus rides you will have to take.
After you have your own bus card, one swipe is only needed when you get on the bus at the front door. If you only manage to get on the bus at the back door, just ask the passengers to pass your card to the front and swipe it for you. With the bus card, you can transfer buses for fee if the travel time is within two hours.
Furthermore, it is to stress that you should keep an eye on your belongings while being on the bus. Generally, Chengdu is a safe place but most of the thefts are occurring on buses, at train stations or crowded large area, like the shopping street Chunxi Road.
Due to the fact that the place names are announced in Chinese, it is better to know the Chinese name of your destination. Even though there are announcements in English, they will sound like the following: "The next stop is Jinjiang Binguan (Jinjiang Hotel)" | high656.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The contents of the agreement."
},
"options": [
"The place to get a full refund.",
"The contents of the agreement.",
"When to click \"YES\" or \"NO\".",
"Why to be bound by the agreement."
],
"question": "What m... | By installing the software, you acknowledge that you have read all of the terms and conditions of this agreement and agree to be bound by them. Click "YES" and continue to install the game. If you do not agree to the terms of this agreement, click "NO" and directly return to the entire package to the place of purchase for a full refund .
LIMITED LICENSE: You may use this software for your own use, but may not sell or reproduce the software in any way. You may use one copy of the software on a single computer. You may not network the software or use it on more than one computer at the same time.
OWNERSHIP; COPYRIGHT: Title to the software, patents, copyrights, and all other property rights shall at all times remain entirely with Great Games. Software is protected by law and by international treaty. You may not cause or permit the software to be disclosed, copied, modified, adapted, or otherwise reduced to human readable form.
LIMITED WARRANTY : Great Games warrants for a period of ninety days from the purchase of this copy of the game that the software is free from errors or defects that will seriously interfere with the operation of the software as described in the Documentation.
If you believe you have found any such error or defect in the software during the warranty period and are in the United States, call Great Games' helpline at 800-383-2647 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. midnight, Monday through Friday, holidays excluded, and provide your Product Number; or if you are outside the United States, send your original software disc to Great Games at 3281 N. Risk St., Ocala, FL, 32410. Include your return address and Great Games will replace the disc within a reasonable period of time. | high23746.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a kind of food"
},
"options": [
"a cook",
"an instructor",
"a kind of food",
"an artist"
],
"question": "From the text we may learn that Sushi is_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | There are some highlights in April in Shanghai.
Live Music - Late Night Jazz
Enjoy real American jazz from Herbie Davis, the famous trumpet player. He's coming with his new 7 - piece band, Herbie's Heroes. Herbie is known to play well into the early hours, so don't expect to get much sleep. This is Herbie's third visit to Shanghai. The first two were sold out, so get your tickets quickly.
Place: The Jazz Club Dates:15 - 23 April Price:Y=80
Time: 10:00 p.m. till late! TEL:6466 - 8736
Scottish dancing
Take your partners and get ready to dance till you drop. Scottish dancing is fun and easy to learn. Instructors will demonstrate the dances. The live band, Gordon Stroppie and the Weefrees, are also excellent.
Place: Jack Stein's Dates: every Monday Price:Y=60 including one drink
Time: 7:00 - 00:00 p.m. TEL:6402 - 1877
Exhibitions - Shanghai Museum
There are 120,000 pieces on show here. You can see the whole of Chinese history under one roof. It's always interesting to visit, but doubly so at the moment with the Egyptian Tombs exhibition. There are lots of mummies and more gold than you've ever seen before. Let us know if you see a mummy move!
Place: Shanghai Museum Price:Y=30(Y=15 for students)
TEL:6888 - 6888 Dates: daily
Time: Monday - Friday 9:00 a. m. - 5:00 p. m., Weekends 9:00 a. m. - 9:00p.m.
Dining - Sushi chef in town
Sushi is getting really big in Shanghai. In Japan, it's become an art form. The most famous Sushi 'artist' is Yuki Kamura. She's also one of the few female chefs in Japan. She'll be at Sushi Scene all of this month.
Place: Sushi Scene in the Shanghai Hotel Dates: all month
Price: Y=200 Time: lunchtime TEL: 6690 - 3211
For a full listing of events, see our website. | high16925.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Allowing people to connect to the Internet easily."
},
"options": [
"Sending Internet signals to other planets in space.",
"Making it easier for astronauts to communicate.",
"Allowing people to connect to the Internet easily.... | Imagine life without the Internet -- not being able to chat with your friends or look up information for your homework or research project. That is the reality for nearly two-thirds of our world's population, either because they cannot afford WiFi access or are located in remote, inaccessible areas. Now Google has decided to do something about that.
Google's Project Loon will attempt to send balloons high up into our earth's atmosphere in 2015. Each balloon will be equipped with a mini computer and a WiFi radio that will send Internet signals over the places it is floating over.
The network equipment on Google balloons will communicate with a special antenna attached to each user's home. These antennae are in turn connected to a local Internet Service Provider. Each balloon will also communicate with each other to hand over signals as one floats out of an area, and another floats in.
The balloons are 15 meters wide and made of a material that is three times thicker than the plastic bag at the supermarket. This helps them defend themselves against cold temperatures and changing air pressure. Google balloons will circle the earth at a height of 20 kilometers-- in a layer of our atmosphere known as the stratosphere . This is higher than the altitude at which planes fly. Once the balloons reach the desired altitude after being released from the earth, they will ride on air currents.
What keeps these balloons from flying away? They will be controlled by people at the Project Loon command center. A pump operating on solar power will fill the balloon with gas to raise it or let gas out to lower it, based on instructions. This allows the balloon to float on different air currents which are moving either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
There is no doubt that this technology can bring education to many children, weather information to farmers, and communication to natural disaster areas. However, one big question remains -- will some countries be comfortable with balloons above their heads? There could be concerns about spying and other problems. | high18908.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the whole development of a student"
},
"options": [
"the value-added data of the times",
"students' scores of standardized tests",
"the whole development of a student",
"the feedback of students and parents"
],
... | An argument is appearing in Los Angeles over whether a newspaper should publish teachers' names
along with an analysis of how well they do in raising their students' standardized test scores.
Some people argue that transparency should exist at all costs, but others hold that it's unfair to
label individual teachers using possibly flawed statistics. Some worry that anger over the
forthcoming Los Angeles Timesarticle will make people oppose so-called "value added" analysis of
teacher performance, which is the method the Times uses.
"This incident with the L.A. Times is where the advocates for value-added are getting a bit
ahead of themselves," says Douglas Harris, an education professor. " _
the gun on this kind of thing."
"Value-added data" is the latest trend in teacher responsibility: the idea that a student's gain from the
previous year's test -- as opposed to his or her overall performance -- can be measured and tied to the
latest teacher.
"There are too many variables in the testing process," says A.J. Duffy. But he says he opposes
using value-added data in evaluations at all, although he acknowledges it could be a useful tool to give
teachers feedback. "I believe in a system that emphasizes the whole student, not just standardized tests,"
he says.
Proponents of value-added say that's a valid criticism, agreeing that no one should expect
that student gains on a standardized test could capture the creativity or broader enrichment that goes on in
many teachers' classrooms. The District of Columbia which attracted argument for its decision to fire
teachers based in part on value-added data, uses that data for 50 percent of the evaluation, relying on
other measures such as classroom observation for the rest. "No one is suggesting using _ as a single
measure of performance," says Paige Kowalski.
Barnett Berry, a professor, is even more critical of it. Value-added data can be useful, he and others
say, but it's important to acknowledge its limitations. It doesn't take into account, for instance, constant
student absence and learning gains due to summer school, after-school programs, or supplemental
teachers, such as reading specialists. | high21151.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "stay clean"
},
"options": [
"stay clean",
"help each other",
"get their food",
"Take baths"
],
"question": "The passage is mainly about how animals_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | Pigs are always considered dirty animals because they roll in mud.But in fact they prefer being quite clean.They cover themselves with mud to help stay cool.During cooler weather, they prefer to stay clean.So do elephants,who also cover themselves in dust or mud to keep cool. When they find a place with clean water they will take a bath,using their long noses to give themselves--or each other--a nice shower
Some animals use dust to get clean.Chinchillas have very fine fur. They don`t like to take water baths because water is not warm enough for them.So, instead, they roll around in fine dust.The dust helps to keep their fur and skin dry.This protects them from disease
Usually, a small bird is a light meal for a crocodile.But when a crocodile wants its teeth cleaned.it lies on the ground with its mouth open.The crocodile bird goes in and picks out any parasites between the crocodile`s teeth or under its tongue.The crocodile gets its mouth cleaned,and the crocodile bird gets dinner.
You wouldn`t think fish would need baths.But some undersea parasites live under the fish`s skin."Cleaner"fish,like the wrasse ,help take them away.The wrasse stands on its head and dances to signal a big fish that it is ready to go into the cleaning business.The big fish will stop moving and open its mouth wide so the wrasse can swim inside and pick out parasites and bits of food. | high2813.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "explores the lakes, rivers and the creatures in them"
},
"options": [
"explores the lakes, rivers and the creatures in them",
"is devoted to the fresh water creatures in the world",
"explain the relationship among inhabitants... | Fresh Water provides an expansive subject for the third program in the BBC's fascinating new natural history series. Broadly, we investigate the world's lakes and rivers and the creatures which inhabit them. Thus we visit the deepest lake on the planet, Lake Baikal in Siberia. We observe colonies of Indian smooth-coated otters. A magical series which gives us a real sense of context in relation to the planet we inhabit.
BBC 2
FAMILY GUY
11.45PM
Road to Europe, without proper identification, Brian and Stewie stow away on a plane they think is leaving for England. They're wrong, and soon they're in Saudi Arabia (Brian: "Oh my God, we are finished. We are lost in the desert.") at the beginning of a long trip home.
ITV 1
AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT
9PM
Cards on the Table, Tonight's mystery concerns the death of one of London's richest and most mysterious men, Mr. Shaitana (Alexander Siddig), who has a fascination with crime. Shaitana hosts dinner and a game of bridge in his apartment, but when the time comes for the first guests to take their leave, they discover that their host has been stabbed through the heart.
CHANNEL 4
THE GAMES: LIVE
9PM
For the first time on The Games, the men fight in a Kendo tournament, using 1.2m shinai (bamboo swords). The women compete in the cycling, racing wheel-to-wheel on competition bikes with no brakes. Plus other news from the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. | high17385.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Lazy Animal"
},
"options": [
"Wild Animals",
"Animal Kingdom",
"Moss Growth",
"The Lazy Animal"
],
"question": "A suitable title for this passage might be _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | "A rolling stone gathers no moss ," but there is one living animal that does gather moss -- the three-toed sloth of South America. This slowest-moving member of the animal kingdom is so inactive that moss actually gathers on its body and turns it green -- strange as it seems!
Most of the sloth's life is spent motionless, hanging upside down from a limb . And that is the way its hair grows. Long and coarse, the strands from receptacles for the damp jungle algae turn the brown fur a mossy green. Actually this moss helps the animal survive because it serves as a perfect camouflage against the leafy trees and hides the sloth from the jungle's swift-moving hunters. The sloth would have little chance of survival on the ground. With long, curved claws hooded over the limb of a leafy tree, it spends the long hot hours during the day drowsing and eating. Inch by inch, it strips the leafy limbs bare and crawls slowly down the trunk to find a new dining spot, but only at night.
In addition to looking rather like a vegetable, the sloth is a strict vegetarian. Running out of its favorite leaf is about the only thing that will make a sloth move. Then its appetite may even force the animal into swimming a stream to reach a succulent . It will also force it into fighting to keep the tree all to itself. The sloth is lazy and prefers to be alone, but it will tolerate its own s! | high23020.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "means how fast exposed skin freezes"
},
"options": [
"means how fast exposed skin freezes",
"doesn't affect your head as much as other body parts",
"changes according to the temperature on the thermometer",
"changes fro... | Have you ever walked outside thinking it was one temperature but quickly discovered it felt colder? That is because of the "wind chill" effect.
Wind chill is how cold people and animals feel when they are outside, not the actual temperature on the thermometer . It is based on how quickly your body loses heat when it is exposed to wind and cold. When the wind is strong, your body quickly loses heat, making the temperature of your skin drop.
When scientists first started calculating wind chill, they used research conducted in 1945 by explorers to Antarctica who measured how quickly water froze outside.
But water freezes faster than exposed skin, so the wind chill index based on that data wasn't accurate.
In 2001, the US government began to measure wind chill more precisely by testing how quickly people's skin froze.
Twelve volunteers were placed in a chilled wind tunnel. Equipment was stuck to their faces to measure the heat flow from their cheeks, forehead, nose and chin while they walked three miles per hour on a treadmill .
The experiment revealed how quickly exposed skin can be damaged, particularly unprotected areas like your fingers, toes, the tip of your nose and your ear lobes. In fact, 40 percent of your body heat can be lost through your head! Signs you might have frostbite are when the skin turns white or pale and you lose feeling in that area.
The information collected from the volunteers helped scientists work out the math to compute wind chill. It involves wind speed and air temperature.
If, for example, the temperature outside is zero degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 15 miles per hour, the wind chill is calculated at 19 degrees below zero. At that wind chill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.
You can find a calculation table at www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/index.shtml.
Experts advise in cold weather that you wear loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, worn on top of each other. Air caught between the clothes will keep you warm. The best cold-weather coats have head coverings made of woven material that keep out water. So next time the temperature drops and you want to play outside, listen to your parents when they tell you to wrap up warm! | high130.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "childhood friendship is of great significance to their growth"
},
"options": [
"childhood friendship is of great significance to their growth",
"a positive friendship helps children solve emotional and physical problems",
"it... | Research shows that childhood friendships are important indicators of future success and social adjustment. Children's relationships with peers strongly influence their success in school, and children with fewer friends are more at risk of dropping out of school, becoming depressed and other problems.
Making and Keeping Friends Is More than Child's Play
When 6yearold Rachel returned to school on a recent Monday morning, her eyes immediately scanned the playground for her friend Abbie. "Though they were only separated by a weekend, the girls ran right into each other's arms and hugged," recalls Rachel's mother Kathryn Willis of Gilbert. "It was like a scene from a movie."
Most parents instinctively know that having friends is good for their child. Experts agree that friendship is not simply child's play, but a powerful predictor of social adjustment throughout life.
A Skill for Life
"Childhood friendships serve as a very important training ground for adulthood," says Dr.Robbie AdlerTapia, psychologist with the Center for Children's Health & Life Development at the East Valley Family Resource Center.
Researcher William Hartup states, "Peer relations contribute significantly to both social and cognitive development." Hartup concludes that the single best childhood predictor of adult social adaptation is not school grades or classroom behavior, but rather, how well a child gets along with other children.
The work of Arizona State University professor of Developmental Psychology Gary Ladd proves that being able to make and keep friends is beneficial to kids while the lack of friends is _ .
Good Friendships Don't Just Happen
Experts agree that it is essential for children to establish highquality friendships. But, researchers warn, these friendships don't necessarily just happen. Often, a good friendship begins with involved parents.
Psychologist Dr.Lynne Kenney Markan believes kids should be taught social skills in much the same way they are taught math and reading.
Bad Company
Many parents worry about the quality as well as the quantity of their child's friendships. "When she was in 1st grade, her supposed 'best friend' began calling her names and threatening to hurt her," says Mindy Miller. "My daughter wasn't allowed to talk to or even look at other girls in her class. It really crushed her spirit. I told my daughter she didn't need a 'friend' like that."
"I'll bend over backwards to help my son get together with a friend I think is good for him," AdlerTapia says. "I don't look at it as manipulation ,just positive parental involvement." | high14854.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "have a good impression of the new culture"
},
"options": [
"find the new culture is hard to accept",
"miss their family and friends very much",
"begin to understand what culture shock is",
"have a good impression of the... | Most people who move to a foreign country may experience a period of time when they have a lot of stress in the new culture. This feeling is often called "culture shock" and it is important to learn how to deal with culture shock. First of all, you should know that everyone in a new situation will go through some form of culture shock. There are four general stages of cultural adjustment .
The first stage is usually referred to as the honeymoon stage. Upon arriving in a new environment, you'll be interested in the new culture. Everything will seem exciting, and everyone will seem friendly and helpful.
The second stage is called the withdrawal stage. The excitement that you felt before changes to frustration as you find it difficult to deal with new problems. The language is hard to learn; friends are hard to make; simple things like shopping and going to the bank are challenges. It is at this stage that you are likely to feel anxious and homesick.
If you are one of those who manage to stick it out , you will enter the third stage---- the recovery stage. At this point, you'll feel more confident in the new culture. You'll start to understand and accept the way things are done and the way people behave in your new environment.
The last stage is the stability stage---- this is the point when people start to feel at home in the new culture. At this stage, you will behave well in the new culture, and prefer some aspects of the new culture to your own culture.
There is, in a sense, a fifth stage to this process. If you decide to return home after a long period in a new culture, you may experience what is called "reverse culture shock". This means that you may find aspects of your own culture "foreign", because you're so used to the new culture. Reverse culture shock is usually pretty mild and doesn't last for very long. | high14698.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The history of using forks for dining."
},
"options": [
"The different designs of forks.",
"The spread of fork-aided cooking.",
"The history of using forks for dining.",
"The development of fork-related table manners."
... | Forks trace their origins back to the ancient Greeks. Forks at that time were fairly large with two tines that aided in the cutting of meat in the kitchen. The tines prevented meat from twisting or moving during cutting and allowed food to slide off more easily than it would with a knife.
By the 7th century A.D., royal courts of the Middle East began to use forks at the table for dining. From the 10th through the 13th centuries, forks were fairly common among the wealthy in Byzantium. In the 11th century, a Byzantine wife brought forks to Italy; however, they were not widely adopted there until the 16th century. Then in 1533, forks were brought from Italy to France. The French were also slow to accept forks, for using them was thought to be awkward.
In 1608, forks were brought to England by Thomas Coryate, who saw them during his travels in Italy. The English first ridiculed forks as being unnecessary. "Why should a person need a fork when God had given him hands?" they asked. Slowly, however, forks came to be adopted by the wealthy as a symbol of their social status. They were prized possessions made of expensive materials intended to impress guests. By the mid 1600s, eating with forks was considered fashionable among the wealthy British.
Early table forks were modeled after kitchen forks, but small pieces of food often fell through the two tines or slipped off easily. In late 17th century France, larger forks with four curved tines were developed. The additional tines made diners less likely to drop food, and the curved tines served as a scoop so people did not have to constantly switch to a spoon while eating. By the early 19th century, four-tined forks had also been developed in Germany and England and slowly began to spread to America. | high23034.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "convenient"
},
"options": [
"environmentally-friendly",
"energy efficient",
"convenient",
"cheap"
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT the advantage of the homes built by Phillips?",
"question_type"... | Can you imagine living in a house built by recycled waste?
Texas home builder Dan Phillips transforms trash into artful treasures, creating beautiful floors with wood pieces, kitchen counters from ivory -colored bones and roofs out of license plates .
The fantastic houses which spring from his imagination are made almost entirely of materials which would otherwise have ended up in a garbage area.
" People have been doing this for hundreds of thousands of years; using whatever is available to build shelter, " Phillips said."If you think about carefully what could be used, then building materials are everywhere.
The thirteen homes he has built so far would fit better in an art museum than the residential streets of Huntsville, a conservative town of about 35 ,000 people.
Living in these houses is a bit like living in a roadside attraction."Almost every day, somebody knocks on the door and says ' Is there any way that we could see?' "said Edie Wells, an artist who rents a room in the Bone House.Her home features a stairway made of bones, floors covered in wine corks and beer bottle caps.Wells said visitors are most impressed when they see a bathroom with its walls, floor and ceiling entirely covered with broken mirror pieces.
In addition, each house is highly energy efficient with plenty insulation , an on-demand solar hot water heater and a system that can collect and recycle rainwater to clean the toilet and wash clothes.
Phillips founded Phoenix Commotion 12 years ago with the aim of creating a new model for sustainable housing.For as little as $ 10,000 it builds affordable homes for single parents, low-income families and artists.
The company has used hundreds of tons of construction waste by recycling the materials into habitable buildings.
Phillips tries to spread his recycled-house idea by speaking at events across the United States, and by using the Internet to reach out to like-minded individuals.Phillips said: "I'm not going to be saving the world anytime soon.But there needs to be at least some visibility for this model in this century. | high124.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "talk to yourself and name things as you pass them"
},
"options": [
"try to find a language club in your area",
"talk to yourself and name things as you pass them",
"not to be afraid to make mistakes",
"listen to music i... | Talk to yourself
It may be obvious, but the best way to get better at a language is to speak it. Even if there is no one around to speak to, talk to yourself. Name things as you pass them - chair, television, cat, tree, school. Learn basic phrases like - 'it is cold today' or 'it is sunny today' and use whichever is appropriate when you first look out of the window. This simple language learning tip will help this everyday vocabulary sink in and become second nature.
Talk to friends
Even if they don't speak the language, talk to the people you know in your new language. Warm them in advance that you are practicing your new knowledge and they will know what's coming. Even a simple 'good morning ' or 'see you later' in your new language will make those phrases more natural to you. Your friends may even start to pick up a few phrases as well.
Listen to music
Listen to music in your new language. You'll hear the language used in a real context and this will help you pick out the rhythm and the pronunciation even better. You will also come to further understand and better appreciate the culture behind the language.
Make mistakes
The easiest language learning tip to try! Go ahead and speak and write! Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because I guarantee you will! In fact, you will learn as much from your mistake as you will learn from your success .Never let the fear of making any mistakes hold you back. Without making any mistakes, how will you ever to be fluent or even comfortable with the language?
Find a language club
When you are ready, try to find a language club in your area. Speaking with other people who have already gone through or are still going through the process of learning the language can be extremely helpful. They will give you lots of language learning tips and helpful advice. | high21623.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The boy was too shy to give his gift to his teacher."
},
"options": [
"Sometimes the boy handed his gift to his teacher directly.",
"Some classmates of the boy's noticed him put his gift on the corner of her desk.",
"The boy ... | Miss Benson was the kindest and sweetest person that ever walked the earth. She was my second-grade teacher, and I was going to marry her when I grew up. I would sit in my seat for the entire morning. I wouldn't miss one moment for her presence by leaving the room.
My hand was always the first to be raised when Miss Benson called for volunteers to clean the blackboards or gather papers. I would arrange and rearrange the papers. They had to be in perfect order before I went back to my seat unwillingly.
Early in the term, I started asking my mother to put an extra apple or peach in my lunch, but I never quite worked up the courage to hand my gift to her directly. Each day the delicacy found its way unobserved to the corner of her desk. And each day the response was the same.
''Why, how nice! '' She would pick up the offering and asked: ''What thoughtful little boy or girl brought me this? ''
No one claimed the honor, least of all me. I kept my head down, looking at my desk.
''Can it be that I have a secret admirer? '' she added.
I would feel the red rising in my face. I was certain that everyone was looking at me, and I would sigh with relief when Miss Benson put the fruit away and started the lesson.
Friday was Miss Benson's birthday. Everyone wanted to get her a present. I would give her something, openly. That afternoon was spent combing the fields for wild flowers. Not many were in bloom at that time of year, but finally I managed a patch of beautiful flowers...
In the morning I went to the desk and gave the beautiful flowers to Miss Benson. She accepted them happily and held them to her cheek for a moment. My reward was a smile and a pat on the head.
The next Monday, Miss Benson was not in class. About the middle of the morning, I was asked to go to the headmaster's office. When I arrived, I was surprised to see my mother. On a table were my beautiful flowers...
In the end I was told that the flowers were poisonous. | high17391.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "creative"
},
"options": [
"diligent",
"creative",
"friendly",
"honest"
],
"question": "Which of the following words can best describe the designer?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | A wallet that looks like a piece of newspaper, an atlas, or an express parcel receipt? Or a business card that looks like a notepad? No kidding.
Bai Minghui, a Beijing-based designer, creates his artwork using Tyvek, a synthetic paper material which is difficult to tear, waterproof and, more importantly, totally recyclable.
Born to a worker family in 1983 in Tangshan, Hebei Province, Bai worked as a graphic designer at a financial magazine in Beijing after graduating from Minzu University of China.
In the spring of 2008, Bai visited an exhibition about Tyvek in Beijing's 798 art zone, and then worked with the material, trying to bring his designs to life. The first thing that came into his mind was the paper wallet, a must-try handicraft assignment that most Chinese students do in elementary school.
"A paper wallet is definitely more useful than a paper crane or frog," Bai told Beijing Review, smiling. "At first, many people have no idea what it is, because it looks like a piece of newspaper or an express parcel receipt, and feels like real paper. But it's hard to tear."
"The completed, folded wallet is seamless , which creates so much fun for a designer. To be honest, I didn't think about profits at all," he said.
After months of research and development on printing and designing, the first generation of his paper wallet made a stunning debut in May 2008. The second generation, which offers a greater range of pattern options, was put on the market at the beginning of 2009.
"You can have graffiti or write down phone numbers on it, or paint whatever you like. I would like people to be able to use it easily," he said. "I don't want to do things without creative ideas. Now my focus is on how to create better design rather than the wallet itself." | high16931.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They offer service for people of different ages."
},
"options": [
"They offer service for people of different ages.",
"The offerings in Plato's Closet are more expensive.",
"Plato's Closet only offers high-end brands for wome... | The tough economy is bringing new shoppers to the secondhand market. Plato's Closet in Chaelotte, NC is a private company, which mainly buys and sells used clothes. While Charlotte has outstanding secondhand stores offering high-end and graceful brands for women, most of their stock applies to adults. Plato's closet targets teens and those in their 20s. Plato's Closet , with stores in Matthews and the university area, sells clothes and accessories that are currently popular at about one third the retail prices .
The two hottest brands, for buying and selling, are Hollister and Abercrombie &Fitch. Even though the offerings tend to be suitable for young people, there are a variety of shoppers at Plato's Closet of varying ages. Women in their 30s, 40s, and older could easily find a purse, jacket or piece of jewelry they like.
If you are selling
Unlike higher-end resale stores which usually work on consignment ,Plato's Closet buys on the spot.
Items can be gently used, but must be in very good condition.
Clothes should be less than two years old and styles should be the same as those still being sold at the shopping center.
There is no negotiation; prices are set company-wide. If what you sell amounts to $30 or less, they'll give you cash. More than that, you'll get a Visa cash card.
Secondhand success
Don't get discouraged if you can't find something on your first trip. Resale shops are always getting new lists of goods and change their styles with each season.
Be sure to check each piece carefully before buying.
Price comparison
Jackets: New York & Company black blazer, $12; retail: $37
Pants: Express Editor-style pants, $12; retail: $69.90.
Shoes: Nine West black peep-toe pumps, $12; retail: $89.
Jewelry: Necklaces, $3-$5; retail: $18-$30. | high10398.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the activities are carried on in an interesting style"
},
"options": [
"it has quite experienced teachers",
"it teaches Indian languages at different levels",
"the activities are arranged for the whole day",
"the activi... | Camp Jano India
Celebrate Indian culture, languages, arts, festivals and literature. Weekly themes are brought to life through related arts, games, projects, stories and theatre in a very unique, exciting, creative, interactive and structured style. A very unique and memorable experience that kids will want to repeat! Mornings are spent with the Hindi language at the child's level. Afternoons provide the cultural elements taught in an interactive style with special emphasis on drama.
Bay Language Academy
We invite campers (4-12 years old) to travel and open up doors to explore past and recent civilizations through daily field trips. Cultures will be shown through customs and cooking. Lectures (6/10-8/30) will introduce/reinforce French, Spanish or Chinese and the cultures they convey. Our language summer-camp is infused with cultural activities and taught by a team of bilingual instructors.
Petits Confettis
Want your 3- to 5-year-old kids to experience a French camp? Come and join us for 6 weeks of French camps!
Kids will be totally happy to learn French and French culture while they take part in team projects like building a tipi or making French bread. Weekly themes include cooking, arts, drama, outdoor activities, board games, music, yoga, rhymes and story time.
Chinese Immersion Summer Camp
This is our 11th Chinese language and culture summer camp. We take children from 6th grade. This year we continue the weekly fun themes like art, science, cooking and sports in the morning. In the afternoon, we have abacus, reading and Chinese culture lessons taught in Chinese. Our teachers are all native speakers with a lot of experience. Our weekly field trips go to different places like SF zoo, tech museums, fire stations etc. | high11086.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "some students have to leave school"
},
"options": [
"class sizes at some high schools have risen",
"some students don't have a desk to sit at",
"some students have to share textbooks",
"some students have to leave schoo... | Education cuts have become routine over the past few years, which has made it difficult for students to learn. The results of a survey of 1,850 Los Angeles County high school students show just how much the cuts are affecting students.
Because of teacher layoffs , class sizes at some high schools have risen to 50 students -- even in math and English classes. Some 37 percent of students report that they sometimes don't have a desk to sit at. Sixty-seven percent say crowded classrooms make them feel the teachers don't have enough time to teach, and 30 percent say they've not been able to join in a program because it's no longer offered at their school.
At a time when technology is an important skill, 52 percent of students say there aren't enough computers. Or they're often broken, and there's no one to fix them. Fifty-one percent say they've had to share textbooks with a classmate because there aren't enough copies to go around. Fifty-seven percent say they've had to copy information because their school doesn't have enough paper to make copies.
"We have only one science teacher for the entire high school," writes Felix Ruano, a 16-year-old student. He goes on to describe how that teacher, who is only _ to teach chemistry, is teaching physics -- or, at least, is trying to do so. "He shows physics videos and we teach ourselves from our textbook," says Ruano. And, as has been seen elsewhere, "all but one of the restrooms" at Ruano's school "have been closed because we don't have enough people to clean them."
Ruano notes that though faced with the challenges, 97 percent of students say they plan to go to college. But without "properly trained teachers and the best resources," says Ruano, it's not likely that every student will achieve that goal. "Unless schools fix these problems," he says, "students could lose hope." | high2807.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he read a book about a famous magician"
},
"options": [
"he read a book about a famous magician",
"he learned to pick a lock",
"he started entertaining at local parties",
"he learned to do card tricks"
],
"quest... | Harry Houdini was a man who astonished and attracted many people during his life. Whether he was escaping from a locked box or making things disappear and reappear, he surely was entertaining. People thought that he must truly have some supernatural powers, but in fact, what Harry really had was drive.
Harry was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1874. His real name was Ehrich Weiss, the third of five children. His family moved to Wisconsin not long after his birth and when he was nine, he was tying ropes all over his backyard and learning amazing tricks to show his friends and neighbors. He visited the local locksmith, and when he had reached his teens he could pick almost any lock that was made. He also learned how to do card tricks. He and his brother, Theo, would often entertain at local parties and clubs for extra money.
When Ehrich was 16, he came across a book that would actually change his life: the biography of France's greatest magician, Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin. It showed Ehrich that his hobby of magic and tricks could also be a career. Immediately, he changed his name to Harry Houdini. He and Theo headed out to make a living as magicians.
In 1893, they performed at the Chicago World's Fair, and after that they traveled around giving magic shows for anyone willing to listen and pay. Theo grew restless, however, as the jobs became scarce, so he left. His timing was perfect since Harry had just fallen in love with a lovely woman named Bess who was just the right size for slipping in and out of the trunk they used in their magic tricks. They married immediately and then off they went, traveling with circuses and other road shows. Harry learned more and more tricks and spent much of his time reading and studying all kinds of locks, especially handcuffs. However, no matter what tricks they did or how hard they tried, Bess and Harry were not doing well. They tried to sell their shows for seven years and finally, in desperation, they went to Europe.
It was the right move. Harry's persistence and constant practice were about to pay off. To get people's attention, he walked into police stations and offered to be handcuffed by all the policemen. They were shocked when he was loose only seconds later. Soon, everyone in Europe was talking about Houdini's astounding skills. He was in high demand and found himself doing more and more dangerous acts. He escaped from a straitjacket hanging upside down over the street; he escaped from locked boxes of all kinds; and, of course, he got out of any kind of handcuffs put on him.
After several years in Europe, Bess and Harry returned to the United States in victory. Harry was doing such amazing tricks that people felt he must have special powers. However, few realized how much time he spent practicing and studying. He would do special exercises to keep his body strong, and he would do tricks with his fingers to keep them flexible. He would spend large amounts of time tying and untying knots -- with his toes! For his underwater tricks, he would get in the bathtub and practice holding his breath for longer and longer times. Since many of his tricks involved being deep in icy water, he would pour buckets of ice in the tub to get accustomed to working in the cold.
The reason that Harry Houdini was such a success was that he practiced and prepared for whatever might happen. When a college student punched him in the abdomen in 1926, however, he wasn't prepared. The punch did internal damage that not even this magician could get out of. Harry died in 1926 at 52 years of age -- a master of his trade and a true legend. | high21145.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "music festival"
},
"options": [
"harvest festival",
"music festival",
"film festival",
"flower festival"
],
"question": "According to the text, Glastonbury Festival is actually a _ .",
"question_type": "c... | Glastonbury Festival, one of the pioneer festivals, is famous not only for its amazing bands, but also for its wonderful performances in many fields surrounding the stages. It attracts over 130,000 people every year, who join in the three-day party to celebrate the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.
Glastonbury Festival has been held on Worthy Farm in Somerset since 1970. This year, all sorts of singers and bands were there, from the likes of Beyonce, Jessie J, to my favorite -- Paolo Nutini, who I really wish I could have met!
We drove straight in to one of the muddiest Glastonbury Festivals ever! We came to our camp site, carrying enough clothes for a weekend of extreme weather conditions, and spent an hour or so putting up the tent. On the second day it began to rain and didn't stop for the rest of the day. We sat in the tent waiting for it to stop, and after several hours we realized that it wouldn't. When the need for food became too strong we put on boots and raincoats and made our way across many muddy fields.
There is something for everyone at the festival -- my favourite place is the Circus Field, which is full of interactive performances. Also, I love the Kidz Field, where famous CBBC stars perform, and where you can get your face painted then run around on a climbing frame with dragons. | high13849.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "people living near the sea may be healthier."
},
"options": [
"people are encouraged to move to the coast",
"people living near the sea may be healthier.",
"people pay increasingly attention to health",
"people are worr... | Living near the beach may come with an extra perk : better health. A new study analyzed information from more than 48 million people in England and found that the nearer they lived to the coast, the more likely people were to report good health within the past year.
Living near the coast may be associated with better health because the seaside environment reduces stress, the researchers said. They pointed to another British study that found that people who took trips to the coast experienced more feelings of calmness and relaxation than those who visited urban parks or the countryside.
The difference from living near the coast was relatively small. But a small effect, when applied to an entire population, can have a substantial impact on public health, said study researcher Ben Wheeler of Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Exeter, England.
However, it's too soon to advise people to hit the beach to improve health, Wheeler said. The study only found an association, not a cause-effect link, and it's possible that other factors could explain the results. For instance, it could be that people who are wealthier, and therefore healthier, are more able to move to desired locations such as the coast, Wheeler said, a phenomenon known as the migrant effect. But the study did find that the association between coastal living and better health was strongest for those living in the poorest areas, which perhaps indicates that wealth cannot explain the results, Wheeler said.
Because the study looked at only England--an island country in which everyone lives within 72 miles of the coast--it's not clear whether the findings would apply to other populations. Far from England, a health expert not involved in the study said that while the British research certainly doesn't prove that people's health and the place they live are linked, it's possible that _ to the seas does something for our bodies.
If future studies confirm the results, the next step would be to find out it is what coastal environments that can benefit health. Wheeler said it may then be possible to bring those benefits to people living in other areas, through virtual environments, for instance. | high8494.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a family show on TV"
},
"options": [
"a family show on TV",
"for kids only",
"a sports show",
"a clothes show on TV"
],
"question": "The Roy show is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Roy, and this is my show. This is a television show for all families, and I know you'll enjoy it.
Let's start with a story. Once there was a proud pig on a farm. He thought he was the most important of all the animals on the farm. But it was not enough that he himself thought this: he had to be sure that other animals thought it, too. So he went up to a chicken and asked, "Who is the most important animal on the farm?" The chicken answered, "You are, Mr. Pig." Then he asked a dog, and he got the same answer.
Next, he asked a cow. When the cow seemed _ of the right answer, the pig looked angry, and showed his teeth, "Oh, you are, of course, Mr. Pig." said the cow. "Of course," the pig said, "there is no doubt about it. "
At last the pig asked a big horse the same question. The horse lifted one foot, rolled the pig over and placed his foot on the pig's head. "I think you know the answer now." said the horse. | high9952.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Choose healthy food and snacks for your child."
},
"options": [
"Choose healthy food and snacks for your child.",
"Fruits and vegetables are good for your child.",
"Take steps to provide a good lunch for your child.",
"... | Developing healthy eating habits starts from childhood, therefore it is important for parents to teach and provide children with a healthy diet. DPHSS administrator of the Bureau of Nutrition Services, Charlie Morris told KUAM News, "A healthy diet for a child consists of a lot of fruits and vegetables in the diet limiting the amount of simple sugars in the diet and high fat food and highly processed food."
This means staying away as much as possible from food such as chips, cookies, candies and sugary drinks, as all children need to have meals which involve a well-balanced diet. Community nutritionist Thelma Romoso said, "The fruit, the vegetable, the grain, the protein, and also the milk, the diary product, so for the fruits it's easy for a mother to go into the two plus three concept of fruits and vegetables or five a day."
This concept means that there are at least two servings of fruits a day, three servings of vegetables a day which can be served for lunch and dinner. As for protein parents can make a variety of dishes from chicken, beef, fish or even dried beans to pledge the child gets three servings a day.
Morris said that the child's hunger level controls how much is eaten and the parent controls what and when the meal is offered, saying, "Mom needs to ensure that the food offered is good food for the child to eat and throughout the day depending on how active they are, snacks are not a bad thing, so the mom should offer good kinds of snacks."
When it comes to preparing your child's lunch and snacks for school, make sure to keep in mind that the food you provide should not only be a source of energy but also be nutritionally beneficial such as fresh fruits, and whole grain bread. But parents must be sure to remember that a good nutritional diet must be balanced with physical activity, namely it is important that children get outside and run around and play and get activity in addition to eating a good diet. | high13691.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he might think the author dropped the bread"
},
"options": [
"he wanted to talk to the author",
"the author appeared too nervous",
"the author was going to get off",
"he might think the author dropped the bread"
],
... | The passengers on the subway who caught a glimpse of me may have thought I was strange. In particular a gentleman sitting opposite me was always staring at me, looking at the cheese bread on the floor in front of me and then staring back at me. A passenger probably dropped it by mistake and got off at a previous stop, but the gentleman might not think so. "Next stop, St. Patrick Station" -- my stop was quickly coming up. I had few minutes to either take the cheese bread, which nobody else was claiming, or left it there.
In those few minutes I felt my pride getting in the way. "What would others on the subway think of me if I took the cheese bread? Would they think that I was poor and hungry? Would they think that I was stealing?" The ignorant thing to do was say "yes" to any of those _ questions. Actually, they were just my own thoughts. Though I would leave the subway, walk a block to my office, get settled at my desk, and sit comfortably in my office for the whole day, I couldn't get rid of the enormous sense of guilt and regret.
My thoughts once pushed me towards pride and ignorance, but finally I had to admit I was wrong. This missing cheese bread could be a gift for a homeless person who suffered from cold and hunger. So why not overcome a little bit of my pride and pass along so much kindness?
Just as the doors opened at my stop, I grabbed the cheese bread and left the subway. It felt awesome, but I didn't care if people were looking at me or what they were thinking. Instead of going directly to my office as usual, I walked a few more blocks up to Queen's park, where I often saw a homeless man sitting outside. I always wanted to give him something, but only today I walked toward him, who wrapped himself in a sleeping bag. I was full of satisfaction, and so did the homeless man, I thought. | high642.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you can name after a well-known person"
},
"options": [
"the impression a name gives is more important than its meaning",
"you can name after a well-known person",
"surname should be paid attention to",
"you can create ... | "What's in a name?" According to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, there is not too much. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." But Shakespeare may have been wrong. In most cultures, names matter a great deal.
Americans choose names for their children with care. Parents usually think about the impression a name gives, not its meaning. Most Americans would consider a "Jennifer" more attractive than a "Bertha", for example. The last name, or, surname, must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name. A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic, but odd. Parents would avoid names that remind them of people they don't like. On the other hand, people might name their children after a respected elderly or even a famous person. The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation. Names that were once common, like Fanny or Elmer, sound old-fashioned today. But other names---like John and David, Mary and Sarah---have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.
People in America don't always call their friends and s by their given names. Instead, they often use nicknames. Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name. For instance, a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa, Beth or Betsy. As children grow up, they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called. Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names, like B.J. or R.C. And of course, people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames. Often they have a "sweet" flavor, like Honey or Sugar.
What's in a name? A word of significance. So if you're choosing an English name for yourself, take care to choose a good one. A made-up name could sound strange to native English speakers. And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name, either. But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression. As an American politician once said, "In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears." | high23752.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He couldn't read when he was retired."
},
"options": [
"He couldn't read when he was retired.",
"He was not a good student at school.",
"Only his family members knew he was illiterate.",
"He published his book at the ag... | James Arruda Henry, a 98-year-old retired lobsterman, has written and published his first book, "In a Fisherman's Language", after learning to read at the incredible age of 91.
Mr. Henry spent most of his life without even his closest family members knowing he was illiterate .Forced to quit school in the third grade to take some jobs, he kept the secret close to his chest - only telling to his late wife.
A family problem in his 90s sparked his encourage to restart his education."He signed a document he could not read," Mr Henry's granddaughter said. And then, after hearing about George Dawson, a son of slaves who learned to read at the age of 98 and went on to write a book of his own, entitled "Life Is So Good" at the age of 101, Mr. Henry took up reading.
"If he can do it.I'm going to try," Mr. Henry said.Starting with his name, he eventually moved on to ABC's and children's books. He put them down for four years after the tragic loss of his wife. But eventually he went back to reading and with the help of his tutor began to record his life.
He wrote about his family's voyage from Portugal to the U.S. his many journeys at sea and how he was unable to save another fisherman who had fallen overboard. He became a carpenter and even a professional boxer - and eventually built his own home in Stonington Borough.
His life stories have become so popular, in fact, nearly 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks of the book's release last month.One thousand more have since been printed as requests for the book flood in from as far as Germany.And now even Hollywood producers have approached Mr. Henry about optioning the rights to his life story for a big screen adaptation. | high1659.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "inform people of baggage inspection"
},
"options": [
"introduce one of the security acts",
"persuade people to contact TSA",
"inform people of baggage inspection",
"warn against the damage of locking the baggage"
],... | To protect you and your fellow passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA ) is required by law to inspect all checked baggage. As part of this process, some bags are opened and inspected. Your bag was among those selected for inspection.
During the inspection, your bag and its contents may have been searched for items forbidden by law such as fireworks, fuels, gunpowder, etc. At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag, which was resealed with a "special" lock.
If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked, the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However, TSA is not _ for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution.
For packing tips and other suggestions that may assist you during your next trip, visit:
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact the Transportation Security Administration Consumer Response Center:
Phone: toll-free at (866) 289-9673
Email:
*Section 110(b)of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, 49, U. S. C.SS44901(c)-(e) | high6136.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Berea College."
},
"options": [
"The Evergreen State College.",
"Deep Springs College.",
"Hampshire College.",
"Berea College."
],
"question": "Which of the following suits students from families with a lower in... | From a college designed specifically for high school students to one that doesn't provide students with grades, here are some of the country's most unique institutions.
*Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
The first interracial, co-educational college in the South, Berea specializes in attracting students who may be otherwise unable to afford a college education. Berea students come from families with an average household income of $30,000, which is why the school's financial aid program is so important.
*Deep Springs College, Deep Springs, California
Deep Springs, formerly an all-male school, has one of the smallest student bodies in the country at 26. The college accepts only 10% of its applicants, and maintains its own cattle herd. Students enjoy the school's isolated location -- 45 miles away from the nearest established town. Electricity is produced mainly through solar power, and the college sometimes even sells electricity to Pacific Gas & Electric.
*The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington
At Evergreen, students don't receive traditional letter grades. Instead, professors issue narrative evaluations of students' work at the end of each term. The curriculum is structured around the "Coordinated Studies Program", which focuses on providing students with a well-rounded education across a number of different areas. The college sits on 1,000 breathtaking acres, a portion of it on Puget Sound.
*Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts
Considered an "experimenting" college because of its constantly changing curriculum, Hampshire College doesn't feature a traditional grading system. Instead, the school requires students to complete three different divisions, which feature different classes. Once the project is completed, it's not given a grade, but a written evaluation, as other projects students complete throughout their time at Hampshire are. | high14471.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To make them more productive."
},
"options": [
"To make them more productive.",
"To reduce their stress and anxiety.",
"To develop their communication skills.",
"To help them perform daily tasks more easily."
],
... | The term "multitasking" originally referred to a computer's ability to carry out several tasks at one time. For many people, multitasking has become a way of life and even a key to success. In fact, some excellent mental aerobic exercises involve engaging the brain in two or more challenging activities at a time. Although checking e-mail while talking on a phone and reading the newspaper may be second nature for some people, many times multitasking can make us less productive, rather than more. And studies show that too much multitasking can lead to increased stress, anxiety and memory loss.
In order to multitask, the brain uses an area known as the prefrontal cortex . Brain scans of volunteers performing multiple tasks together show that as they shift from task to task, this front part of the brain actually takes a moment of rest between tasks. You may have experienced a prefrontal cortex "moment of rest" yourself if you've ever dialed a phone number and suddenly forgotten who you dialed when the line is answered. What probably occurred is that between the dialing and the answering, your mind shifted to anther thought or task, and then took that "moment" to come back. Research has also shown that for many volunteers, job efficiency declines while multitasking, as compared to when they perform only one task at a time.
Multitasking is easiest when at least one of the tasks is habitual, or requires little thought. Most people don't find it difficult to eat and read the newspaper at the same time. However, when two or more attention-requiring tasks are attempted at one time, people sometimes make mistakes.
We often don't remember things as well when we're trying to manage several details at the same time. Without mental focus, we may not pay enough attention to new information coming in, so it never makes it into our memory stores. That is one of the main reasons we forget people's names--even sometimes right after they have introduced themselves. Multitasking can also affect our relationships. If someone checks their e-mail while on the phone with a friend, they may come off as absent-minded or disinterested. It can also cause that person to miss or overlook key information being passed on to them. | high7228.txt |
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