questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "not the same in America and England"
},
"options": [
"an example of British English",
"an example of American English",
"the same in America and England",
"not the same in America and England"
],
"question": "Th... | American and British people both speak English of course. But sometimes it does not seem like the same language. In fact, there are some important differences between British English and American English.
First of all, they sound very different. Often, Americans don't say each word separately. They say several words together. Americans may say "I dunno" instead of "I don't know". Or they may say "Whaddya say?" instead of "What did you say?" however, the British are more careful in their speech. They usually say all the words and keep them _ .
Words sometimes have different meanings too. Some American words are never used in England. The same thing is true of some British words in America. For example, the vocabulary for cars and driving is very different. Americans drive trucks, but in England people drive lorries.
Many expressions are also different in the two countries. In England, if you are going to telephone your friends, you "phone them up". In America, you "give them a call".
There're also some differences in grammar. For example, when Americans ask a question., they say "Do you have a storybook?" But the British often say "Have you a storybook?"
All these differences can be confusing if you are learning English. But most languages are like this. Languages change over time. When people live in separate places, the languages change in different ways. This is what has happened to English. It can also happen to other languages, such as French. Many people in Canada speak French but their French is very different from the French of France. | middle2104.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "two weeks"
},
"options": [
"one week",
"two weeks",
"one year",
"two years"
],
"question": "The two hunters stayed in the forest for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Two hunters rented a small plane to fly them to a forest. They told the pilot to come back and pick them up in about two weeks. By the end of the two weeks, they had hunted a lot of animals and they wanted to put all of them onto the plane.
But the pilot said, "This plane can only take one lamb. You'll have to leave the others behind."
Then one hunter said, "But last year, another pilot with the same plane let us take two lambs and some other animals onto the plane."
So the new pilot thought about it. Finally he said, "OK, since you did it last year, I think this year we can do it again." Then they put all the animals they had hunted onto the plane, and the plane took off. Five minutes later, it crashed.
The three men looked around, and one hunter asked the other one, "Where do you think we are now?"
The other hunter looked around and said, "I think we're about one mile away from the place where the plane crashed last year." | middle7054.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "before eight o'clock in the morning"
},
"options": [
"after eight o'clock",
"at eight o'clock",
"before eight o'clock in the morning",
"in the morning"
],
"question": "Americans have breakfast _ .",
"ques... | Americans usually eat three meals a day. Breakfast usually comes before eight o'clock in the morning. They usually have eggs, some meat, bread, fruit juice and coffee. Lunch is between twelve and one o'clock. It is like a light meal and working people must take lunch with them or get it near workplace.
Children in school take sandwiches, fruit, and cookies with them or eat in school. Supper, the main meal, is between six and eight in the evening. People cook it carefully. They may have meat or chicken, turkey and duck. They may all have potatoes or rice, vegetables or salad. The drink is coffee, tea or milk. Then comes the dessert. | middle1425.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "France"
},
"options": [
"the USA",
"England",
"China",
"France"
],
"question": "April Fool's Day started in _ in the sixteenth century.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Be careful on April 1st! When your classmates say "Your shoes untied !", it may not be true. And if you find your alarm clock is set back an hour, this may be a joke too.
April Fool's Day is a traditional festival. On that day people play harmless jokes on others and then shout, "April Fool!" It's a "for-fun-only" day, so people don't buy gifts or get the day off work or school.
April Fool's Day started in France in the 16th century . At that time, New Year's Day was between March 25th and April 1st. When New Year's Day changed to January 1st in the mid-1560s, some people still celebrate it on April 1st. Others played jokes on them and called them "April Fools".
Each country celebrates April Fool's Day differently. In France, it is called "April Fish". The Frenchmen fool their friends by sticking paper fish to their friends' backs. When someone finds out this joke, they shout, "April Fish!" In England, it is bad luck to play an April Fool's joke on someone in the afternoon. Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers alike. | middle5643.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "22"
},
"options": [
"10",
"22",
"32",
"many"
],
"question": "The young man wanted to send his girl friend _ roses for her birthday.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answ... | A young man was in love with a beautiful girl .One day the girl said to him ,"It is my birthday tomorrow ". "Oh ",said the young man ,"I'll send you roses, and one rose for each year of your life."
The same evening he went to the flower shop . As he knew the girl was twenty-two years old, he paid for twenty-two roses and asked the shop assistant to send them to the girl the next day .
The assistant of the flower shop knew the young man very well as he often bought flowers in his shop before . When the young man left the shop , the assistant thought ,"The young man is very kind to me .He often comes to buy my flowers . In return I'll send ten more roses."
He did so . The next morning thirty-two roses were sent to the girl . When the young man came to see her , she didn't want to speak to him . And he never knew why she was so angry with him . | middle3232.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Green Cities"
},
"options": [
"Green Roofs",
"Green Cities",
"Reducing and Recycling",
"Environmental Protection"
],
"question": "The theme of Earth Day this year is \" _ \".",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | We humans live in different parts of the world, but we have the same "mother". She gives us everything we need in our daily life. She is our Mother Earth.
April 22 is Earth Day. The theme of this year is "Green Cities".
A green city is a healthy and pleasant place for people to live, according to the United Nations.
A green city can get its energy from renewable sources like solar and wind power. Also, it is connected by clean public transportation. Moreover, a green city is made up of facilities that can save energy and reduce waste.
Around the world, many cities and countries have done well to build themselves in a green way.
Chicago is well known for its green roof program. These roofs are covered with plants. The plants get a great amount of rainwater. Later, the water evaporates to help make the air cool and clean. So far, there are about 360 green roofs in Chicago, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Curitiba, Brazil, has great transportation. It opened the world's first bus rapid transit (BRT) system in 1974. BRT runs on special lanes. This makes sure that buses are on time even in traffic jams. With the help of BRT, the city has the lowest level of air pollution in Brazil. Today, many other countries have copied BRT, including China and Mexico.
Singapore is home to the first zero-energy building in Southeast Asia. Zero energy means a building is able to create more energy than it uses. Zero-energy buildings work with solar panels mainly on roofs. These panels can make electricity which powers the buildings. By 2030, Singapore plans to build 80 percent of its buildings like this. | middle2892.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Four-fifths of them."
},
"options": [
"A half of them.",
"Three percent of them.",
"Forty percent of them.",
"Four-fifths of them."
],
"question": "How many high school students have poor eyesight in China accor... | If you need glasses to read this, you are among most of Chinese students. About four-fifths of high school students in China have poor eyesight . And now more and more children in primary school need glasses, too.
Two main reasons can cause poor eyesight: too much time spent indoors studying and too little time spent outdoors playing. Reading and writing for hours and hours, sometimes in poorly lighted rooms, causes eyesight to weaken. But students have to do this because there is so much pressure on them to succeed in school. They have less time to enjoy the sun.
The sun, it turns out, is important in developing good eyesight. According to a study by Australian National University, Australian children and Chinese children have the same level of eyesight before they start school, but once they enter primary school, Chinese children only spend about an hour a day outside, while Australian children spend three to four hours each day in the sunshine. The result is that while about forty percent of Chinese primary school students need glasses, only three percent of Australian children do.
And poor eyesight at a young age can have serious long term influence. As you get older, your eyesight can worsen.
With all that in mind, don't you think it's time to give your eyes a break? | middle5125.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "726 kilometers"
},
"options": [
"1084 kilometers",
"2216 kilometers",
"726 kilometers",
"706 kilometers"
],
"question": "How far is it from Changsha to Guangdong?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Would you like to go to Beijing, our capital? It's far away from Guangdong. It's 2313 kilometers from Beijing to Guangdong. The city of Kunming is 2216 kilometers away from Guangdong. It's always very warm there. But it's very hot in summer in Wuhan. It's 1084 kilometers from Guangdong to Wuhan. Changsha is near Guangdong. It's 726 kilometers from Changsha to Guangdong. Do you know which city is the biggest in China? It's Shanghai. It's 1811 kilometers from Guangdong to Shanghai. If you travel by air, you'll find it very interesting and fast enough to fly from Guangdong to Beijing. It only takes you about four hours and you'll get there easily, safely and unhurriedly .But traveling by train is quite different. You have to stay on the train for over thirty hours to arrive in Beijing. More and more people like to travel by air. You can see why, can't you? | middle1343.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "in a cold winter"
},
"options": [
"on a rainy day",
"in a cold winter",
"when the husband lost his work",
"when the wife saw her husband's diary"
],
"question": "The couple moved out of their house _ .",
"... | In a cold winter, a couple had to move out of their big house because of bankruptcy . The husband worked day and night to support the family but with no care of his wife. So she thought, "he doesn't love me anymore, he just thinks about his work".
One day, she wanted to take a shower, but her husband stopped her at the door, "Let me take it first, OK?" "Why not let me first," she asked. "I was tired, you take it later, OK?" She was very sad.
On a rainy day, she found nothing to do and turned on his computer. After a few minutes, her eyes were full of tears...it was his diary:
"Today, I was quite sad, she asked me why I was always taking the shower first, and I said I was tired. She was unhappy. I wasn't as rich as before! We moved to the small house and it was very cold. But I found that if one person took the shower first, the room could get a little warmer. So every time I rushed to the bathroom first. When she took the shower, the room would get warmer, at least 1degC or 2degC.Now I can't give her comfortable life or buy expensive dresses for her, but at least, I can give her 1degClove." | middle7732.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "How to keep fit."
},
"options": [
"How to eat food.",
"How to keep fit.",
"How to lose weight.",
"How to exercise."
],
"question": "What's the main idea of this passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | Healthy eating habit along with regular exercise is the only way to become fit. If you have the correct number of _ and exercise regularly, you will lose weight, keep fit, and feel great, too.
During your teenage years, it is important to give your body the energy it needs. If you skip meals, you won't get enough calories, and then you will feel tired. By the way, calorie is just another word for energy. About 50% of your calories should come from rice, bread, vegetables and fruit. You also need to drink a lot of water, 6 to 8 glasses a day. Water helps keep your system clean. Drinking enough water will make your skin better and make you healthy.
Exercise is something that can help to make you look good, feel good and be healthy. Experts suggest that teenagers spend at least 30 minutes exercising a day, five times a week. That is easy to do! You can walk or ride your bike to school, and do sports at school. However, teenagers often give up sports, saying they have no time left after their studies. In fact, doing exercise can help them sleep better at night and increase their ability to focus on their study.
If you follow the suggestions above, you will look and feel much better and become fit. | middle1357.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "failed many times in the experiment"
},
"options": [
"was not allowed to do the experiment",
"failed many times in the experiment",
"was laughed at by the teacher",
"lost his chemistry book"
],
"question": "The ... | "Everyone makes mistakes in life, but that doesn't mean they have to pay for them for the rest of their lives. Sometimes wise people make foolish choices. It doesn't mean they're foolish; it means they're improving!"
Sometimes mistakes mean something that you are trying new things. It's good to try new things. Because when you are trying new things, you are growing. If you never have a try, you will never make progress. Look around you, everything you see is the result of someone trying new things.
I remember clearly what life was like back in 2006. I was 17 years old and in a really bad place.
In a chemistry 1ab, I was doing an experiment . I tried twenty times, but I couldn't succeed. So I decided to stop doing the experiment. I felt a little unhappy.
Mr. Green seemed to understand my thought. He touched my head with a smile, "Young man, you have done a lot and you've got a lot. At least you know that there are twenty ways you can't use to do this experiment."
After hearing the words, I became excited again. I kept doing the experiment and at last I did succeed. | middle6438.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "eat fewer snacks"
},
"options": [
"eat fewer snacks",
"put on more weight",
"relax themselves",
"burn less calories"
],
"question": "Having breakfast daily makes the teenagers _ .",
"question_type": "cloz... | Do you know how important it is to have breakfast? A study of 2,000 teenagers in the US showed that eating breakfast daily is helpful to young people.
According to the study, teenagers who eat breakfast weigh around 5 pounds less than teenagers who do not. Although they take in more calories in the morning, they are more active during the day because they have more energy. This means they burn more calories than non-breakfast eaters. _
The study also showed that eating breakfast keeps teenagers feeling full for longer, so they will not eat too many snacks later in the day. This is good news as most popular snacks, like sweets and potato chips, are usually unhealthy and full of calories.
Another big advantage of eating breakfast is that it helps teenagers do better at school. This is because it gives them more energy to keep their attention in class.
What's more, a study in the UK showed that adults who eat breakfast daily put on less weight and also perform better at work.
Whatever your age is, take time to have breakfast every day. | middle7726.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "help us to keep safe"
},
"options": [
"are planned for children",
"help us to keep safe",
"are not necessary",
"are not easy to understand"
],
"question": "We can learn from the passage that earthquake safety me... | A serious earthquake can be a terrible experience, and it is easy to forget safety measures in disorder . _ , most earthquake safety measures are common sense, but if you forget everything else, remember the following instructions: drop, cover, and hold on. Also, most of earthquake deaths happen after the earthquake, so remember that the danger does not end when the shaking does!
If you stay indoors during an earthquake, move away from unsupported areas and windows. Try to get under a doorway or another area of the building which is held up by strong beams . Stay under a table or desk only if it is very strong. Do not rush to lifts, because it is far safer to stay where you are. Cover your head with your arms around it and curl into a ball, and wait for the shaking to stop.
If you stay outdoors during an earthquake, move to an area which is as open as possible. Don't move to buildings, electric poles and other objects which may fall during an earthquake and injure you. Protect your head and stay low to the ground till the shaking ends and it is safe to move.
After an earthquake, many buildings are less strong, although they appear safe. If you stay indoors, move people from the building quickly and help disabled or injured people. Once outdoors, move well away from the building so that if it falls down, you will not be injured. Wait till public safety officials announce that it is safe to stay indoors.
By planning ahead and keeping calm during an earthquake, you can greatly increase your chances of survival without injury. | middle5131.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To write a story"
},
"options": [
"To act as a doctor",
"To read some stories",
"To help family members",
"To write a story"
],
"question": "What did the teacher ask the students to do as homework?",
"questi... | One Friday Mrs. King asked her class to write a story after class. "Use your imagination!" she cried, "You can write your story about anything." Kenny looked worried. "A story?" he thought, "What could I possible have to write about? I don't know any stories." The bell rang and all the kids went home.
The next day, Kenny sat at his desk at home, thinking and thinking. The warm sun was shining through the windows, making him _ And soon he fell fast asleep. As he slept, Kenny began to dream about fantastic things.
First he dreamed that he was a world-famous doctor, saving whole cities and curing diseases. Then he dreamed that he was in a UFO. He was talking to strange but friendly space creatures. Then he dreamed that he had become as small as a mouse by a bad scientist. He had to find a way to stop the plot of the mad scientist!
Kenny dreamed wonderful and exciting things until his little brother woke him up. "What were you dreaming about?" he asked. Kenny told his brother the wonderful dreams. His brother enjoyed the stories. Suddenly, Kenny knew that he had his kinds of stories in his imagination. | middle2138.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "can help her with her English"
},
"options": [
"have lots of money",
"have good looks",
"like to give gifts to others",
"can help her with her English"
],
"question": "Ann wants to have friends who _ .",
... | Do you have any friends? What do you think of friendship ? Here are some opinions from Ann,Pedro,Crystal and Roy.
Ann comes from Japan!She likes to have friends who really care about her. She thinks a true friend won't leave her alone when she is in trouble. Besides,she hopes they can teach her English.
Pedro is from Canada. He thinks that friendship means giving. If you want others to care about you,you must care about them first.
Crystal was born in China. She has the same opinion with Pedro. The real meaning of friendship is giving others something instead of thinking about taking anything back.
What about Roy from Japan? He doesn't care about the looks of his friends. In his opinion,a sincere heart is more important than looks. If you are in the same country with Roy,you can write emails to him. | middle5657.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The boy is Jhon."
},
"options": [
"The boy is Jhon.",
"The boy name is Jone",
"The boy are John",
"The boy isn't John\n:\n2, ."
],
"question": "1.",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answ... | Look at this photo. 1 _ . He has two sisters. 2 _ . The other one in the yellow dress is his sister, Mary. Rose and Mary have the same age. They look the same. They are 3 _ . John and his sisters are in different schools.4 _ . Their dad and mom are English teachers. They like their students. The family are happy.
,. (10)
: | middle4549.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "America."
},
"options": [
"America.",
"England.",
"China.",
"Australia"
],
"question": "Where is Jim from?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "at h... | Jim comes from the U.S. He is now living in China. He gets up at about 6:30 and has breakfast at 7:00. After breakfast, he says goodbye to his parents and leaves home at 7:30. He usually walks to school. He gets there at 7:55. He has his first class at eight.
Morning classes are over at 12:10 and he has lunch 10 minutes later. After lunch he plays with his friends.
Afternoon classes begin at 1:30. Usually there are two lessons in the afternoon. They finish at 3:30. Usually he plays games or other things at school, and he gets home at about 5:15. He has _ at six and then does his homework and then watches TV. He goes to bed at about 10:30. | middle7040.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they didn't know how to keep warm"
},
"options": [
"they were afraid of cold",
"they didn't know how to keep warm",
"they couldn't make a fire",
"they couldn't find cold places"
],
"question": "Millions of years... | When the world was very young, people lived in hot places .They didn't live in cold places because they could not keep warm there.
At first men didn't know how to make a fire. Sometimes trees were hit by lightning .Then a fire was started .People took some of the fire near their homes. A fire was very important for three reasons. It kept them warm. Wild animals were frightened when they saw it. And when food was cooked, it tasted much better.
But men didn't know how to make a fire. When they had a fire, they didn't let it stop burning. If it went out, they couldn't start it again. They had to wait for lightning to start another fire. Sometimes they had to wait for years.
Later, they learned how to make a fire. But it was not easy to make something burn . Now we have matches. We can carry them in our pockets and make a fire when we want to. | middle1431.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "blue"
},
"options": [
"white",
"yellow",
"black",
"blue"
],
"question": "--What colour is the sky today?--It's _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
... | Today is fine. The sky is blue, Now it's nine o'clock in the morning. There's a sports meeting in the forest on the big mountain. Look,a horse, a panda and a cat are running. Over there a dog and two tigers are jumping. Two monkeys are climbing the trees. Four birds are flying around and singing. There are some other animals there, too. The elephants are standing. A monkey is sitting on an old elephant. The monkey has a flag in his hand. Polly is sitting in the tree. A fox, a baby panda and some small animals are sitting under the tree. They are all watching. | middle7915.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "some students called him Peter"
},
"options": [
"he was happy",
"he went to a new school",
"some students called him Peter",
"he was named Bob"
],
"question": "Bob didn't understand why _ .",
"question_ty... | Bob was happy. He was at a new school, and the other students were friendly. "Hi, Bob!" They said. But some students said, "Hi, Peter!" Bob didn't understand. He asked another student, " Why do some students call me Peter?"
"Oh, that is easy to answer," the student said. "Peter was a student here last year. Now, he goes to a different school. You like Peter. Some students think that you are Peter."
Bob wanted to meet Peter. He got Peter's address from a student and went to Peter's house. Peter opened the door. Bob couldn't believe his eyes. He looked really like Peter! Bob and Peter had the same color eyes and the same smile. They had the same black hair. They also had the same birthday.
Bob and Peter found out that they were twin brothers. They both were adopted by two different families. Soon after the boys born, one family adopted Bob, and another family adopted Peter. Bob's family never knew about Peter, and Peter's family never knew about Bob, either. | middle628.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "On the inside of the covers."
},
"options": [
"On the inside of the covers.",
"In the ponds with fresh water.",
"On the walls of the salt water ponds.",
"Between the fresh water and the salt water."
],
"question... | Right in the middle of the town are some long ponds . They are only about half a foot deep. The men of Symi dug out the earth to make the ponds.
Over each pond is a low cover. It is made of glass that you can see through.
At night, sea water is taken into the ponds. The next day, the hot sun shines through the covers. The sun light turns the water into vapor and the vapor goes up from the ponds. The salt is left behind.
As it goes, the vapor became mist. On the inside of each cover, the little drops of mist run together to make big drops. These drops run down the sides of the cover, filling other ponds with fresh water.
The salt left in the ponds is washed out each night. Then more sea water is taken in. The factory is ready for the next day's work. The covers and other parts of the factory cost very little. Sea water and sun cost nothing. Most people of Symi are poor. So to them this new way of getting fresh water seems wonderful. | middle7901.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Linda is visiting her uncle in Spain"
},
"options": [
"Linda lives in Valencia",
"Linda doesn't want to go to Spain",
"Linda is visiting her uncle in Spain",
"Linda is studying in Spain"
],
"question": "From the... | Dear Micheal,
How's your vacation? I'm visiting my uncle in Spain. He lives in the sunny and beautiful city of Valencia, in Spain.
Yesterday, I had great fun. My uncle took me to the tomato festival in Bunol, which is just 30 miles away from where my uncle lives. You have probably never heard of this festival before. Neither had I. The tomato festival is called "La Tomatina"in Spanish. It was the biggest and messiest tomato fight in the world. When we first got to the square where the festival took place, it was very crowded with people from all around the world, and many trucks were carrying tomatoes. My uncle told me the crowded people here were around 38,000 and this was more than four times the population of Bunol.
The tomato fight started as soon as the first banger was beaten. Then everyone including me started throwing tomatoes at each other. I took red tomatoes and threw them at anyone that ran, moved, bent down, or turned around. Tomatoes must be squashed before people threw them in order not to hurt anybody.
After a little while, the streets, people and nearby buildings were splashed with red. There was no winner in this fight,but we all had fun. As soon as a second banger was beaten, people stopped throwing.
I really had a great time, I wish you were here, too. I hope I hear from you soon. Take care.
With love,
From Spain
Linda | middle2879.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "pencil case"
},
"options": [
"pencil case",
"pen",
"pencil",
"bag"
],
"question": "This is an orange _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answe... | Look at this. It's a pencil case. It's orange. It's my pencil case. What's in it? Look, this is a pen. It's black. This is a pencil. It's red. And this is a pencil, too. It's yellow. This is an eraser. It's blue and white. My pencil case is big and nice. I like it.
,. | middle5680.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Chicago Bulls"
},
"options": [
"Chicago Bulls",
"Miami Heat",
"Houston Rockets",
"Cleveland Cavaliers"
],
"question": "According to the report, Nate Robinson once played for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_q... | Nate Robinson is unlike any other player in the NBA. This player is the shortest in the NBA, but he is one of the most fearless players. He is 1.75m tall. "In NBA, he looks like a fourth-grader among a group of high school students," according to The Atlantic.
How can he compete with them? Robinson _ for this with his ability to jump. Without moving forwards or backwards, he can jump up to 110cm. However, confidence helps him more. "People talk about my height all the time, but I don't really feel smaller than anyone else," said Robinson. "I always think I'm on fire ." No matter who you are or what you've won, he's going to come at you. With that spirit, he has won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest three times. Also, he has made many wonderful blocks .
Chicago Bulls played Miami Heat on May 10, 2013. LeBron James, the 2.03-meter-tall player from Miami Heat, went to shoot. But Robinson blocked him. He also blocked Shaquille O'Neal in Cleveland Cavaliers and even Yao Ming in Houston Rockets.
Nate Robinson is a hero. He has given many basketball fans hope. Maybe one day, you can also block big guys like LeBron James! | middle6389.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Betty"
},
"options": [
"Tom",
"Betty",
"Sophia",
"Jane"
],
"question": "Kate wants to keep thinner and healthier. Maybe she can borrow the book from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}
] | A-DTom, Betty, Sophia, Jane.
A. This book will help you understand how to stay well and avoid sickness. You'll learn some things that you might use at home to avoid catching a cold.
B. This book has useful information about how to prevent common accidents. It's about safety both indoors and outdoors.
C. This book will tell you something about how to keep healthy by doing exercises. You'll learn not only the importance of doing exercises, but also the ways of doing exercises.
D. Do you have difficulties to communicate with others? Do you often say something wrong when you talk to others? This book will teach you how to say proper things to people. | middle1380.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A red star"
},
"options": [
"Much sand",
"A red star",
"Its atmosphere",
"Its size"
],
"question": "What can you see through a telescope when watching Mars? _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | What's the red star in the sky through a telescope ? It is Mars. Do you want to know more about it? Take the "Mars Orbit Express"!
"Mars Orbit Express" is a space probe . It was sent towards Mars by American scientists on August 12th,2005. Its tasks are to study Mars' atmosphere and return photos to Earth. But before that "Mars Orbit Express" must travel about 100 hundred million kilometers and seven months. It reached Mars' orbit in March,2006.
Mars and Earth have similar weight and size. However,Mars is closer to the sun than Earth. Mars is very cold. The average temperature is below 50degC. The temperature at noon only reaches 20degC during a Mars day. Its atmosphere is mostly CO2. It has much sand and two moons---Phobos and Deimos.
Scientists think Earth and Mars had similar beginnings 4.6 billion years ago. But while Earth supports millions of lives,Mars becomes bad. "Earth easily could have turned out like that." said an scientist, "It is important for us to find out why and Mars Orbit Express' should do that." "Mars Orbit Express" also would help scientists to learn what might happen to Earth in the future. "Mars Orbit Express" would work for about four years. | middle7929.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "parents"
},
"options": [
"parents",
"classmates",
"teachers",
"grandparents"
],
"question": "According to the article, _ are the closest people to an only child.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | Are you the only child in the family? If so, you are the most important in your family.
Parents are the closest people to you in the world. But a lot of middle school students have a problem. They feel they are not as close to their parents as before. They even don't think their parents are fair to them.
Some students complain that their parents often say a lot to them, but never listen to them. Some say their parents don't allow them to play computer games when other people are doing it. Others say when they are making phone calls to friends, their parents like to ask if they're speaking to a boy or a girl. These make them very unhappy. Some students even decided to leave home because they're afraid to tell their parents when they have done something wrong, particularly when they do badly in exams. Then they usually think running away is the only choice . But they don't know running away may bring them some more problems. Problems are parts of life. Here are some suggestions for you to solve your problems.
*Find a good chance to talk with your parents. Don't be afraid to tell them your feeling.
*Keep a diary to help you understand more about yourself and your feeling.
*Get help from others like good friends or teachers.
*Show your parents you are growing up. Then they will feel you are no longer a small child.
If you follow the advice, you will have a happy life and never think of running away.2*1*c*n*j*y | middle2689.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "different sounds"
},
"options": [
"different sounds",
"different languages",
"different colors",
"different faces"
],
"question": "Dogs who help deaf people must learn _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"... | Dogs can also go to school to learn how to help people who cannot hear. If a person cannot hear, we say he or she is deaf.
Dogs who help deaf people must learn many different sounds. Then they must be able to show the deaf person what is making the sound. When they hear a visitor at the door, dogs learn to walk to the deaf person and then walk to the door. And if a telephone rings, they walk to the deaf man or woman and then walk to the telephone. These dogs can also help deaf mothers. If a baby is crying in another room, dogs walk to the mother and then to the baby. These dogs wear a yellow coat to show that they are special dogs that are helping a deaf person. There have been many times when these dogs have saved a life. You may see in a newspaper that a dog heard a fire alarm and lay down near the deaf person's feet. That is the sign for danger. The person knows that something is wrong and can go away from the fire.
Special dogs can also help people who are disabled in various ways. For example, dogs can pull off their gloves or socks! Think how difficult your life would be if you were blind, deaf or disabled! But if you had a special dog like this to help you, your life would be much easier. | middle2851.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A happy young man."
},
"options": [
"A happy young man.",
"A hard-working man.",
"An ugly bad boy.",
"A kind young man."
],
"question": "What kind of man was Mike?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},... | Mike was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always happy and always had something interesting to say. If someone asked him how he was doing, he would reply, "Couldn't be better!" He was really a care-free young man and never felt tired.
Mike used to say, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be upset.' I choose to be happy. Each time something happens, I am always ready to learn a good lesson. I choose to learn from life."
I tried to understand what he said. Indeed life is all about choices. Every situation is a choice. The bottom line is: You're living your life and you make it either happy or sad.
Several years later I had a car accident and my legs were seriously injured. When I was lying on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or choose to die. I chose to live.
People like to say, "Choose the one you love and love the one you choose." Why not choose the one we love and live happily? | middle3583.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "how to control the H1N1 virus"
},
"options": [
"the H1N1 virus has been spreading world-wide",
"how to control the H1N1 virus",
"cover your nose and mouth",
"everyone should buy a mask in the future"
],
"questio... | The H1Nl virus has been spreading world-wide,it is important for us to know how to control it.Please pay attention to the following points:
1.Don't touch your face.Above all,keep your hands away from your eyes,mouth and nose,all of which serve pathways for the viruses to enter your body.
2.Wash your hands.If you have to touch your face,wash your hands,getting under the fingernails for 20 to 30 seconds with hot soap and water before.Soaps with surfactants can deal with flu viruses.
3.Cover your nose and mouth.When someone sneezes or coughs,liquid drops with flu viruses as far as three feet through the air and land on your nose and mouth,so it's best to keep at least an arm's length distance when talking to someone who shows signs of infection .In order to protect others,cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze,and clean your hands afterward.Viruses can live for hours,or even longer when on the skin or other surfaces such as keyboards.
4.Consider buying a mask in case you need it in the future.Some research suggests that masks reduce the risk of getting the flu viruses by as much as 80%.But it also suggests that if you don't wash hands,the mask doesn't work well.So wash your hands and use the mask,especially wearing face masks in crowded places is also useful.
,. | middle2845.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Have a good idea."
},
"options": [
"Think through your paper before you start.",
"Write a good 1\nstparagraph.",
"Have a good idea.",
"Look for many examples."
],
"question": "What is the 1ststep for a good writ... | Good writing starts with good ideas. If you write about things that you care about, you will write better. If you write about things that you don't care about, you'll be bored and your paper will not have many good ideas.
Once you have a good idea, the next step is organization . Think through your paper before you start. Write an _ . You need to know what your main points are before you start your first paragraph. Use 2-4 main points, one paragraph each.
In your central paragraphs, be concise and specific . Give examples with details, not just general ideas. If you can say the same thing with fewer words, do it! Don't use big words.
When you finish writing, look at your outline again. Did you really follow it or did it change as you wrote? Many times you find different ideas as you write. Look at your central paragraphs. What are their main ideas now? Are theses ideas in the introduction? I often write the introduction again to fit the paper after I finish writing. | middle600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Smiling"
},
"options": [
"Smiling",
"Practicing",
"Asking questions",
"Saying nice words"
],
"question": "_ is the quickest way to make friends with others.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | The quickest way to make friends with others is to smile . When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy to smile at first, but you can practice it in front of a mirror . When you look at yourself in the mirror, think about the difference between a smiling face and a sad or an angry face. Most people will stay away from a sad or an angry face.
The easiest way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about him or her. For example, you can _ someone's great answer to a teacher's question, a great prize, a nice shirt, etc. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking with that person? Also, ask your new friends questions about themselves. For example, who are their favorite singers and what do they do after school are all good questions to start a conversation. | middle1394.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Help blind people"
},
"options": [
"Look after sheep",
"Help blind people",
"Find lost children",
"Train blind people"
],
"question": "What can the Seeing Eye dog do?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | Dogs like living with people. A dog can be a very good friend. He can do a lot of things for people.
Some dogs help people to look after sheep, other dogs help them to find lost children. And some of the dogs can help the blind do things.
Many years ago there was a ver dog. His name was Seeing Eye dog. Now we can see this kind of dogs all over the world. They are working for the blind. The Seeing Eye dog is strong ,good and easy to train .He helps the blind to walk from place.
Before a dog becomes a Seeing Eye dog, he must go to a training school for about three months. First the dog has to learn to sit or stay when he hears the trainer's call. In his next lesson the dog learns to make his trainer across busy streets.
The dog has many things to learn. And in every lesson he must do one thing again and again many times.
At the end of the training schooled must take tests. When he passes the tests, the Seeing Eye dog will do things by himself.
Now he can help blind people. The new master may be a man, a woman, or even a child. It takes the dog and his blind master about a month to learn to work and live together. | middle98.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he can't wake up himself in the morning"
},
"options": [
"he's late for school",
"he goes to school by bus",
"he can't wake up himself in the morning",
"he has to go to school without breakfast"
],
"question": "... | Little Tom likes cartoons very much .When the cartoons begin on TV, he does nothing until they' re over. Sometimes he'd rather wait for a long time and go to bed late. In the morning his mother has to wake him up, or he will be late for school.
Yesterday Tom heard there would be an interesting cartoon today. This morning, as soon as he got up, he turned the television, but didn't receive the programme. He had to have breakfast and then went to school. After school he ran home while his mother was cooking supper in the kitchen . He hurried to the sitting room and turned on the television again, but he couldn't find the cartoon. He rushed into the kitchen and asked his mother to help.
"It's only five now," said the woman. "Your programme will be after supper."
"Well, let's have supper right now!" | middle166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He didn't want to pay the doctor"
},
"options": [
"his foot wasn't hurt",
"He couldn't walk",
"He didn't have any money to pay the doctor",
"He didn't want to pay the doctor"
],
"question": "The bookseller didn'... | There was a bookseller .He did not like to pay for anything.One day a big box of books fell on his foot.
"Go to the doctor," said his wife,"and show that foot to him."
"No,"he said,"I'll wait until the doctor comes to our shop next time.Then I'll ask him about my foot.If I go to see him,I will have to pay."
The next day the doctor came to the shop to buy some books.The bookseller told the doctor about his bad foot.The doctor looked at it and promised to help.He took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it."Buy this medicine and put it on the foot before you go to bed every night,"he said.
"Thank you,"said the bookseller,"And now,sir,here are your books."
"How much?" asked the doctor.
"Two pounds."" Oh,good,"said the doctor."I won't have to pay you anything today."
"Why?" asked the bookseller.
"I look over your foot.I will not pay two pounds for that.If people come to my house,l ask them to pay only one pound for a small thing like that.But when I go to their house,I usually charge two pounds.And I came here today,didn't I? Bye--bye!" | middle5694.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "his island"
},
"options": [
"his new house",
"his island",
"his country",
"his factory"
],
"question": "David will invite his friends to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | What will you do if you have six million dollars? Different people give different answers.
David I will buy an island if I have six million dollars. Then I will be the king of the island. I will invite my friends to my island and we'll have a good time there.
Cathy If I get six million dollars, I want to start my own business and I will do a lot of things for my family. For me, nothing is more important than my family. I will buy a new house for my parents and take them to travel around the world.
Julie If I have six million dollars, I will put five million in the bank and spend one million. I will visit Sydney, Toronto, Moscow and other interesting cities. I want to try different kinds of delicious food, and build a house with a swimming pool.
Victor If I have six million dollars, I will use the money to do everything I like. I will use two million to open my own shop. And I will give another four million to schools and charities. I would like to help students in poor areas to get good education. I want everyone to live a happy life. | middle2474.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "5:02 pm"
},
"options": [
"5:02 pm",
"4:50 pm",
"4:30 pm",
"5:30 pm"
],
"question": "If you get to your friend's house at about 5:00 pm, it is polite to arrive at _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Going to a friend's house is very exciting. You may spend time with a friend and get to see where he lives. So remember to be polite.
When to arrive
The first thing to remember is that when a friend invites you, you need to arrive on time. If your friend tells you to come "about 3:00", that means you can arrive before 3:05. But usually it is a good idea to arrive at the right time.
What to bring
Often it is also nice to bring something to your friend's house. This could be a box of chocolates for you two to share, or maybe a movie that you can watch together. You can also bring some flowers. A little gift is a nice way to show your friend that you are excited to be at his house.
How to greet
When you visit your friend's house, you may also meet his parents. You should tell them who you are and they may tell you their names. As a child, I went to visit my friend Paul. I called his parents by their first names John and Mary. But now I know it is more polite to call them Mr. or Mrs. Smith. This will show them more respect and then they may tell you to call them by their first names. Another way to show respect is to call them Madam or Sir.
It is a cool thing to visit a friend's house. Be polite to your friend and your friend's parents, and you will be welcome again! | middle6174.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is tall and has dark hair"
},
"options": [
"is tall and has dark hair",
"doesn't wear earrings",
"has long straight blond hair",
"is short and dark hair"
],
"question": "What does Sharon look like? She _ .... | My sister Sharon and I look very different. She's tall, and I'm short. She has short curly dark (,) hair, and I have long straight blond hair. We both have dark eyes, but Sharon wears glasses, and I don't. And she always wears large earrings . I don't wear earring.
Sharon and I do many things together . We watch movies together, and we often go shopping. We play tennis together every Saturday. Often, people don't know that Sharon and I are sisters, because we look so
. But we are also good friends. | middle8159.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "In the hospital."
},
"options": [
"At Frank's house.",
"At Lucy's house.",
"At the station.",
"In the hospital."
],
"question": "Where does Lucy meet Tim?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | How does Lucy spend a week?
Monday Practice playing volleyball
3:00-5:OOp.m.
Tuesday Go to see Tim Children's Hospital
8:30-10:30p.m.
Wednesday Part-time job
1:00-5:00 p m.
Thursday Go to the station to meet her uncle Ricky
9:00 a.m.
Friday See Mr Green 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Part-time job 2:00-6:00 p.m.
Saturday A birthday party for Lily 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Sunday Help Frank with his Maths | middle4763.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Germs are everywhere around us."
},
"options": [
"If things are very small,they are germs.",
"If things can't be seen,they must be germs.",
"Germs are only in dirty water.",
"Germs are everywhere around us."
],
... | Have you ever been ill? When you are ill,you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot,and there are pains all over your body. You don't want to work,you stay in bed,feeling very sad.
What makes us ill? It is germs . Germs are everywhere. They are very small and you can't find them with your eyes,but you can see them with a microscope. They are very small and there could be hundreds of them on a very small thing.
Germs are always found in dirty water. When we look at dirty water under the microscope,we shall see them in it. So your father and mother will not let you drink dirty water.
Germs aren't found only in water. They are found in air and dust. If you cut your finger,if some of the dust from the floor goes into the cut ,some of the germs would go into your finger. Your finger would become big and red,and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes the germs would go into all of your body,and you would have pain everywhere. | middle2312.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She lived a hard life when she was young."
},
"options": [
"She had no friends at school.",
"She never went to her neighbor's home.",
"She lived a hard life when she was young.",
"She seldom saw beautiful green trees."
... | When I was ten, my sisters and I were amazed at our neighbor's Christmas tree. We returned home from their house and decided that we must have one of our own. In our house we never had enough money for a Christmas tree.
In fact, we insisted so much that my father had no choice but to agree. "Yes!" he finally said."This year we will have a Christmas tree." Our mouths dropped open at the thought of having our own tree. Then Dad said,"I'll do it myself."
We followed him around the house as he gathered up the materials he would need, We all sat close to him, carefully watching everything he did. He passed the thread around the first nail on the corner of a box, then back down to the second nail on the box, and up again to the nail, until right there before our eyes a green Christmas tree began to take shape. He carefully did the same with all of the 50 nails in the box and when he had finished, he said,"Now you can decorate it."
I don't remember where the _ came from, but they were red and small and to us they just looked so beautiful and perfect for our tree. When we finished decorating it, we proudly invited all our friends over to see our Christmas tree. We were so happy, not only because it looked so pretty, but because my father had made it himself. It truly was the most beautiful Christmas tree we had ever seen.
Years later, things got better and Dad was able to buy a proper Christmas tree which we would happily decorate. However, my sisters and I will never forget the night when we got our first Christmas tree. | middle3018.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Knowledge."
},
"options": [
"Love.",
"Richness.",
"Vanity.",
"Knowledge."
],
"question": "According to the passage, which one did not go to an island for a vacation?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"ans... | Onceupon a time, some visitors went to an island for a vacation, and each was having a good time. Suddenly a warning of a strong storm came to them, so all rushed to their boats. Yet, Love did not wish to run away quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds got darker, Love realized it was time to leave. But there was no boat to go into. Love looked around with hope.
Just then Richness was passing by in a great large boat. Love shouted, "Richness, can you take me with you? Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold in my boat. There is no place here for you. "
Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was also passing by in a beautiful boat. But Vanity said with a cold voice, "No, I can't take you with me. My boat will get dirty with your wet feet. "
Sadness passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was useless. "No, I can't take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be alone. "
When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that he didn't hear Love calling to him.
Love was becoming restless and hopeless. Just then somebody called out, "Come, Love! I will take you with me. " Love did not know who was so kind, but jumped into the boat happily.
After getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Love asked, "Knowledge, do you know who was so kind to give me a lift when no one else wished to help?" [:Zxxk.Com]
Knowledge smiled, "Oh, that was Time. "
"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is. " | middle5469.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "December"
},
"options": [
"July",
"September",
"December",
"February"
],
"question": "Summer holidays in Australia often begin in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Studying abroad is an amazing experience, especially when you come to Australia as an overseas( ) high school student. You can have a lot of fun here, especially on holidays.
There are many festivals in Australia. The most important one is obviously Christmas. Each year, the summer holidays at every high school last about two months from the beginning of December to February, which covers the Christmas time. Since it is a long holiday, most overseas students love to fly back to their home countries to spend the time with their families and friends, but a few students still stay in Australia during the holiday to get part-time jobs. It is quite easy to find a part-time job at Christmas. Students often take part in another major social activity. They go to the beach to have fun in the sunshine. The summer in Australia is from December to February, so going to the beach in December is very popular among Australians.
Easter in March is another important holiday in the year. It actually combines "Good Friday" and "Easter Monday". Almost every shop closes on Good Friday. And people usually go to see Easter Show.
The Chinese New year is not a public holiday in Australia, so every Chinese student still has to go to school to study and do his or her normal duties. | middle2306.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The computer."
},
"options": [
"The television.",
"The radio.",
"The recorder.",
"The computer."
],
"question": "Which of the following is popular with students today?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"a... | Computers are very popular with students now. It's very easy for them to surf the Internet .Most of them go to the Internet bar and spend more than two hours there. They can do their homework,get some information for their study,download music,and send emails on the computer. But some of them spend too much time playing computer games,and it is bad for their study. | middle6160.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Ten years."
},
"options": [
"Ten years.",
"Six years.",
"One year.",
"Ten year."
],
"question": "How long did John leave the small town?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Last week John went to his sister's house, and it's also the house he was born in. Sue, his sister felt excited and surprised. She said to John, "You haven't changed a lot, John .Let me see, now...When did we meet last time?" "Ten years ago." John answered. "You haven't changed a lot, either." John said. It was polite for John to say so, but it wasn't true. Sue seemed like an old lady.
The next day John walked through the small town alone. The place have already changed a lot. There was a new bus stop, a new post office, a new car park and lots of traffic signs. He remembered suddenly that the bus used to stop anywhere. You just put up your hand and it stopped. Everything has changed.
To John's surprise, he didn't recognize anybody at all. Maybe everybody seemed old. He went into a shop and bought some things. Then he asked the boss, "Where are all the children and young people?" "Children?" he said, "They're in school, of course. There are three or four young families here."
At lunch, Sue said, "Do you think it is still a beautiful place, John?" "It's all different, Sue. It used to be an exciting place, but now it's full of old people. I don't understand." John said.
,A, B, C, D. | middle7518.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A bear."
},
"options": [
"Joe.",
"Ben.",
"The writer.",
"A bear."
],
"question": "Who moved the food bag on the first night?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | On the first evening, the three of us were tired after walking for about eight hours. We soon fell asleep. In the morning, I was surprised to find the bag of food had been open.
"Bears," said Joe, "we should hang the food in a tree tonight."
Later that day we stopped in a beautiful field by a river. We put up the tent and fell asleep. During the night the bears came again. This time they took the food from the tree.
"Bears can climb trees. They can smell food from a long way away," said Ben.
"We must keep the camp clean. Bears must think our rubbish is food," I said. "And we should make lots of noise, too. If they know where we are, they may not come any closer," said Joe.
"But if you see a bear," said Ben, "you mustn't make any sudden moves or make a sound, and you mustn't run either. No one can run faster in the forest than a bear. And remember we don't have a gun to keep us safe." That night, we went to sleep ... or we tried to.
The next day, while the others were resting, I went for a walk in the forest. Suddenly, I saw a baby bear playing with some sticks and stones. He looked so soft and friendly, and I thought, "If I reach out, I can just touch him."
There was a loud noise behind me.
I didn't dare to move, not even turn my head. There was another loud noise. The baby bear looked up, and ran towards me. I turned pale and he ran past me into the woods.
I couldn't turn round until a few minutes later. Then I saw the baby bear and his huge mother walking away.
I ran back to my friends. I have never run so fast.
For the next 10 days, every time there was sudden noise, my blood went cold. | middle6606.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Dragon-Boat racing"
},
"options": [
"Eat rice dumplings",
"trick or treat",
"Pumpkin lantern",
"Dragon-Boat racing"
],
"question": "Which is the most popular activity during the Dragon Boat Festival ?",
"que... | The Dragon Boat festival is very popular in China, it usually comes in May or June. On that day, people eat a special food--- rice dumplings. It is known as dragon-boat racing. Dragon-boat racing is the most popular activity during the festival. A dragon boat looks like a dragon, and is painted in red, white, yellow or black. Usually, a dragon boat is 20 to 40 metres long, and needs 20 people to row. Boatmen row the boat in cadence with the drumbeats , and a man in the front of the boat waves a small flag to help coordinate the rowing.
Dragon-boat racing becomes a popular activity in South China. International dragon-boat racing is held in Guangzhou and Hong Kong every year. | middle1169.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Blue"
},
"options": [
"Blue",
"Yellow",
"Red",
"Brown"
],
"question": "What color are the windows?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text"... | We have a new house.It has blue windows and a red door.There is a big garden in front of the house.There are many flowers in it.They are red, yellow, pink and white.We have a dog and a cat now.The dog's name is Brownie.She is brown and yellow.The cat's name is Tabby.He is black and grey.They are lovely.Dad, Mum, Brownie, Tabby and I are a happy family. | middle2460.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "email sydneytower @ hotmail. com"
},
"options": [
"email sydneytower @ hotmail. com",
"fax 02 9333 9203",
"search www.sydneytower.com.au",
"call 02 9333 9222"
],
"question": "If you want to book a ticket to Sydn... | Sydney Tower
Address: 100 Market St, Sydney Phone: 02 9333 9222
Fax: 02 9333 9203 Open time: 9:00 a.m. t0 10:30 p.m. (Saturdays t0 11:30 pm)
Ticket: $60 (for an adult) $30 (for a child) Website: _
How to get there: train to Town Hall Station and a short walk along Market Street
How to book tickets: by phone/fax or through the web
Attractions: Sydney's best views are just the beginning! Sydney Tower takes you to the highest point above Sydney for exciting 360deg view of our beautiful city. | middle4011.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "possibly had a dream last night"
},
"options": [
"saw a ghost last night",
"possibly had a dream last night",
"met a UFO last night",
"was telling them something serious"
],
"question": "Ken suggested that Jack ... | Jack had an unusual experience last night. He is sharing it with his friends. Ken and May.
Ken: What were you doing, Jack? What did you see?
Jack: It was half past nine last night and I was getting ready for bed. I heard some strange noise outside while I was brushing my teeth. I wondered what was happening and I went to the window and looked out. To my surprise, I saw a bright yellow green light in the sky.
May: Maybe the light you saw was a UFO! Or a ghost! A few years ago, an American man saw a flying saucer while he was driving along a road. He also saw some strange yellow light. You have heard about it, haven't you?
Ken: Don't be imaginative, May. Jack didn't see anything, or anybody. It wasn't a ghost. It was probably a plane, or a shooting star. Perhaps Jack just made a horrible dream!
Jack: I am very serious. I did see something. The light disappeared and then suddenly some "tiny people" were standing in the garden. There were four of them. Two of them ate some flowers in the garden.
Ken: Oh, come on, Jack. I really doubt what you have said.
Jack: I am not joking! One of the people was looking at me through the window.
May: Really? What did it look like? Were you frightened?
Jack: Its whole body was green. It had no ears and nose. Its hands were huge. Its eyes were very big and looked like eggs. It looked at me and I could hardly move.
Ken: What happened then?
Jack: I was able to move _ . I ran and got my camera at once.
May: And?
Jack: I didn't have a film.
May: Oh no! | middle7530.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In Hawaii."
},
"options": [
"In Massachusetts.",
"In Kansas.",
"In Hawaii.",
"In New York."
],
"question": "Where was Barack Obama born?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Barack Obama, a black man, is the president of the United States now. He was born on August 4th, 1961, in Hawaii and has lived in many places. His mother was from Kansas and his father was from Kenya. Obama went to Columbia University in New York and got a law degree at Harvard University in Massachusetts. His wife is Michelle Obama. She also worked as a lawyer and later worked for the University of Chicago. They have two young daughters.
Obama wrote a bookDreams from My Father. "I always live in the dream of my father and American people, " Obama once said. He was born in a poor family. And he was taken good care of by his grandparents when he was young. He also lived and worked in Africa. Then he got good education in Harvard University. On November 4th, 2008, he became the president of America for the first time. | middle1141.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "less creative"
},
"options": [
"much younger",
"much lighter",
"less creative",
"less careful"
],
"question": "Children may become _ if they play computer games all day.",
"question_type": "cloze_question... | Do you like to sit in front of the computer and play computer games hour after hour? Have you ever thought of what that may be doing to your health? More and more children are becoming overweight and growing less creative because they spend too much time in front of the computer according to a survey.
Last week Child Protective Services in America organized an activity. The aim of the activity was to encourage children to do some outdoor activities instead of playing computer games at home. Many American children spend about 1,000 hours a year playing computer games -- more time than they spend in school. As a result, they are overweight. Some of them have very poor _ , and they can't see clearly.
Everyone should pay attention to his health and try to keep healthy. The doctor says that the longer children play computer games, the more overweight they may become. And the junk food children eat while they're playing computer games makes the weight problem more serious.
To keep fit, children need to take exercise regularly, play outside with friends, and explore the world around them. Can you spend two weeks without playing computer games? It might be difficult for computer lovers, but why not have a try? | middle2448.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "decided to stay there"
},
"options": [
"went back home",
"was coming home",
"decided to stay there",
"decided to go back home with her husband"
],
"question": "After she received her father's reply,the woman _ ... | Years ago I worked at a factory in a small county.Every day I got up very early and often did much extra work at night.I was so tired and exhausted.My whole life was hopeless.Then one day I read the following article from a magazine:
"A woman went to live with her husband in camp on the Mojave Desert during the war.She simply hated the place:the heat was almost _ ,125 degree in the shade,the wind blew incessantly,and there was sand--sand everywhere.Finally,in desperation she wrote her parents in Ohio that she couldn't stand it another minute and was coming home.
Quickly came the reply by airmail from her father--just two lines:
'Two men looked out from prison bars.One saw the mud,and the other saw stars.'
The daughter did some real thinking,not only with the intellect but also with her heart.She decided to stick to her post.
She made friends with the natives,learned to love the country,and eventually wrote a book about it.
The desert hadn't changed,but her attitude had.Because she listened with her heart to the words her father sent,a whole new world opened up to her."
A change of attitude could change everything.
After reading the article,I was deep in thought ... | middle5327.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He let out a frightening shout."
},
"options": [
"He was bitten by a snake.",
"He fell and cut himself.",
"He called for the others to help him.",
"He let out a frightening shout."
],
"question": "What happened ... | It was a great day for a picnic and a picnic was a great way to start the summer holiday. Fred brought his classmates John and Betty to a wonderful picnic place.
After lunch, John said they should play football. When the ball came to Fred, he kicked it into some long grass. "I'll get it," he said and hurried off to find the ball. Moments later after there was a shout and out came Fred holding his leg. "I've been bitten by a snake!"
As the others rushed over to help, Fred laughing. "Ha! I'm not really hurt." But Betty didn't laugh, "I can't believe you did that, Fred. I was really frighten for you."
The friends then decided to go for a swim. John and Betty jumped into the water. Fred was standing on a long rock by the riverbank and said, "Watch and jump" They shouted excitedly as he went under the water, but as the seconds passed he didn't come back to the top. The friends became worried. Suddenly they heard Fred's laugh. "Won't you ever learn? I swam behind this tree when I jumped."
"Very funny, Fred?" said John angrily. "Anyway, I'm feeling tired and I'm going for a sleep." Betty joined him.
Fred, however, moved to a narrow part of the river and jumped in. Although he was a good swimmer, the water there was moving much faster and Fred found himself being _ away. He managed to catch hold of a tree, but he was very tired now and with the water still moving fast, couldn't pull himself out.
Back at the picnic place, as Betty and John were preparing to sleep, they heard Fred's cries for help. John looked at Betty and said, "Does he really think we're so foolish? Wake me up in an hour. It'll be time to go back home then." | middle4039.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The first one."
},
"options": [
"The first one.",
"The second one.",
"The last one.",
"None of them."
],
"question": "Which equipment does the writer like best ?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | I went to technology _ where people were showing their ideas for better learning. At the show I got a chance to try out lots of new, interesting equipment that might be introduced to schools. I thought some of it were great and would make learning more fun.
Cyber Coach Mat
The first thing I tried was the Cyber Coach Mat. This allows children to learn things like yoga and tai chi with virtual instructors . Also you can play football or have dance battles on it.
Sony PSP
The second piece of equipment I tried was the Play Station Portable. or PSP. It lets you access lots of education materials and helps learning in many ways. It's really fun and even has a built-in camera and video so you can have fun with friends.
Lego NXT
The final thing I tried was the Lego NXT. This involves building a robot and programming it to follow instructions .
The robot can pick up sound waves which can then be sent to the computer or a phone. I would really like to do this kind of thing in my lesson!
Overall the fair was great and I learn how to use a lot of things that I think could really help children to learn and have fun at the same time.
My favourite was the Cyber Coach Mat because it allows you to learn new skills and it"s a great way to do a PE lesson if it's cold and raining outside! | middle5441.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "dangerous animals"
},
"options": [
"dangerous animals",
"factory workers",
"guide dogs",
"hospital helpers"
],
"question": "From the passage, we know robots cannot be _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_question... | The first robot was invented in the 1920s. Robots have appeared in many American films. In some films, they are stronger, faster and cleverer than people.
In real life, robots are mainly used in factories. They do some dangerous and difficult jobs for humans. Robots also help disabled people, for example, blind people. Today many blind people have a guide dog to help them. In the future, guide dogs might be robot dogs.
One kind of robot guide dog has wheels. It moves in front of the owner. It is very clever. It knows the speed of its owner's walk. The owner wears a special belt. The belt sends instructions to the owner from the dog, such as "Stop here" "Turn left" or "Turn right".
In the United States, another kind of robot helps disabled people to take care of themselves in their daily life. The robot hears the sound of its owner's voice. It follows instructions such as. "Turn the page" or "Make a cup of coffee".
Robots are also used in American hospitals. They can do simple jobs. At one hospital, for example, a robot takes meals from the kitchen to patients' rooms. It never gets lost because this robot has a map of the hospital in its computer memory.
Though robots can help people in many different ways, they will never take the place of humans.
,. | middle6148.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "dog"
},
"options": [
"cat",
"dog",
"bird",
"pet"
],
"question": "The writer's favorite animal is a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_... | Many people like animals and raise one or more as pets--dogs, cat or some kinds of birds. I love dogs, too. My aunt gave me a dog on my birthday. We call it Wangwang. It is a little black dog. He is friendly and helpful. Most of the time he likes to run and play with me. Sometimes he follows my father around in the fields.
One day, my father took off his grey coat and put it on the ground under a big tree. Wangwang stood watching him. My father said, "Watch over my coat, Wangwant." Wangwant sat down beside the coat. My father went on working. After he finished his work, he forgot all about his coat and went home. Late in the evening I didn't see my dog. I looked everywhere for him calling, "Wangwang, Wangwang!" But Wangwang didn't come back. Soon my father wanted something that was in his coat pocket. Then he remembered what he had done. He went back to the big tree. What do you think he saw? Wangwang was sitting on the coat so that nobody could take it away. | middle7256.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "We should try to find it out."
},
"options": [
"We should try to find it out.",
"We should ask others.",
"We should help others first.",
"We should sit there worrying."
],
"question": "How should you deal with t... | Everyone worries. But how do you deal with your worries? Whether your worries are big or small, you can take these three steps to deal with your worries:
1. Try to find out what you're worried about
Sometimes, you will know what you're worried about. Other times, you might not. Try to find it out first; if you can't, you can ask for help.
2. Think of ways to make it better
There is always something you can do to help you feel less worried. Sitting there worrying is no fun and it won't solve your problem.
Grades at school are often top worries for kids. If you're worried about grades, ask yourself these questions:
Why are grades important? What do grades mean to me?
How do I get ready for class? Do I
my notes even when there isn't a test?
Do I have a good place to do my homework?
Have I tried different ways of studying?
If your worry is about a fight you had, you might write down all the things you could do: write a note to him or her, invite him or her to a basketball game, say sorry to him or her, etc. Once you have a list of things you could do, you can choose the one that gets your friend back.
3. Ask for help
When you're worried, it can help to find someone to talk to. You can ask your parents, friends, or teachers for help.
,. (5) | middle8165.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "England"
},
"options": [
"Australia",
"New Zealand",
"Germany",
"England"
],
"question": "The head office of the Webster company is in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | You have heard of Webster Toys. Webster has made good, safe, interesting toys for more than 100 years. Now we sell them, and children play with them, in countries from New Zealand to Norway, and from Japan to Brazil. We are looking for someone to sell our toys in the Far East. He will be between thirty and forty. He will already have some years of selling in world markets behind him. He will speak good English, and at least one other language of the Far East.
The person we are looking for will live in Singapore, and work in our office there, but he will travel for up to six months in any one year. He will know the Far East quite well already. He will know how to sell in old markets and where to find new ones. He will understand money and make more than ever before, for himself, and for Webster Toys.
Webster wants someone who can stand on his own feet. If you think you are the person we are looking for, write to Mr J. Sloman at our head office in London. | middle1633.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "father and mother"
},
"options": [
"brother",
"sister",
"mother",
"father and mother"
],
"question": "Betty is in Beijing with her _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | Betty is an American girl. She is thirteen. She is in Beijing with her parents. She doesn't know much Chinese. She can't speak Chinese well. Sometimes her friends don't understand her.
It's Sunday morning. She's going to the zoo to see the pandas. She's waiting at the bus stop. At the bus stop she asks a Chinese boy how to go to the zoo. But the boy can't understand her. Then she takes out a pen and some paper. She draws a panda on the paper and shows the picture to the boy. The boy smiles and then shows her the way to the zoo. | middle7242.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "summer camp"
},
"options": [
"person",
"school",
"Chinese course",
"summer camp"
],
"question": "Hua Mandarin is the name of a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Summer Camp
Contact
Kitty 6219-7830
Are you looking for a place where you can enjoy Chinese study and experience Chinese culture during the summer holiday? Hua Mandarin could be your wise choice.
The new summer camp will start on July 28th and end on August 18th. We provide very small groups with 2-4 people for you to learn Chinese in an effective way. Activities including calligraphy , painting, culture show, Chinese movies, kung fu, swimming, and so on will help you walk into Chinese culture with fun.
Welcome to call at 62197830 * Kitty for more details.
Comments
The earlier camp finished last week. Students are happy here, although they have to learn a lot upon parents' request . Teachers here are trying to help children to learn in a funny way.
Please sign in to add a comment. . . | middle8171.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "About 240,000,000 years ago."
},
"options": [
"About 2,400,000,000 years ago.",
"About 240,000,000 years ago.",
"About 24,000,000 years ago.",
"About 2,400,000 years ago."
],
"question": "When did the first croc... | The first crocodiles lived on the Earth about 240 million years ago. How much do you know about these dangerous animals? Here are some amazing facts about them.
* The biggest crocodile is the saltwater crocodile. It can be as long as seven metres!
* If you take a bright light at night over a river with crocodiles inside, you will see pairs of red spots . Those are the crocodiles' eyes. They can see well at night.
* When you see a crocodile with its mouth open, don't be _ . That just tells you it's too hot.
* On the beach, crocodiles get tired very quickly, but they can stay in the water for 2-3 hours.
* Most crocodiles can live up to 70 years old! | middle3024.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Three."
},
"options": [
"Two.",
"Three.",
"Four.",
"Five."
],
"question": "How many people have left their comments according to the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | What part-time job do you do now?What do you do want to do in the future?Leave your comment here!
I've been working at Burger Bam for two months.I thought I'd hate it,but it's been really good.I've learned a lot how to work with people I would never normally meet.And I'm not as shy as I was.I don't think I want to work there forever,but it's given me some ideas about how to run a business.Maybe I'll learn business when I go to college.
Abby,15,from Toronto
I've had my own web design business for a year. I've designed about 20 websites for my friends.I've been doing most of the work on the weekends after I do my homework! I've bought a new computer with the money I earned. A little restaurants in my neighborhood has asked me to design a website for them, so my business is growing. I'm not sure what I want to do in the future, but I really like art and design. Maybe I should go into advertising.
Kwan,14,from Seattle
I've been volunteering at a senior citizen center on Saturday mornings. Some of my friends think I'm crazy, doing a job for no money, but I really like it. I think that in a few months, I'll try to get a paid part-time job in a law office because I want to study law in the future. There's a lot of competition for part-time jobs, but I think my volunteering will look good on my resume.
Tamanna,16,from Dallas | middle5455.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Jack"
},
"options": [
"Mike",
"Tina.",
"Jack",
"Alan."
],
"question": "Who is visiting his/her grandmother in Florida?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,... | Jack is having a great and relaxing summer.He is visiting his grandmother in Florida .The weather is hot and sunny.He is staying at his grandmother's home.It's very nice and near the beach.He goes to the beach with friends every day.They play volleyball there a lot.He watches TV or reads books in the evening.He is reading an interesting story-book now.The stories are really scary.His grandmother is making dinner now.She wants Jack to help her. | middle5333.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "he couldn't sleep well at night"
},
"options": [
"he couldn't eat anything",
"he couldn't sleep well at night",
"he had a bad cold",
"he liked to see him"
],
"question": "The young man had to go to see a doctor ... | A young man couldn't fall asleep at night. He was very worried. One day he went to see a doctor. The doctor checked him over carefully. But nothing was wrong with him. The doctor told him to count from one to ten again and again at night. "Keep doing this until you fall asleep," the doctor said.
After a few days, the young man came to the doctor again. But he was surprised that the young man was even worse than before. "Didn't you count as I told you?" the doctor asked. "Yes, I did," the young man answered. "But every time when I reached eight, I couldn't help jumping from the[:Z-X-X-K]bed." "But why?" the doctor asked. The young man said, "I am a boxer ." | middle7524.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to use a dictionary"
},
"options": [
"to ask your teacher",
"to guess",
"to ask your friends",
"to use a dictionary"
],
"question": "When you don't know a new word, the best way according to the passage is _... | When you are reading something in English, you may often come across a new word .What's the best way to know it?
You need an English-Chinese dictionary .It will tell you a lot about the word , for example , how to read this word ,what it means in Chinese and how to use this word. But there are so many English words in the dictionary and how can you know where the word is? There is a way to look for it.
In the dictionary you can first see the words beginning with the letter A, then B,C,D,E...That means, if there are two words , "desk" and "hour", "desk" will be before "hour"; "story" "before" "Sunday", "tomato" before "tomorrow" etc. The English-Chinese dictionary will be your good friend. I hope you will often use it in your English learning. | middle3971.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "share them with others"
},
"options": [
"sell them to friends",
"throw them away",
"share them with others",
"keep them on the bookshelf"
],
"question": "If you have books that you do not read anymore, you can ... | Do you have any books on your bookshelf for many years? Instead of throwing them away, here is another way for you to consider. If you have books that you do not read anymore, you can share them with others. You can take the books to Share and Read. Share and Read offers used books in different categories , such as storybooks, children books, language books, cook books and computer books, etc. All the books are sold at low prices. Share and Read also aims to help poor children in China. The money raised will be donated to help build schools in rural areas.
We welcome all quality books. We do not want textbooks, magazines and dictionaries. Just make sure that your books are in good condition before giving them to us.
Address: 201 Riverside Main Street
Working hours: Thursdays to Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Hotline: 7654-4321
We look forward to seeing you at Share and Read! | middle4978.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "locusts can change their color"
},
"options": [
"locusts are good runners",
"locusts can jump very high",
"locusts are smarter than birds",
"locusts can change their color"
],
"question": "It is not easy for bir... | In nature, you may see many insects and animals of different colors. Have you ever wondered why?
Locusts are super delicious food for birds,but it is not always an easy job for birds to catch them.It is neither because locusts are good jumpers or runners nor because they are smarter than their enemies. The reason is that the colors of locusts change with the colors of crops . When crops are young,locusts look green. But when autumn comes, locusts change to the yellow and brown color as crops do.
Brown bears,tigers and other animals move quietly through forests. They can't be seen easily by their enemies. This is because they have colors similar to the trees. For the same reason, polar bears that live on a land of snow and ice are white. Butterflies and bees living among the flowers are colorful like flowers. Soil insects are mostly dark-colored and they live under the soil in a dark and wet environment. However, insects with colors different from plants can easily be found and eaten by others. So in order to _ they have to hide themselves in the daytime and appear only at night.
Have you ever noticed some even stranger acts? The ink fish in the sea can send out some very black ink when it faces danger. As the ink spreads over , its enemies will find themselves suddenly in a dark world. At the same time the ink fish immediately swims away. That is how it keeps itself safe though it is not strong at all. | middle1800.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "98"
},
"options": [
"68",
"78",
"88",
"98"
],
"question": "Qian Xuesen died at the age of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "H... | My favorite physicist is Qian Xuesen. He was born in Shanghai on December 11, 1911. He was a little fat and of medium height. And his eyes were wise. He liked music, art and science .
He studied the important implementation plan for the Chinese rocket and the missile . He worked very hard for our country. I liked him very much.
Qian Xuesen had famous words: I am very tiny . It is the Chinese people that are truly great!
Qian Xuesen died on October 31, 2009. I'm very sad to hear the news, and Chinese people are the same as me. He is our hero. We should learn from him and I think I won't forget the great scientist for ever. | middle1814.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because his family moved a lot."
},
"options": [
"Because he wasn't a very nice boy.",
"Because he liked electronic things.",
"Because his family moved a lot.",
"Because he did some illegal things."
],
"question... | When Steven was a young boy, he moved quite often with his family and so he never had many friends. He spent a lot of time on his own and liked to play with electronic things. Steven had a neighbour, Steve Wozniak. Steve was a little bit younger than Steven but also liked to play with electronic things. Steven made a microphone and Steve asked him many questions about it until he understood how it worked. Steven liked the fact that such a young boy was also interest ed in electronic things and so he taught him everything he knew.
When they were a little older and knew more about electronic things, they made a "blue box". People could make free phone calls by breaking into the phone company's system with this box. They sold this to many people even though it was illegal , but this is not why they are famous today.
Steven and Steve were the inventors of the first PC--personal computer. They called their first computer the Apple I. They invented it only for fun and to make themselves known among their friends. They did not think it would become so popular. They just liked playing computer games on it. Their computer made it cheaper and easier for people to own and use a computer. Their PCs were so popular that they made a new PC called the Apple II. Soon many schools, families and factories were using their computers.
Without the two clever men, the personal computers might never have appeared. | middle358.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "fight"
},
"options": [
"share",
"fight",
"play",
"talk"
],
"question": "Clichy and Lucy have a habit that they must find a place to _ with each other.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"a... | As I stood outside with my two dogs yesterday , it was so cold that my nose and face felt frozen ( ).
Of course, that doesn't matter to Ricky and Lucy. They have a habit that they must find a place to fight with each other no matter how cold or hot it is.
As cold as it was, I was excited thinking about how wonderful this special cold really was.
Then the sun broke through the clouds and memories of summer's really hot days came through my mind. I could remember standing in heat of the afternoon, with sweat pouring down my head and the hot, burning sun against my face. I told myself then and there that in the cold of the winter I would wish I had this heat. Because of the special cold, I enjoy the heat more.
So I realized that without the extremes in my life, I would never _ the days
When things just right. without the extremes, life would be boring. For example, heath problems remind us that we need to pay more attention to how we live.
Now, I want to start finding a reason to be happy, even if it's simply the fact that I'm still alive in the world.
,. | middle3965.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Two hundred yuan."
},
"options": [
"One hundred and twenty yuan.",
"One hundred and sixty yuan.",
"Two hundred yuan.",
"Eighty yuan."
],
"question": "Now Mr. and Mrs. King are going to the zoo with their seven-y... | Visit Dongqian Lake Zoo
Come and see big elephants from Yunnan and tigers from the northeast. The African giraffes are waiting for you. Clever monkeys are going to make you laugh. A lot of other animals you have never seen are waiting to meet you.
Tickets:
Grown-ups: Y=80
Children: Y=40
Under Six: Free
Opening Hours
From Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m.---4:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 a.m.---5:30 p.m.
Keep the zoo clean.
Do not feed or go near to the animals. | middle3795.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "both the Germans and the Englishmen"
},
"options": [
"only the Germans",
"only the Englishmen",
"only the Frenchmen",
"both the Germans and the Englishmen"
],
"question": "According to the passage, _ are very... | Do you have any foreign friends? Do you know their characteristics ?
The Germans are very quiet and they always keep calm. They don't like to speak more words. They look very serious. They like different kinds of amusements. The Germans are very hard--working. They like _ , especially the women, who always keep their home clean.
In some ways, the Englishmen look the same as the Germans. They are very quiet and never talk too much with the strangers. They are really polite, so we often hear they say "Thank you." Or "Sorry." The gentlemen are also the Englishmen.
The French's holidays are very long. They like traveling and usually spend their long time staying in other countries. The Frenchmen are more outgoing than the Germans. It is very easy to make friends with them.
Compared to the Frenchmen, the Americans are more outgoing. And they are even opener than all of the Europeans. They don't like to depend on others. So it is very common that the students do part-time jobs in their free time. And in Americans' eyes, success is an important part in their life. | middle416.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the man"
},
"options": [
"the writer",
"the man",
"the pocket",
"the boyhood"
],
"question": "The habit of carrying a book was the habit of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": ... | The tall man was sitting in the chair. He was reading a book. When I talked to him, I found that from boyhood , he had the habit of carrying a little book in his pocket. He often read every minute when he was not doing anything else. He found a book very useful during the time of waiting, such as waiting for meals, buses, doctors, telephone calls, plays to begin or something to happen.
That was how he found his fifteen minutes a day for reading.
That was how he read his twenty books a year --one thousand in his lifetime. | middle1182.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because she knows Bill is lonely"
},
"options": [
"Because she has no friend",
"Because she knows Bill is lonely",
"Because she has nothing to do",
"Because she knows Bill is very rich"
],
"question": "---Why do... | Every evening at six o'clock an old man goes to a restaurant near his house. He eats dinner. After dinner, he drinks coffee and talks to the people at the restaurant.
The old man's name is Bill. Bill eats at the restaurant every evening because he is lonely. His wife died and he has no children.
Every evening the same waitress brings Bill to his dinner. Her name is Cara. She is 17 years old. Cara is kind to Bill. She knows he is lonely, so she talks to him. If Bill is late for dinner, she calls him on the telephone. "Are you OK?" she asks him.
One evening Bill doesn't come to the restaurant. Cara calls him, but he doesn't answer the phone. Cara calls the police. "Please go to Bill's house." Cara tells the police. Later the police call Cara at the restaurant. "Bill died in his sleep," the police tell her. Bill was 82 years old.
A week later, a man comes to the restaurant. "I have something for Cara," the man says. The man gives Cara a check for $500000. The money is from Bill.
"This money is for me? From Bill?" Cara asks the man.
"Yes," the man answers.
"But...why?" Cara asks the man.
"Bill liked you," the man says. "You were kind to him" | middle6835.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "didn't do very well"
},
"options": [
"was an outstanding student",
"didn't do very well",
"was always praised by others",
"didn't learn anything"
],
"question": "Steve Jobs _ when he was in school.",
"ques... | The designer of the Apple Computer, Steve Jobs, was not quite successful in his early years. He was not among the best students at school, and from time to time he got into trouble with either his schoolmates or his teachers. But he was full of new ideas, which few people saw the _ of. Things remained the same when he went up to college and he dropped out halfway.
Steve Jobs worked first as a video game designer at Atari. He worked there for only a few months and then he set out to tour India. He hoped that the trip would give him more ideas and give him a change in life for the better.
After he returned from India, he begin to live on a farm in California. And then, in 1975, Steve Jobs set about making a new type of computer. Along with his friend Stephen Wozniak, he designed the Apple Computer in his bedroom and built it in his garage . He gave the name "Apple" because it reminded him of a happy summer he once on an orchard in Oregon.
His Apple Computer was so successful that Steve Jobs soon became worldwide famous. But unluckily, he died of illness in 2011. | middle370.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "from late winter to middle summer"
},
"options": [
"from late summer to middle summer",
"from late autumn to middle winter",
"from late autumn to middle spring",
"from late winter to middle summer"
],
"question"... | Tornadoes are one of the worst weather events on earth. Each year, tornadoes kill many people. The storms often carry homes, cars and trees from one place to another. And they can also _ anything when they pass by.
A tornado comes from a thunderstorm in the sky down to the ground. It is big at the top and small at the bottom.
A tornado appears when winds in different directions meet in the cloud and begin to turn in circles. People can see tornadoes almost everywhere in the world. But most happen from late winter to middle summer. There is a second high season in November. During spring, warm air moves north and mixes with the cold air left from winter. In November, the opposite happens. Cold air moves south and mixes with the warm air left from summer.
Tornadoes always come suddenly. Weather scientists have done something to predict tornadoes. But the storms often move too fast for people to protect themselves. Last year, tornadoes killed more than one hundred people in United States.
Scientists say the best place to be in is a small room, without windows, in the middle the lowest part of a building when tornadoes come.
,. | middle5482.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The writer's father attended her high school graduation ceremony."
},
"options": [
"The writer's father was in the hospital during her operation.",
"The writer's father attended her high school graduation ceremony.",
"The wri... | It is believed in some ways that the daughter is father's lover. But my experience has taught me in a different way. For a long time, my father has been a very vague figure to me. He was a man of few words, tall but slim and nothing else.
When I was in primary school, my father was never there to pick me up, and he never came to any of my parent-teacher meetings. He was always busy doing projects. I remember when I was in middle school and my head was badly hurt in a PE class. During my operation, my father was nowhere to be found. This hurt me most. At that moment, I considered my father as a cold-blooded man who did not care about me at all.
But things seemed different at my high school graduation ceremony, where I was chosen to represent my class and give a speech. My father, once again, told me he had a business trip in a place outside the city and would be unable to show up . "Don't come. I will be very nervous if I see you," I told him.
I remember my speech went smoothly. After the ceremony was over and I was about to leave. I suddenly noticed a familiar looking man sitting in a corner of the hall. It was my father! I was so surprised that I rushed to him with tears running down my face. "Well done," he said. His eyes were also filled with tears.
Later, I found out that my father had managed to finish his work by staying up late, and he drove for eight hours to get back. He had been sitting in the corner because he didn't want me to see him. My father remembered every word in my speech.
For much of my life, I described my father was a cold-blooded man who only cared about his work. But when I thought deeply about _ , it was obviously not true. At my graduation ceremony. I could feel my father's deep love. The fact is that seeing is not believing, and seeing may not be the fact if we don't perceive the world with our hearts and minds. There's no doubt that life doesn't lack love, but sometimes our eyes have trouble seeing it. | middle5496.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It was built out into the sea."
},
"options": [
"It was built out into the sea.",
"It was built out into the lake.",
"It was built out into the river.",
"It was built out into the pool."
],
"question": "Where wa... | Everyone knows that there's not enough land in Hong Kong. If you go there by air, you will land at Kai Tak Airport. It was built out into the sea. It is in the part of Hong Kong called Kowloon. Kowloon is one of the two big islands in Hong Kong.
The other island is Hong Kong itself. You can get there by ship or through a tunnel under the sea.
The population of Hong Kong is more than six million. Chinese and English are spoken by many people there. Clothes, computers, radios, televisions are made in Hong Kong. It is a shopping center. You can buy all kinds of things there.
Hong Kong is also a beautiful city. It is a good place for traveling. People from all over the world visit Hong Kong every year. You can watch dog-racing and motor-racing there. When you are hot and tired, you may rest in the small cool gardens. There are also a lot of tall buildings with comfortable rooms to live in. If you enjoy eating out, you can easily find a good place for delicious food. Foods of different flavors are served in Hong Kong. | middle4950.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an English teacher"
},
"options": [
"a Chinese teacher",
"an English teacher",
"a guitar teacher",
"a swimming teacher"
],
"question": "Sabrina wants to be _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | My name is Sabrina. I'm 23 years old. I come from London. Now I live in Beijing. I love teaching English. I think it's interesting. I can speak Chinese, too. I have experience in teaching English in China. My e-mail address is sabrina@sina.com.
I'm Bill, an 18-year-old student. I live in Nanjing now. I can play the guitar well. I like to be a teacher. I have free time on weekends. Do you want to learn the guitar? Please call me at 15069606503.
I'm June Smith. I'm 25. I can swim well. I want to be a swimming teacher. I love kids and I'm good with kids. I can help them learn to swim. If you need a teacher in your club, please e-mail me at june@sina.com.
. | middle4788.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "have changed their jobs"
},
"options": [
"have changed their jobs",
"like sports very much",
"feel unhappy at work",
"are looking for jobs"
],
"question": "According to the passage, we can see that both writers ... | I've been working as a professional clown for nearly two years. Before that, I was an actor for nine years. I was never famous, but I was quite successful! I changed jobs because I wanted to do more in life than make people laugh. What if I could help people, too?
As a clown, I try to encourage sick children in hospital to laugh and smile. When you laugh, your mind and body relax. Clearly, people who laugh more don't have as many colds or other problems! Children who laugh a lot often get better results in their studies, too.
It isn't an easy job. Not all sick children get better, and sometimes I come home and cry. But I always go back to work the next day with my red nose on. l don't earn much money as a clown, but I feel very lucky to work with such brave and wonderful patients.
I became a laughter yoga teacher more than two years ago. Before that, I was a dentist! My job was very difficult, and I used to feel _ . Now I still improve people's health, but everything else is completely different. Everyone has fun in a laughter yoga class, including the teacher!
No, laughter isn't "magic". It doesn't prevent all illness, keep you young, or make you beautiful. But did you know that it's an excellent kind of exercise? You move your whole body when you laugh!
Sometimes I work with famous people. It's true that being rich can be stressful! Some famous people can be unpleasant at times, but I try to change their bad feelings. Laughter is excellent for people like musicians, artists and writers, because it helps people to be more creative. | middle7281.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "in 1982"
},
"options": [
"in 1982",
"when he was in primary school",
"when he was five",
"when he was in high school"
],
"question": "Jay Chou's mother sent him to learn the piano _ .",
"question_type": "c... | Jay Chou was born on January 18, 1979, in Taiwan, China. He grew up with his mother, and was a quiet and shy kid. He didn't do well in study, so people thought he would never be successful in life.
As a small child, Jay took a great interest in music. His mother sent him to learn the piano when he was only three years old. He loved it and kept on practicing. When he was in high school, he could play the piano quite well. At the same time, he showed his talent for writing songs.
Before Jay became a singer, he worked as a songwriter. For two years, he spent most of his time writing for singers. Some of them were very famous, like Coco Less and Jacky Cheung. Jay released his first album in 2000 and soon he got quite popular.
Now Jay is one of the most famous singers in Asia. However, he is still shy and doesn't speak clearly when he sings or talks, but he has a lot of fans. Most of his fans like him because he is really good at music and never follows others. | middle1196.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "80"
},
"options": [
"500",
"200",
"80",
"60"
],
"question": "The painting shows about _ games.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": ... | Pieter Bruegel was a famous artist who lived in Europe five hundred years ago. He is well known for a painting calledChildren's Games. People like this painting because it is full of fun. It shows how children in Pieter's time enjoyed themselves in different ways. In all, there are about eighty games being played in the painting.
Children's Gamesshows a busy street scene in a town long ago. The street is a wide and open space. There are no cars, so there is plenty of room to play. There are about two hundred children in the painting. Some play in groups and others play alone. They seem to be enjoying their freedom in the fresh air and their games. Some of the games are still played today.
The games in the painting do not require children to spend money on extra materials . Instead, they use simple everyday objects like hats and sticks. A game might need a rope, some chalk, a hoop, a spinning top, or even a barrel. Some games are played without any toys at all. For example, one scene in the painting shows children turning somersaults inside the fence.
Even though Pieter Bruegel lived a long time ago, children today can learn an important lesson from what he painted. The painting shows us how little we need in order to enjoy ourselves. All children really need is one another. It's not the toys or games that are found in the stores that create fun. Using our imagination can do this for us. | middle402.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "yellow"
},
"options": [
"red",
"yellow",
"Beta 4000s",
"Beta 40s"
],
"question": "Mr. Perkin's new car is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"... | Mr. Perkin stands at the bus stop and watches the cars go by. Many of the cars are Beta 400s, and most of them are yellow. Mr. Perkin likes to do what other people do. So the following week he buys a new yellow Beta 400s. He likes it very much and doesn't like the old red one any more.
This morning Mr. Perkin parks his car in a big park at half past eight near his office. But when he comes out of his office at five o'clock, there're so many yellow Beta 400s in the park. Mr. Perkin can't find out which car is his because he forgets its number and leaves his licence at home. He tries his key in some of the cars and people looks at him. He has to give up. Poor Mr. Perkin can do nothing. He waits nearly two hours until his car is the only yellow Beta 400s left in the park. | middle6821.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The clock tower broke down."
},
"options": [
"People finished the clock tower.",
"People sold the clock tower.",
"People polluted the clock tower.",
"The clock tower broke down."
],
"question": "In 1834, what ha... | People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents. Big Ben is not a person. It's a clock. Big Ben is the great clock hanging up in a tower of the parliament building. The people of London like to see Big Ben's four friendly faces. They like to hear the bell striking on the hour. Bong! Bong! Bong!
Big Ben's story started in 1834. In that year the old parliament building was burned down. Its clock tower fell to the ground. There had to be a new building and a new clock. Plans were made. They called for a "King of Clock, the biggest and the best in the world". So the clock had to be big. And it had to keep very good time. In two years the big clock was made. Five more years went by before the clock tower was last finished. Then the four bells for the chimes were brought into the tower. And at last the big hour bell was put in place. It rang out for the first time on July 11, 1859. This great bell had to have a name. A meeting of parliament was called to pick one. "This clock is the king of clocks," one man said. "Let's call the bell the Queen of Bells." "Then why not Victoria?" said another (Victoria was the British queen at that time). The talk about names went on and on. Then Benjamin Hall got up to speak. He was a big man. By this time they were all tired. Someone shouted, "Why not call it Big Ben and be done with it?" Everybody laughed, and the meeting was over. But it was called Big Ben from then on. Not just the bell but the whole clock. | middle3781.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She couldn't answer the question."
},
"options": [
"the teacher asked her to answer a question.",
"The teacher asked her to stang up.",
"She couldn't answer the question.",
"The teacher looked funny."
],
"questi... | In an American classroom, a teacher asked a Chinese girl to answer a question. She stood up and smiled, without making any sound. The American teacher looked at himself and didn't see anything funny.
So he asked her the question again.The girl just smiled but said nothing. The teacher was angry. He didn't know that the girl smiled to cover her embarrassment because she didn't know how to answer the question.
In a dining room in Beijing, an Englishman was careless and dropped a plate. The Chinese who saw this began to laugh. The Englishman felt uncomfortable and even got angry."They are laughing at me," he thought. In fact ,the Chinese laughed not at the Englishman or his bad luck---whether he is a foreigner or a Chinese. The laughter has some feelings, don't take it so seriously ;laugh it off, it's nothing;such things can happen to any of us,etc. | middle3959.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "fifteen"
},
"options": [
"three",
"nine",
"twelve",
"fifteen"
],
"question": "When the wolf Ralph died, Becky was _ years old.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Our three-year-old daughter Becky wanted a dog. But we were too busy to buy one. One day, Becky ran in, shouting, "Mom! Come to see my dog!" Her face was red with excitement.
I followed her to the bush and found a wolf! He was hurt. Seeing me, he stood up suddenly! I could see his teeth! God! My mouth _ . "Don't be afraid. That's Mom. She loves you, too." Becky said. Then he became friendly. It was unbelievable!
I rushed to find my husband and told him about the wolf. We should have killed the wolf, but Becky loved him. Besides, he was kind to Becky. So we called the vet finally.
Becky named the wolf Ralph and she carried food to him every day. Later, Ralph got well. They played together in the daytime. At night, Ralph would return to the mountains. Sometimes he disappeared but came back several days later.
On Becky's first day of school, we could see Ralph's sadness. After Becky left school, Ralph lay by the side of the road and waited. When Becky returned, he got happy again. This continued throughout Becky's school years.
Twelve years passed.
One day we heard that a wolf was killed. The other wolf was hurt and ran away. We were worried about Ralph. That night, Ralph returned with a wound. Becky held his head kindly and comforted him. We hoped he could come through. However, he died.
Becky cried. I noticed something strange in the bush--two little yellow eyes! Ralph's child! Before he died, Ralph brought his child to us! He knew he would be safe here, as he had been. Ralph, Ralph, I was moved.
"Don't be afraid, little...little Ralphie. That's Mom. She loves you, too." | middle365.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "wanted to do her a favor"
},
"options": [
"wanted to do her a favor",
"shut off the meter by mistake",
"had received her payment in advance",
"was in a hurry to take other passengers"
],
"question": "The taxi dr... | Twenty years ago,I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 a. m. . When I arrived to collect,I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.
I walked to the door and knocked,"Just a minute,"answered a weak,elderly voice. After a long pause ,the door opened. A small woman over eighty stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase. I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly towards the car. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
"It's nothing ," I told her . "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother
treated."
"Oh,you're such a good man."She said. When we got into the taxi,she gave me an address,and then asked,"Could you drive through downtown ?"
"It's not the shortest way,"I answered quickly.
" Oh , I'm in no hurry , " she said. " I'm on my way to a hospice . I don't have any family left. The doctor says I can't live very long ."
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter .
For the next two hours,we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked,the neighborhood where she had lived,and the furniture shop that had once been,a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
_
At dawn,she suddenly said,"I'm tired. Let's go now."We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
"How much do I owe you?" she asked.
" Nothing ." I said.
"You have to make a living,"she answered."Oh,there are other passengers,"I answered.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug . She held onto tightly. Our hug
ended with her remark,"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy." | middle7280.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Jean and Jack."
},
"options": [
"Tom and Jean.",
"Jean and Jack.",
"Jack and Lucy.",
"Lucy and Tom."
],
"question": "Who go to a cinema once a month?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answ... | Tom, Jean, Jack and Lucy are talking about the movie theaters in the city.
My name's Tom. I go to the Movie Palace twice a month. It's about two kilometers from my home. The service is good. But the price of a ticket is a little expensive. I never go to Moon Cinema. It's about 10 kilometers from my home.
I'm Jean. I go to Moon Cinema more often. There are often new movies on show and the screens are big. Most importantly, the price is cheaper. It's always half price for students, about 30 yuan. I go there once a week.
I'm Jack. I live about 5 kilometers from Moon Cinema and 8 kilometers from Movie Palace. I think the seats in Moon Cinema are hard and the music is too loud. So I prefer to go to Movie Palace. I go to Movie Palace once a month.
I'm Lucy. I prefer to go to Movie Palace. It's in the center of the city and is very modern. I like shopping and there are some shopping centers around. I go there once a month. | middle4789.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to keep the environment clean"
},
"options": [
"to make money",
"to help the cleaners",
"to have a good fun",
"to keep the environment clean"
],
"question": "The old gentleman picks up the litter _ .",
"qu... | An old gentleman who lives a few doors away from me can always be seen with a bag. He goes out by himself and picks up plastic bottles, plastic bags and pieces of paper everywhere. He does it all carefully and never complains.
The children in the nearby school are probably responsible for some of that litter. "There will come a time when they know better," he said. "It's just not yet. So, I'll do it for them."
Well, this morning I was out walking my neighbor's dog when I saw another neighbor, a much younger man, out doing the same thing! He had his two little sons with him and they were having good fun trying to pick up the litter.
"What a good job you are doing", I said to him. "Well, an older fellow in our street does this", said he. "And my friend and I thought it wasn't fair that he had to do it all the time, so now we take turns."
Not only was he taking a turn, not only did he have a friend join in as well, but he was passing on the lesson to the nextgeneration !
By the time I had returned the dog to my neighbor, I looked again and his children's friends had joined in!
This man was teaching a whole group of young children to keep their own streetclean. An older man had set an example for him and now he was passing it on--the next generation is doing what he did and the generation to come after that! | middle4951.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they depend too much on smartphones"
},
"options": [
"they don't care about their parents",
"they depend too much on smartphones",
"they find it difficult to remember numbers",
"they don't know how to remember numbers"
... | If you need to call your parents but your phone is not with you, can you remember their numbers?
To remember 11 numbers is not difficult. However, because of the smartphone, many of us are losing this ability. What's more, smartphones weaken our skills at giving directions, as well as killing face-to-face communications. Even when friends are having a meal together, it's common for most to check their phones.
According to a report by Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, an American company, Chinese people spend about 170 minutes on their smartphones daily.
Many students are _ to using smartphones. It does no good to their study. Research by Japan's Education Ministry showed children who spend more than four hours a day on their phones perform much worse in school test than those who play with their phones for 30 minutes.
It's true that the smartphone has made our lives easier. But many also think they spend too much time on it, and this is bad for their study or work. People are trying to change that.
A new app called Forest was introduced this month. It lets users plant a seed that grows into a tree over the next 30 minutes. During the half hour, users cannot use their phones, or the tree will die.
A restaurant in Los Angeles, US, gives people a 5% discount if they don't check their phones during a meal. Owner Mark Gold said he hopes it gives people a way to enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person. | middle5497.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "e-cards"
},
"options": [
"traditional cards",
"e-cards",
"flowers",
"computers"
],
"question": "More and more people like sending _ to each other.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answe... | The Internet has changed our habits, including our habit of sending greeting cards. There are many e-card websites that make it easy to find the right greeting cards. They have greatly changed the way we send greetings to each other.
Our lives have become so busy that we have limited personal time. These e-card websites have allowed everyone to easily share their feelings with each other. They include plenty of greeting cards that can be used immediately. The users can choose any card they like, from festival greetings to birthday wishes. In fact, e-cards are perfect for any event. That's why more and more people like to send e-cards. If the users are interested in making their own greeting cards on the Internet, they can create a card within only a few minutes.
They allow you to send your greetings on a special date. So you can plan for the occasion when you want to send the card. For example, you can send your e-card on a certain day and then visit the person with some flowers the next day. This will surely create a good impression on the persons you love and give them a great surprise.
We have never forgotten the importance of saying sorry to our beloved ones. But sometimes we fail to do so, because we are not brave enough to face those we hurt. Some e-cards allow us to express our feelings in a more thoughtful way.
Although some people still would rather buy traditional cards in the shops for the persons they love, especially when they want the cards to last a long time, more and more people are choosing to send greetings on the Internet. | middle3958.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "August 2nd."
},
"options": [
"August 1st.",
"August 2nd.",
"August 3rd.",
"August 4th."
],
"question": "When is Ann going to leave for her holiday?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer... | M: Hi, Ann! Tomorrow will be August 1st. When is your holiday going to start?
W: Very soon. I'm going to leave the day after tomorrow.
M: How long are you going to be away?
W: About two weeks.
M: Where are you going?
W: I'm going to the beach this time.
M: Are you going to stay alone?
W: No. I will stay in a hotel with my friends.
M: Oh, good. It's hard to find a place to stay at the beach in August.
W: That's right. And in a few days, I will swim every day, play beach ball, lie in the sun and just take it easy.
M: Don't tell me about that. It sounds so great!
W: What about you, John? Where are you going to spend your holiday?
M: I don't know. I should think about it. | middle6820.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Colours have influences on people in many ways."
},
"options": [
"Colours help people choose products.",
"Different people prefer different colours.",
"Colours have influences on people in many ways.",
"People working i... | Different colours can affect us in many different ways; that's according to Verity Allen. In a new programme "Colour me Healthy", Verity looks at the ways that colours can influence how hard we work and the choices we make. They can even change our emotions and even influence how healthy we are.
"Have you ever noticed how people always use the same colours for the same things?" says Verity. "Our toothpaste is always white or blue or maybe red. It's never green. Why not? For some reason we think that blue and white is clean, while we think of green products as being a bit unpleasant. It's the same for businesses. We respect a company which writes its name in blue or black, but we don't respect one that uses pink or orange. People who design new products can use these ideas to influence what we buy."
During the programme, Verity studies eight different colours, two colours in each part. She meets people who work in the colour industry, from people who design food packages, to people who name the colours of lipsticks. Some of the people she meets clearly have very little scientific knowledge to prove their ideas, such as the American "Colour Doctor" who believes that serious diseases can be treated successfully by the use of coloured lights. However, she also interviews real scientists who are studying the effects of green and red lights on mice, with some surprising results.
Overall, it's an interesting show, and anyone who watches it will probably find out something new. But because Verity _ to be polite to everyone she meets on the programme, it's up to you to make your own decisions about how much you should believe. | middle403.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "only when you use a microscope"
},
"options": [
"when you are ill",
"only when you use a microscope",
"when you cut your finger",
"everywhere around you"
],
"question": "You can see germs _ .",
"question_t... | When you have a cold, you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot, and there are pains all over. You don't want to work, you stay in bed, feeling terrible.
What makes you ill? It's _ . Germs are everywhere. They are very small and you can't find them with your eyes but you can see them with a microscope . They are very small and there could be hundreds of them in or on a very small thing.
Germs are always found in dirty water. When you look at dirty water under the microscope, you can see them in it.
Germs are found not only in water. They are also found in air and dust . If you cut your finger , and if some of the dust goes into the finger, it will become big and red, and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes germs will go into your body and you will have pain everywhere. | middle1197.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Fewer skillful farmers."
},
"options": [
"Rising food prices.",
"Growing population.",
"Fewer skillful farmers.",
"Less fresh water available"
],
"question": "According to the passage, which of the following is ... | With rising food prices, growing population and environmental problems, many people are worrying about how we will feed ourselves in the future. Don't worry. Scientists are trying to find some answers.
Some scientists believe insects will become a staple of our diet. Insects provide as many nutrients as ordinary meat and a great source of protein , they also cost less to raise than cows and use less water. About 1,400 species are suitable as food for humans. Many people have already eaten insects as a part of their diet. Locusts are popular in Africa, wasps are a dish in Japan, and crickets are eaten in Thailand. The Dutch government is preparing for insect farms and has invested one million euros into research.
In the future, land and fresh water will be in short supply. It is possible that people need to find a reliable food source in the ocean. Scientists have already found one at the bottom of the food chain---seaweed. It has long been a staple in Asia, and countries including Japan have huge seaweed farms. Such farms can easily work in other countries and be very successful. The great thing about seaweed is that it grows at an amazing rate. It's the fastest growing plant on earth.
Scientists are also working in the lab to solve the problem of food shortage. A few years ago, European scientists successfully produced lab meat, also known as cultured meat. They grew muscle tissue using stem cells taken from cows. The experiment was funded by NASA to see if lab meat was a food astronauts could eat in space.
In 20 years' time , lab meat is likely to become a popular dish of our diet. According to research, growing meat in a lab rather than slaughtering animals can greatly reduce greenhouse gases, along with energy and water use. People can also reduce fat from the meat and add nutrients. | middle6834.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they wanted to steal something"
},
"options": [
"they couldn't fall asleep",
"they wanted to steal something",
"they would like to take a walk",
"they went to visit their friends"
],
"question": "Why did the two... | One evening two young men were walking in the street together. They tried to find a chance to steal something. The clock struck twelve. Most of the people went to bed. Quickly they came to a house and it seemed that everyone in the house had fallen asleep. Standing at the front gate, one said in English to the other in a low voice, "You wait here. I'll go around to the back door and then get into the house. "Suddenly out of the house ran a dog, barking at them. The two men were very frightened and ran away as fast as they could. Finally, they stopped at a lonely place. The man said breathlessly, "It's too bad. I hadn't expected that the dog could understand English. " | middle417.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "loved"
},
"options": [
"didn't like",
"loved",
"hated",
"hit"
],
"question": "Mr King _ his cat very much.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"an... | Once Mr King had a cat, and he loved it very much. He called it "Sky", because he thought "Sky" was the strongest name in the world.
One day he had a meal at a restaurant with his cat. He met his old friend. He told him about his lovely cat and its name. His friend said, "How foolish you are! Sky is not the strongest thing in the world. My cat is called 'Cloud' because cloud is stronger than sky." After hearing this, Mr King called his cat "Wind" because he thought wind was stronger than cloud.
After a few days he suddenly thought that "Wall" was stronger than wind. And "Mouse " was stronger than wall. So he went to his friend to ask for an idea. His friend said, "Don't you think 'Cat' is stronger than mouse?" "Yes, but..."
The man thought and thought and then decided his cat's name had better be "Cat" because a mouse was always afraid of a cat. Don't you think Mr King is very silly or funny? | middle3794.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "50"
},
"options": [
"70",
"60",
"50",
"40"
],
"question": "There are about _ students in a class in our school.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
... | Our school is very big. There are sixty classes in our school. There are about fifty students in a class. There is a television in a classroom, but there isn't a computer. There are 52 desks in my classroom. In my class there are 26 boys and 25 girls.
Our library is big, too. There are many books in it. The gym is behind it, and the science labs are next to the library. Behind the gym is our dining hall. We have lunch in it. | middle1815.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "four"
},
"options": [
"three",
"four",
"five",
"six"
],
"question": "There are _ people in the picture.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answe... | This is a picture of Mr. Li's family. The man in the middle is Mr. Li. The woman is Mrs. Li's wife. They have two sons. The child behind Mr. Li is Li Lei. He's thirteen. The boy in front of Mrs. Li is Li Ming. He is seven. Li Lei and Li Ming are in the same school, but not in the same grade. Li Lei is in Grade Two. Li Ming is in Grade One. They are good students. | middle3964.txt |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.