questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Shanghai"
},
"options": [
"Shanghai",
"Toronto",
"New York",
"Zurich"
],
"question": "The following cities EXCEPT _ are on the list of the most polite cities in the world.",
"question_type": "cloze_quest... | So, let's imagine you are walking down the street drinking a box of tea. You finish drinking the tea. Now, what do you do with the box? Do you drop it on the ground? Or, do you do the right thing and drop it in a trash can? Hopefully, you drop it in the trash can because, besides harming the environment, littering is also very impolite.
Recently, a magazine published a list of the most polite cities in the world. They looked three things: did people litter, did shop clerks say thank you and did people hold the door open for the person behind them? The top three politest cities were New York, USA, Zurich, Switzerland, and Toronto, Canada. Hong Kong, China was number 35. Shanghai wasn't even on the list.
Does that mean that Shanghai is not a polite city? Well, maybe. There are different ways to judge politeness but the survey was looking at how a visitor to a city would feel when walking around its public places. Visitors don't like to step over empty tea boxes as they walk down the street. They don't like it when they buy something and the shop clerk doesn't say thank you or even give them a smile. They also don't like it when someone lets a door slam into them instead of holding it open.
Shanghai is a nice city but it is not always the most polite city. I don't think this is intentional . I think it's just a lack of awareness . China is becoming a popular place for tourists to visit. When they come to Shanghai they will find a friendly city: it would be nice if they also found a polite one. And, remember, being polite makes you feel good, too. It's nice to be nice. | middle6768.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she had received a strange letter"
},
"options": [
"her father has just disappeared",
"she had got some lovely pearls",
"her father asked her to do so",
"she had received a strange letter"
],
"question": "Miss M... | Holmes rubbed his hands together excitedly. His eyes shone and he leant forward in his chair.
"Tell us your story," he said.
Miss Morstan began her story and we listened.
"My father," she began," was a captain in the army. When I was very young, he was sent to India My mother was dead and I had no other relatives in England. So, while my father was away, I was sent to school."
"When I was seventeen, I received a letter from my father. He said that he was leaving India and coming back to England. He gave me the address of a hotel in London. He asked me to meet him there."
"I was very happy and excited about seeing my dear father again, I went to London and arrived at the hotel. I asked for Captain Morstan, my father. But I was told by the hotel manager that my father was not there. He had gone out the night before and not returned."
"I waited all day and all night, but my father didn't come back to the hotel. Finally, I went to the police. They advertised for Captain Morstan in all the newspapers, but without success. I never saw my dear father again."
...
"Four years after my father disappeared," continued Miss Morstan, "I saw an advertisement in the newspaper. The date was 4th May 1882. To my surprise, the advertisement asked for the address of Miss Mary Morstan, It said that ifl advertised my address, I would receive some very good news."
"What did you do?" asked Holmes.
"I advertised my address in the same newspaper. The next day, I received a small cardboard box. Inside the box was a lovely pearl . And I have received another five pearls since that day. They arrive every year on the same day. Look."
She opened a flat box and showed us six beautiful pearls.
" _ " asked Holmes.
"Nothing at all," replied Miss Morstan. Then she continued. "But the strangest thing of all happened this morning. That is why I came to see you. This morning, I received a letter. Please read it."
"Thank you," said Holmes. He took the letter and studied it carefully,
(From THE SIGN OF FOUR) | middle3628.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The frogs were easy money."
},
"options": [
"They needed money to buy medicine.",
"They wanted to please the visitors.",
"The frogs were easy money.",
"The frogs made too much noise."
],
"question": "Why did the... | It was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries.
Then one day, some visitors from the city arrived. They told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frogs' legs. However, they did not have enough frogs of their own, and so they wanted to buy frogs from other places.
This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were no use to the villagers. All they had to do was to catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent to the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money. For the first time, the people were able to dream of a better future. But the dream didn't last long.
The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and there seemed to be more insects around lately.
The villagers decided that they couldn't just wait to see the crops failing and the children getting weak. They would have to use the money they'd just had to buy pesticides and medicine. Soon there was no money left.
Then the people realized that what was happening. It was the frogs. They hadn't been useless. They had been doing an important job--eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, soon there were more and more insects. They were doing harm to both crops and people.
Now, the people are still poor. But in the evening they sit in the village square and listen to sounds of insects and frogs. _ . | middle4147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "seven"
},
"options": [
"six",
"five",
"seven",
"three"
],
"question": "If there are ten Germans , _ like reading.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | In Germany ,about 70% people like reading. They often read .They read in their homes. They read in libraries. They read in their schools. They also read in hospitals .Parents often read books for their kids.
You can buy all kinds of books in Germany. There are many bookstores there. A bookstore can sell many books every day. People also like to buy books on the Internet now.
In Germany ,people often have reading parties. They are happy at the parties. But you must follow the rules at the parties. For example, don't arrive late for the parties. Don't eat at the parties. Don't listen to music at the parties. Don't talk at the parties. | middle5259.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He couldn't buy the shoes"
},
"options": [
"the shoes were too small",
"he lost his shoes",
"He was without feet",
"He couldn't buy the shoes"
],
"question": "Bill felt so sorry and sad because _ .",
"que... | The date was like any other day in his life. After school Bill walked past the shop on the street corner. He stopped to look at the front row of shoes, and he felt sorry for himself. He really wanted to have a pair for his birthday.
He sadly walked away and thought of what to tell his mother. He knew she would give him anything if she could. But he also knew very well she had little money. He decided not to go home at once, because he looked worried and he didn't want to make his mother worry about it. So he went to the park and there he sat on the grass. Then he saw a girl in a wheelchair . He found that the girl moved the wheels with her hands. Bill looked at her carefully and he was surprised to see that the girl had no feet. He looked down at his own feet."It's much better to be without shoes than without feet," he thought. It was not right for him to feel sorry and sad. He went away and smiled. He thought he was luckier in life. | middle2536.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "cartoon"
},
"options": [
"dirty",
"cartoon",
"hateful",
"silent"
],
"question": "Mickey Mouse is a _ mouse.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"ans... | People usually hate mice, but one mouse has won the hearts of the people all over the world---the famous Mickey Mouse.
Fifty years ago most movies were silent. A man called Walt Disney made a cartoon mouse that could talk his movies. He named his mouse Mickey Mouse. People, both young and old, were very excited at the talking mouse. Children loved to see their friend, because he brought joy and laughter to them.
Mickey was a clean mouse right from the beginning. Perhaps this is one reason why people hate real mice and love Mickey Mouse. In his early life Mickey made some mistakes. People were angry. They wrote to Disney and said that they did not want Mickey to do silly things. So Disney made a new animal named Donald Duck. He also made a dog called Pluto. This dog does stupid things and makes mistakes wherever he goes. Now our Mickey Mouse is not only clean but also important. He appears as a beautiful and clever star. He has his friends in almost every country. | middle6988.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He asked to sit next to her."
},
"options": [
"He walked past her.",
"He spoke to her dog.",
"He spoke angrily to her.",
"He asked to sit next to her."
],
"question": "What did Jack do when he saw the woman?",
... | One day when Jack was walking in the park, he saw a woman he knew sitting on a bench with a dog beside her. The dog was looking up at the woman.
Jack walked up to the woman and said, "Hello, Sue, how are you? May I sit and talk with you for a while?"
"Of course, please sit down," Sue said.
Jack sat down next to Sue on the bench, and they talked quietly together.
The dog continued to look up at Sue, as if waiting to be fed.
"That's a nice dog," Jack said, pointing at the animal.
"Yes, he's handsome. He's a bit of a mixture , but that's a bad thing. He's strong and healthy."
"And hungry," Jack said. "He hasn't taken his eyes off you. He thinks you've got some food for him."
"That's true," Sue said. "But I haven't."
The two friends laughed and then Jack said, "Does your dog bite?"
"No," Sue said. "He's never bitten anyone. He's always gentle and good-tempered ."
Hearing this, Jack decided to _ the dog. He put out his hand and touched the animal's head. Immediately it jumped up and bit him.
"Hey!" Jack shouted. "You said he didn't bite."
"No, I didn't," Sue replied. "You asked if my dog bit, and I said no......" | middle7328.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Chinese"
},
"options": [
"China",
"Chinese",
"Japan",
"Canada"
],
"question": "Sally is a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "E... | Hi! I'm a Chinese girl. My name is Liu Wei. My English name is Sally. I'm twelve. I'm in Class 8, Grade 1. My English teacher is Mr. Lee. He is from New York. He is a good teacher. I don't know how old he is. My good friend is Jane. She is from Canada. She is in Class 8, Grade 1, too. She is eleven. Who's Linda? She is Jane's sister. Her name is Linda. She is six. | middle1981.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "our school"
},
"options": [
"our city centre",
"our classroom",
"our school",
"our house"
],
"question": "The library is in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | There is a library in our school. It is near our classroom. It is on the first floor. Our school library is not very big, but it is very nice. There are many books in the library. Some are in Chinese, some are in English. I like reading very much. I often go there to borrow books. The _ is a woman. She is very good. We all like her very much. | middle6036.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "reading can make you a good writer"
},
"options": [
"some children wish to be writers some day",
"it is good to write something for people to read",
"reading can make you a good writer",
"writers like to read more books... | Some children want to be writers some day. They mean that they want to write stories or books for people to read. That's good! It's good to write something for people to read! But they should know that they need to be good readers first before they really are good writers. They should read a lot of books, and read for hours and hours every day instead of watching TV and spending a lot of time playing games when they are free.
If you are a good reader, it doesn't take you long to do the reading homework. Then you have time to read many other books for fun. Because you read so well, you have more fun in reading and you want to look for more books to read.
Before you decide to be a good writer, you'd better say to yourself, "I must read and read and read more and more!" | middle1759.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "fox"
},
"options": [
"dog",
"pig",
"cat",
"fox"
],
"question": "One day a tiger caught a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "in... | One day a tiger caught a fox in the forest . Before the tiger eat him , the fox said, "You can't eat me, I'm king of the forest. If you eat me , all the other animals in the forest will be angry with you." The tiger didn't believe him. The fox said, "If you don't believe me, then take a walk with me in the forest. You can see whether they are afraid of me."
The tiger thought it was a good idea, so they started together. The fox walked in front and the tiger went behind. When the other animals saw the tiger coming, they ran away as fast as they could. The fox called out, " Mr Tiger, you see, all the animals are afraid of me." The tiger said, "Yes, you are quite right." He let the fox go . | middle2250.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "driver"
},
"options": [
"doctor",
"driver",
"teacher",
"worker"
],
"question": "Rose's father is a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_... | My grandparents have two sons and one daughter. They are my uncle, my aunt and my father. My uncle, Peter, is a doctor. He likes fish and chicken a lot. He has a son and two daughters. I like playing with them. My aunt, Mary, is a teacher. She teaches in No. 5 High School. All the students there love her. My father, Thomas, is a driver. My mother is a doctor. She likes fish and hamburgers very much. I have a sister, Rose. She is 8 years old. Her favorite food is fish. I love my family very much. | middle4621.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "both A and B"
},
"options": [
"learn things quickly",
"remember things easily",
"think about one thing",
"both A and B"
],
"question": "When you have good study habits, you will _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | All students need to have good habits : When you have good study habits, you can learn things quickly. You can also remember them easily.
Do you like to study in the living room? This is not a good place because it is usually too noisy. You need to study in a quiet place, like your bedroom. A quiet place will help you only think about one thing, and you will learn better.
Before you study, do not forget to clean your desk. A good desk light is important , too. You'll feel tired easily if there is not enough light. | middle2244.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Four"
},
"options": [
"Three",
"Four",
"Five",
"Six"
],
"question": "How many ways to stop the virus are mentioned in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
... | This March, the H7N9 virus hit Zhejiang, Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and so on. It seemed that most people who were infected with H7N9 had the common flu. Some people suffered from a fever or a cough.
Don't be afraid---it's not easy to be infected with the virus. Here is some advice to help you protect yourself when it comes.
Wash your hands. You need to wash your hands with soap and hot water before you eat, after you use the toilet , and after you touch animals, because your hands may carry viruses.
Cover your nose and mouth, when someone sneezes or coughs, flu viruses can travel as far as one meter through the air, so you'd better stand a proper distance while talking to someone who has a cold. And always cover your nose and mouth with a piece of paper when you sneeze or cough, and then clean your hands.
Wear a mask . Some doctors say that masks can stop the flu as much as 80%, but if you don't wash your hands often, it's no use wearing a mask. And it's necessary to wear a mask in the groups of people.
Do sports often. Exercise will help your body strong enough to _ the virus. | middle1995.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because he didn't have much experience."
},
"options": [
"Because he never graduated from college.",
"Because he didn't work hard in college.",
"Because he didn't have much experience.",
"Because he didn't know about sp... | Everything happens for the best." Whenever I faced disappointment, my mother would say this to me.
After I graduated from college in 1932, I decided to find a job in radio as a sports announcer. I went to Chicago and knocked at the door of every station. But unluckily , I was refused every time.
At one station, a kind lady told me that big stations wouldn't hire an inexperienced person and suggested that I try my luck at smaller stations. Following her advice, I went back to Dixon, where I had grown up. There were no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, and my father said a newly-opened store wanted a local athlete to work for it. I applied for the job, but I was refused again.
"Everything happens for the best," Mom reminded me. Dad offered me the car to look for a job. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, Peter MacArthur, told me they had already hired an announcer.
As I left his office, my frustration(,) boiled over. "How can I become a sports announcer if I can't get a job in a radio station?" I asked aloud.
While I was waiting for the elevator, I heard someone calling. It was MacArthur. "What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?" Then he asked me to broadcast an imaginary game. Pleased with my performance, he offered me a chance to work there.
On my way home, I thought of my mother's words: "If you carry on, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn't have happened if not for" that previous disappointment. | middle6022.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Listening."
},
"options": [
"Writing.",
"Reading.",
"Listening.",
"Speaking."
],
"question": "At the end of the first term, what was the writer bad at?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"an... | I came to the USA because I needed to study English here. I went to an English language school. I was not a beginner, but I was not good at English. At the end of the first term, I could read, write and speak, and I thought I was good at them. However, I was not good at understanding when people spoke to me. My teacher said," Why don't you repeat the classes?" I was not happy. I made progress every month, so I did not want to repeat them. However, it was true -- I was not good at understanding when people spoke to me. My teacher said, "Repeating the classes is a good way to practice listening. And if you repeat them, you will understand more spoken English." In the end, I repeated the classes. In the second term, I studied the same books that I did in the first term. My teacher was right. It was a good idea. Now, after studying English for a year, I can understand more spoken English. And I know that reading, writing and speaking are not enough; listening is also very important. | middle6744.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "goes to a cinema"
},
"options": [
"goes shopping",
"goes fishing",
"goes to the supermarket",
"goes to a cinema"
],
"question": "After lunch, Mr. Brad _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Mr. Brad wants to see a film. After lunch, he goes to a cinema, buys a ticket and goes in. But after two or three minutes he comes out again and buys a second ticket and then walks in again.
After a few minutes he comes out again and buys a third ticket. Two or three minutes after that, he comes out a third time and asks for another ticket. But the girl says to him, "Why are you buying all these tickets? Are you meeting your friends in the cinema all the time?" "No, I'm not doing that." Mr. Brad says, "But a big woman always stops me at the gate of the cinema and she tears all my tickets." The girl has a good laugh and says, "One ticket is enough. She is on duty." | middle4153.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "student"
},
"options": [
"engineer",
"teacher",
"model",
"student"
],
"question": "The author's cousin was a(n) _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
... | Several days ago, while I got online, my cousin's QQ head popped out . We hadn't seen each other for a few months, so I decided to start a talk with her. My cousin is studying in a college of our city. Her hobby is surfing the Internet. Every time I am on the computer, she is always online, listening to music or decorating her "personal space". I like visiting her space. It's creative and modern. I can't design such a colorful web page as hers.
When I read the sentences she sent to me, I noticed that the Chinese characters had been changed, but I could still guess their meanings. I took a strong interest in this type of new characters. Further watching made me realize that they added some common Chinese radicals to the original characters, making them more vivid , a little like Japanese. My cousin said this gives new life to the Chinese language and culture.
It is true that the Internet has _ our language, but I still can't accept this new change. Some Chinese characters have meanings in the shapes; one shouldn't superficially change them by adding an additional radical. So I advised my cousin to change her new idea and use standard characters to communicate. And she willingly accepted my advice. | middle2522.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the rules for dinner time are not strict"
},
"options": [
"the rules for dinner time are not strict",
"dinner is always at six in the evening",
"a family offers food only at four in the afternoon",
"people usually invit... | Dinner customs are different around the world. If you are a guest in Ghana( ), this information will help you a lot.
In Ghana, dinner is usually from four in the afternoon to six in the evening. But there are no strict rules about time. Whenever a guest arrives, a family offers food. When you go to a home, the person who receives guests takes you to the living room first. At this time everyone welcomes you. Then you go to the dinning room. There you wash your hands in a bowl of water. All the food is on the table.
In Ghana you usually eat with your fingers. You eat from the same dish as everyone else .But you eat from one side of the dish only. It is not polite to get food from the other side of the dish. After dinner, you wash your hands again in a bowl of water.
Most meals in Ghana have a dish called fufu. People in Ghana make fufu from the powder of some plants. Sometimes they cut the fufu with a saw because it is very hard. You must chew fufu well, or you may get sick. You eat fufu with the fingers of your right hand only. | middle597.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "helps Iris get better over her autism"
},
"options": [
"likes playing with children",
"helps Iris paint better",
"helps Iris get better over her autism",
"teaches Iris how to look after an animal"
],
"question":... | For Iris Grace Halmshaw, the world was a lonely place. The autistic five-year-old girl tried to speak, and she was often thrown into pain by the world around her. She filled her days with painting, and nothing could quite change this situation. Until, that was, a cat called Thula came along.
The pair are now inseparable . Iris' parents believe the gentle cat is helping their little girl communicate with others, as well as influencing her works of art. In the beginning, they thought it was just _ , but now they believe Iris is expressing her love for Thula through her painting. Mother said, "When Iris is painting, Thula is told by her to "sit down" if she jumps up onto the table. She stays there, watching Iris with great interest, sometimes wanting to play with the brushes, but mostly just patiently watching."
And the pair's bond doesn't end there. Thula is at Iris' side for every part of her life. The pair's closeness is having an effect on Iris' relationships with others, and her parents find it easier to encourage her to talk to others. After researching the advantages of animal therapy for autistic children, the couple had tried introducing Iris to horses, dogs and even other cats with no success --- but things changed when Thula came to live with the family. During weeks, the cat was helping to comfort the little girl in times of stress.
Mother said, "It was as if they were old friends from the day they met. Thanks to Thula, new doorways to communication and feelings are opening and Iris is happier than ever before."[:Zxxk.Com] | middle7472.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "vegetables and fruit"
},
"options": [
"fish and fruit",
"vegetables and mutton",
"tofu",
"vegetables and fruit"
],
"question": "You should eat _ four or five times a week.",
"question_type": "cloze_questio... | Health is important for us.But how can we keep healthy?First,you should eat vegetables and fruit four or five times a week.Then you should eat some tofu products every day because they are good for people,both the young and the old.Milk is also necessary, _ for women.So you should have milk twice a day.It can help you to be healthy.Next,doing morning exercises is better.You can do morning exercises or evening exercises.After dinner,you should take a walk. | middle5265.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "24"
},
"options": [
"10",
"24",
"31",
"35"
],
"question": "Ma Yun became an English teacher at the age of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"a... | Ma Yun was born on October 15,1964 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. He is the founder of Alibaba Group.
At the age of 10, Ma Yun took an interest in English. Each morning, he rode his bike to Hangzhou Hotel to talk with foreigners. In 1988, he became an English teacher. Then Ma Yun met Bill Aho, an American businessman, in Hangzhou. In 1995, he visited the United States for the first time. He stayed with Mr. Aho's family. There, he was introduced to the World Wide Web. Then he returned home and set up one of China's first web companies , China Yellowpages in the same year. On February 21,1999, he _ Alibaba. He chose Alibaba as the name because everyone knew the story of Alibaba.
Ma Yun had problems along the way. But his hard work made Alibaba an online success. | middle5503.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "trying to stop a dog fight"
},
"options": [
"opening the door",
"cooking in the kitchen",
"making a phone call",
"trying to stop a dog fight"
],
"question": "Laura was badly hurt when she was _ .",
"quest... | A 2-year-od boy is being described as a hero after using Face Time to save his mother after she was badly hurt.
According to a report from KGUN, Laura was trying to stop a fight between two dogs when one of the dogs bit part of her middle finger almost completely off.
Laura tried to call 911 herself, but she said her hands were too badly hurt to make the call. " I asked my daughters to call 911, and they're four, and they were quite afraid to even touch the phone, because it was covered in my blood ," Laura told KGUN.
The mother continued to lose a lot of blood and thought she would go into a deep sleep--until her 2-year-old son Bentley came up with a dishcloth from the kitchen. After cleaning some of the bold off his mother's iPhone, Bentley continued to use Face Time to call Laura's friend Connie.
"All I could see was his little forehead. I said 'Hi Bentley' and it was quiet for a little bit. Then I heard Laura shouting," Connie told KGUN.
Connie then called 911, and Bentley unlocked the door to let firefighters into the house.
Laura told KGUN she is very thankful for her little hero and has since taught all of her children how to call 911. | middle3172.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "David Crystal thinks Netspeak helps develop the habit of writing."
},
"options": [
"Cynthia Mcvey points out teenagers can deal with Netspeak properly.",
"Geoffrey Nunberg believes Netspeakers can write Standard English.",
"D... | My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 : -@ kids FTF. ILNY; its gr8.
Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad. The middle school teacher in England who received this as homework couldn't either. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on Internet or mobile phones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language. So, what is the "translation" of the sentence above? My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York; it's great.
Schoolteachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes can be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted .
Everyone should just relax, say linguists . They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nunberg, from Stanford University, agrees. "People get better at writing by writing," he says, "Kids who are now doing text messaging and e-mail will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents."
Linguist James Milroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And you can
that when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become "corrupted", and that they simply change to meet the new needs.
However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia Mcvey says, "I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they get across to their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future."
Perhaps we should give teenagers a little more trust anyway. Erin, age 12, says, "I wouldn't use text language in my homework. Texting is just for fun." | middle8027.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "why the apple fell"
},
"options": [
"when the apple hit him",
"why the apple fell",
"who made the apple fall",
"where the apple fell"
],
"question": "Newton wanted to find out _ .",
"question_type": "cloz... | 1"I will think of it." It is easy to say this, but do you know what great things have come from thinking? Though we can not see, or hear, or feel our thoughts, they have great power !
2Isaac Newton was seated in his garden on a summer evening when he saw an apple fall from a tree. He began to think, and tried to find out why the apple fell. Then he discovered how the earth, sun, moon, and stars are kept in their places.
3James Ferguson once saw the inside of his father's watch, and he wondered, "Why should I not make a watch?" This set him thinking and it led to a wooden clock which kept good time.
4Walt Disney, the famous American film-maker, was often thinking of new ideas. One day, when he was in a meeting, he suddenly stopped talking, deep in thought. He looked and looked at a place high up in the room. This continued for a long time, end then he got an idea for a new cartoon.
5Ideas come at any time, end the important thing is to think. When you meet with any difficulty, don't lose heart. Try to think of it before asking someone to help you. Think and by thinking you will learn how to think creatively. | middle1765.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Six hours."
},
"options": [
"Five hours.",
"Six hours.",
"Four hours.",
"Three hours."
],
"question": "How many hours for lessons are there in my school?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"... | I like to get up late, so my ideal school starts at 9 a.m. It finished at 3 P.m., so we will have lots of time for after-school activities. There is a big dining hall.
We have an hour for lunch. We eat lunch and chat there. We can also listen to pop music in the hall. We eat fruit and vegetables every day.
We have Maths every day because I think Maths is very interesting to us. I love computers, so we have Computer Studies every day. We wear school uniforms, but we do not wear ties. The classes are quite small. There are 15 students in each class.
There is a park on one side of our school and a shopping mall on the other. We have a big library
lots of useful books. We also have a tennis court and a swimming pool.
There are lots of clubs and after-school activities. We only have half an hour of homework every day, and we do not do homework at weekends. Every month, we go on a school trip to a museum or a theater. | middle8033.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Copenhagen"
},
"options": [
"London",
"Rome",
"Paris",
"Copenhagen"
],
"question": "Which of the following European capital cities has the least traffic noise and pollution?",
"question_type": null
},
{
... | Copenhagen is a city full of fairy tales . If you want to _ it, you have to spend a long time and walk slower to enjoy yourself. Copenhagen was the first city to have a street for walkers only. The city has less traffic noise and pollution than any other European capital.
Walking along the river banks, you'll see the Amalienborg Palace first. The king's family is living there.
Churches and castles show us the original city. Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark in 1445. But fires in 1728 and 1795 completely destroyed the old wooden buildings. Much of what we see today dates back to the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Keep going, and you'll see the Christiansborg Palace. The town of Copenhagen began there. The you'll see Nyhavn ,a waterway, which was dug in 1673. When you see it, you'll understand why Hans Christian Andersen made this beautiful waterway his home. Nyhavn is a peaceful and wonderful place. You'll usually see some rich people walk along here.
If you walk there, you can enjoy the old trees, the colorful lights and the beautiful gardens. You might feel as if you were in a fairy tale. | middle7300.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Used toys and books."
},
"options": [
"Beautiful cars.",
"New magazines.",
"Her sisters'clothes.",
"Used toys and books."
],
"question": "What did Hannah often get for Christmas when she was a child?",
"ques... | Hannah was born and raised in a poor framily. She wore hand -me -downs from her older sisters.For Christmas she usually got used toys and books .As a chilld ,she wanted to have the beautiful clothes ,cars ,and homes that she often saw on TV and in magazines.
Five years after college,she became a manager.Her dream came true.She had her own company near Central Park.She took skiing vacations in the winter and travelled by ship in the summer .At the age of 30,Hannah was on top of the world.
Then she had her usual health check-up.Her doctor told her that she had a serious illness.Her doctor guessed that she had less than a year to live.
He advised ,"If you have any once -in -a-life time plans,do them now."
Hannah spent her last months in her company.She was looked after by hospice workers.Her family and friends often visited her .The moment before she died ,she opened her eyes and said,"If you have your health,you have everything." | middle2278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Elizabeth and Darcy become a romantic couple in the end."
},
"options": [
"Elizabeth and Darcy fall in love at first sight.",
"Elizabeth has a better family background than Darcy.",
"Darcy has a first good impression of Eliza... | Jane Austen(1775-1817),an English novelist, started writing young and completed six novels in her life. Today Austen's books are more popular than ever. In the last 10 years, five of her six novels have been made into Hollywood films, while her books continue to be best-sellers.
Richard Jenkyns, a professor of English at Oxford University, says that her novels are about marriage, friendships and the family, which are still with us today. "The stories are timeless,"Jenkyns said.
Pride and Prejudice (1813) is Austen's most famous work. It is a love story about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. At first, these two dislike each other. Elizabeth is pretty ,smart and lively. She is proud because Darcy doesn't know about her family. Mr. Darcy is handsome, rich and has a better family background. So, he is proud as well. At the same time, Darcy holds a prejudice against the Bennet family. He has no understanding of why the family, especially its mother and daughters should try so hard to find wealthy and powerful husbands. He thinks they are _ Anyway, Elizabeth and Darcy finally fall in love and become a romantic couple but their families don't want them to.
In Pride and Prejudice, some of the main things that Jane Austen wants to teach people are as follows. Opposites can attract each other. Lovers should not ony make each other feel relaxed or comfortable, but also educate and improve each other.
Austen is often called the greatest romanti writer, so it is surprising she remained unmarried. 'Maybe she was too romantic, waiting for the perfect man," Jenkyns says. | middle5517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "your best friend"
},
"options": [
"your parents",
"your teachers",
"your best friend",
"your new friends"
],
"question": "You should start to be outgoing with _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},... | Being outgoing is good for your life. Those who are more outgoing like to meet lots of people and
have more fun in life. In fact, being outgoing is not as hard as you think. Even shy people can be outgoing. You can start becoming outgoing with your best friend or a group of friends. But the real challenge comes when you meet strange people or new friends. Smile more, and usually they will return your smile. In this way, you may have some talks.
Start a talk. Just a smile "Hello" or "How is it going" is a good start. If you want to make interesting talks, you should read news in newspapers and prepare your views, or surf the Internet for new information and then keep that in mind.
The easier way to become more outgoing is to go out. This is also the most important step . Go to a park, beach, club, party or any other place that you think can be fun, and you may make new friends there. | middle4609.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "worried"
},
"options": [
"tired",
"angry",
"fantastic",
"worried"
],
"question": "The writer felt _ when he heard the news from Miss Chan.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Tuesday, 1stSeptember
I had mixed feelings today, nervous, worried, happy, excited... My heart went down when Miss Chan, our head teacher, said that Matthew and Beth, two students from England, would spend three months with us! I was worried that I had to speak English so much! But at the end of the school day, I was happier than I thought: the morning with them today was more enjoyable than I expected.
Today is the most unforgettable first day I have had! Matthew is fantastic! His English is clearer and easier to listen to than I thought. The other English student, Beth, is the most helpful girl I've ever met. There were lots of things to do on the first day. Beth offered to help Miss Chan put up all the notices. Of course, some of the credit should also go to ME because I translated some of the notices for her. Miss Chan praised us!
We finished all the preparations 10 minutes earlier than expected, then Beth and I talked for a while, Matthew sang several English songs and did some stand-up comedy at the party. We all praised him. When the bell rang to end the first school day, none of us wanted to leave.
When I went back home, I had a little headache. I have probably spoken more English today than the whole of last year.
It was really a happy day! I hope our friendship can continue, even after they gone back to England! | middle3166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A teacher"
},
"options": [
"A doctor",
"A shop assistant",
"A teacher",
"A student"
],
"question": "What does Miss Green do?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Miss Green came into the classroom with a piece of paper. There was a big black dot in the middle. Miss Green put up this piece of paper and asked, "What can you see in the middle of the white paper?" All the children watched the black dot. " A black dot," they answered quickly. "But can't you see this piece of white paper? The black dot is like unlucky things in our life. If we only see the dark dot, how can we be happy?"
The classroom was very quiet at the moment. Miss Green took out another piece of paper from her bag. This was a piece of black paper with a white dot in the middle.
"what can you see, kids?" she asked the children with a smile on her facc.
"A white dot," the children answered loudly.
Miss Green smiled, "My children, although we may be happy or worried in our life, it is just like the clouds in the sky. The clouds can lift quickly and the sun can come out soon. You can be a happy child with the sun in your eyes all the time." | middle3600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "didn't go down in value"
},
"options": [
"still went up in value",
"was worth nothing",
"didn't go down in value",
"was still ours"
],
"question": "Even though it was dirty,the money _ .",
"question_type":... | A famous teacher was speaking to the students at our school.He began his lesson by holding up a Y=100 bill.Then he said to the three hundred students,"Who would like this Y=100 bill?"The students began to put up their hands at once.
Then he said,"I am going to give this Y=100 to one of you,but first,let me do this."He then made the bill into a ball.Then he said,"Who wants it now?"The hands went back into the air.
"Well,"he said,"what if I do this?"and he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it.He picked up the dirty,crumpled bill and said,"Who still wants it?"Hands went back into the air.
"My friends,"he said,"you have learned a valuable lesson today.No matter what I did to the money,you still wanted it because it did not go down in value .It was still worth Y=100!"
Many times in our lives,we are dropped,crumpled,and stepped on by the chances we take and the things that happen to us.We feel as if we are worth nothing.But remember,no matter what has happened to you,you will never lose your value:you are always valuable to those people who love you.Your value doesn't come from what you do or whom you know,but who you are.
You are special and valuable.Don't ever forget it! | middle5271.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "on the desk"
},
"options": [
"on the sofa",
"on the wall",
"on the desk",
"under the desk"
],
"question": ".Where are the books? They are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Welcome to my room. Open the door . You can see a desk. There are some books on the desk. My pens are on the desk, too. Behind the door there is a basketball. I love it very much. On the wall there are two pictures. Look at the boy. It's me. Where is my football? Oh! It's on the sofa . Is my computer on the desk? No , it isn't . It's next to the desk. I love my room. It's very nice , isn't it? | middle1017.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "wear a hat with flowers on it"
},
"options": [
"wear a hat with flowers on it",
"play on the playground",
"speak Chinese",
"pick flowers in the garden"
],
"question": "Yinzi likes to _ .",
"question_type"... | Do you know the girl in a hat with flowers on it? Her name is Yinzi. She is a nice Japanese girl, my new friend. She is in our class, studying Chinese.
I like Yinzi. I don't know Japanese, and Yinzi doesn't know Chinese. We know some English. We are the same age. In the same class we have the same interests . We like to sing Chinese, Japanese and English songs. I help her to ride a bike and fly a kite. She helps me to swim and jump. We like playing football, but we can't play in the school because the playground is small. Yinzi and the other girls in our class will go to the swimming pool on Monday, and I want to go with them. | middle583.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "go home"
},
"options": [
"go to school",
"go home",
"do homework",
"get up"
],
"question": "Nuan Yangyang _ at 4:15P.M..",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index"... | Do you like Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf ? It's an interesting cartoon movie. Do you want to know what they do in their village every day?
I'm Nuan Yangyang. On school days, I always go to school at 8:00 in the morning. Then I go home at four fifteen in the afternoon. Then I do my homework at 5:00 in the afternoon. I have no
homework on weekends.
I'm Fei Yangyang. I want to be healthy, so I always get up at six o'clock in the morning. And I run to a sports club to play sports at 8:15 in the morning. Then I play games with my friends and get home at three o'clock in the afternoon.
I'm Lan Yangyang. I love eating and sleeping. And I don't like doing sports. I have meals at
home but I never wash the dishes .
I'm Mei Yangyang. I am a pretty girl. I like going to clothes stores. The clothes there are nice, so I often buy nice skirts there. I go to a singing club on weekends.
I'm Xi Yangyang. I like helping others. So I usually take the bus to the English club at ten
thirteen in the morning. There I help two kids learn to speak English. | middle6778.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They sometimes go to the Martyr's Park."
},
"options": [
"They usually enjoy cherry blossoms.",
"They usually go to the bird center.",
"They usually visit the seaside.",
"They sometimes go to the Martyr's Park."
],
... | It's time to take a spring trip. Do you know how the kids in different countries spend their holidays?
Children in China
When spring comes, children want to be outside, so some schools usually organize a spring trip for them. It could be a trip to a mountain. There, children can climb mountains, fly kites, enjoy flowers and so on. Sometimes their teachers take them to the Martyrs' Park. Students can put some flowers on the graves .
Children in Japan
In April, while the Chinese enjoy winter jasmines, the Japanese are enjoying cherry blossoms. This is the best time of the year for children to take a trip. They take picnic lunches, sing and dance under the trees.
Children in the UK
They have many great choices when it comes to the school trip. They can visit the seaside or a theme park. One of the most special places to go is the bird center. These children can see ducks and other birds. The people at the center are scientists. This means they can teach children about habitat of the birds. The kids spend time in a beautiful place and also learn something about the natural world there without textbooks. | middle7466.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "show where we are"
},
"options": [
"show where we are",
"keep warm at night",
"cook our meal",
"drive animals away"
],
"question": "According to the passage, we should make a fire to _ .",
"question_type"... | A long walk in the desert or the mountains can be exciting. And it's a great way to keep fit. If you carry a tent and some food, you can camp overnight. But wild places can be dangerous. Here's how you can enjoy walking and camping safely.
Before your trip
Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. If you don't return on time, the people at home will know that you are lost or in trouble. They will know where to look for you.
Make sure you've got a good map of the area that you're going to.
Make sure you've packed the right equipment for your activities. The desert is often hot, but nights can be very cold, and sometimes there are big rainstorms. In the mountains, the weather can change suddenly. A sunny day can turn cold and cloudy quickly.
The tools for survival
Sunglasses, sun hat, sun cream, windproof jacket, good walking shoes or boots, food, water, maps, compass, first-aid kit, matches, rope, knife, ground sheet,
the pack to carry your equipment.
What to do if you get lost
If you're in a car and it has broken down, stay with your car.
If you are not traveling by car, make yourself easy to see. A signal fire can be seen at night. During the day, smoke may be used to show where you are. A brightly-colored blanket may help rescuers to find you.
Stay where you are.
If you walk for any reason, avoid walking during the hottest part of the day. Morning and evening walking is better for saving your energy water.
Keep yourself away from the rain, wind and sun, but remember: try to make yourself be in sight. | middle568.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Talking about the same magazine"
},
"options": [
"Writing a letters in English",
"Talking about the same magazine",
"Visiting each other often",
"Thinking of your friends first."
],
"question": "_ makes you and... | Friends are important in our lives, but how to keep our friendship is more important. Here are some ways for you.
Write letters
If your best friend moves to other cities, you could buy the same magazine, E-mail, phone or write each other about the articles in the magazine that make you laugh. This will make you have the same interest. Don't forget to visit each other as often as you can.
Think of your friends first
What are your friends' thoughts, dreams, hopes and fears? What are her past experiences ? From these, you could think of ways to support your friends. You put your friend first, she or he feels special, and you both grow closer to each other.
Gifts from the heart
Take photos of a whole day or weekend together. Write a short story about your time you enjoyed. Save the movie tickets, restaurant stubs or special gifts you find every place you travel. Put everything in a box you'll keep all the time.
Create your own fun ways to keep your friendship if you can. | middle4184.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It is an unfriendly place."
},
"options": [
"It is an unfriendly place.",
"It is a lively place.",
"It is a nice place.",
"It is a place with many plants."
],
"question": "What kind of place is the Moon?",
"... | Scientists tell us so much about the moon, it is quite easy to tell what it is like. It's certainly not a friendly place. As there is no air or water, there can be no life of any kind. Mile after mile there are only plains of dust with mountains around them above, the sun and the stars shine in the sky. If you _ the mountains' shadows it will mean moving from terrible cold into great heat. The moon is also a very silent world, for sound waves can only travel through air. But from the moon, you can see a friendly sight. Our earth is shining more brightly than the other stars. It looks like a very large ball, coloured blue and green and brown. | middle2293.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "why Chinese food tastes fresh"
},
"options": [
"why Chinese food tastes fresh",
"what Chinese food tastes like",
"how Chinese food is cooked",
"what makes Chinese food special"
],
"question": "This passage is ma... | My interest in Chinese food started many years ago, when I had my first job. I was a young reporter for the Daily Journal in San Francisco. Our office wasn't far from Chinatown. I usually managed to arrange my time so that I could go there at least two or three times a week for a good meal.
The first time I ever ate Chinese food I loved it. And since then, it just tastes better and better to me. The first thing I noticed was the fresh tastes of the meat and vegetable. When I learned more about the food, I began to understand why it has this special feature.
About 5000 years ago, China lost much of its wood because of over population and poor management of its forest. This loss was very bad for the country, of course, but it turned out to be very good for the food. Wood became very expensive and hard to get, so the Chinese had to learn how to use it better.
In order to use less wood in cooking, they started to cut their meat and vegetables into small pieces before they put them in the hot oil. That way, the food cooked faster and they saved their _ . The food prepared in this manner kept its fresh flavor --and it's this flavor that attracts people to the art of Chinese cooking.
I often wonder if the Chinese appreciated their solution to that ancient energy problem as much as I do now -whenever I eat Chinese food. | middle1942.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "small garden"
},
"options": [
"shed",
"small garden",
"an apple orchard",
"small house"
],
"question": "Mrs. Brown had a _ behind her house.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Mrs. Brown had a small garden behind her house and in the spring she planted some vegetables in it. She looked after them very carefully, and when the summer came, they looked very nice. One evening Mrs. Brown looked at her vegetables and said, "Tomorrow I am going to pick them and we can eat them." But early the next morning, her son ran into the kitchen and shouted, "Mother, mother! Come quickly! Our neighbor's ducks are in the garden and they are eating our vegetables!" Mrs. Brown ran out, but it was too late. All the vegetables are finished! Mrs. Brown cried, and her neighbor was very sorry, but that was the end of the vegetables. Then a few days before Christmas, the neighbor brought Mrs. Brown a beautiful fat duck. And on it was a piece of paper with the words, "ENJOY YOUR VEGETABLES!" | middle1956.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the twins"
},
"options": [
"Gary",
"Gavin",
"the twins",
"a stranger"
],
"question": "After the twin's father died, the department store was managed by _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Gary and Gavin were twin brothers who worked in a department store owned by their father. After their father had passed away, they took over the store. Everything went well until the day a twenty-dollar bill disappeared. Gary had left the bill on the cash register. But when he returned, the money was gone.
Gary then asked his brother Gavin, "Did you see that twenty-dollar bill on the cash register?" Gavin said that he had not. But Gary did not let it go and kept questioning. "Twenty-dollar bills can't get up and walk away by themselves! Surely you must have seen it." There was accusation in Gary's voice. Tempers began to rise and anger grew. "I said I didn't see it!" Gavin raised his voice.
The quarrel divided the young men and they could no longer work together. Later, a wall was built in the center of the store. For twenty years, they never said a word to each other.
One day, a strange man came to the store. He walked in and asked Gary, "How long have you been here?" Gary replied that he'd been there all his life. "Then you are the person I'm looking for, since I must tell you the truth," the customer said emotionally. "Twenty years ago, I was totally _ and hungry. I entered this store from the back door and saw a twenty-dollar bill on the cash register. And I took it. All these years I hadn't been able to forget that. I had to come back and ask for your forgiveness ."
The stranger felt very surprised when seeing tears come to the eyes of the middle-aged man in front of him. "Would you please go next door and tell the same story to the man in the store?" Gary asked. Then something surprised the stranger even more --- after hearing his story, the two middle-aged men hugged each other and cried together in the front of the wall of the store.
After twenty years, the wall of anger that set them apart finally came down. | middle3199.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the countryside"
},
"options": [
"Beijing",
"the countryside",
"Tianjin",
"a town"
],
"question": "Peter is staying in _ during the three- day holiday.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"... | The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming. Let's see what my friends are going to do during the three-day holiday.
Peter: I'm going to visit my uncle and aunt with my parents during the three days. They live in the countryside. It is far from our city, Beijing. We're going to take the train there. I am going fishing there with my cousin.
Eliza: I'm going to visit my grandparents with my parents on the first day. They live in a small town. It is going to take us one hour to get there by car. On the second day, I'm going to have a party with my friends. On the third day, I have to do my homework and study for a math test.
Gina: My cousin is visiting us. He lives in Tianjin. He is coming by bus. On the first day, I'm going to play ping-pong with him. On the second day, I'm going to take him to Eliza's party. On the third day, my cousin is going back and I am going to do some shopping with my parents. | middle2287.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Other animals."
},
"options": [
"Dog.",
"Cat.",
"Fox.",
"Other animals."
],
"question": "Who eats the apples?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"a... | Dog, Cat and Fox are friends.
One day, Dog and Cat see some apples. They don't want to tell others. At this time, they meet Fox. They ask him not to tell others. But Fox tells other animals. The animals eat up all the apples. Dog and Cat are not happy.
The next day, Dog and Cat find some food again. But Fox tells it to other animals again.
Dog and Cat decide to teach Fox a lesson. They say to Fox, "We have some fish." Fox tells it to other animals, but they don't find the fish. They beat Fox. | middle3827.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "listen to classical music"
},
"options": [
"listen to Mariah Carey's music",
"go to the movies",
"listen to classical music",
"buy nice clothes"
],
"question": "Tina liked to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_... | Tina was not like many of her classmates. She didn't listen to popular music or watch many movies, and she wasn't interested in nice clothes. When she got together with her friends, they wanted to listen to rock and pop music. When Tina asked if they would like to try classical music, they all looked at her strangely."Classical music is for old people, " one of her friends said. Tina was worried that something was wrong with her. She decided to talk to her father. As she entered his study , her father could feel something was wrong.
"Dad, am I strange?" she asked her father."Of course not, " he answered. "Why do you ask that?" "Because I don't like the same things as my classmates do. They want to listen to Mariah Carey's music. I like Yo Yo Ma's." "I can understand, Tina, it's all right _ You don't have to copy what other people do. Everybody has different tastes. Some of them are popular, and others aren't. "After talking with her father, Tina felt better. She realized that being different made her special. It was an important lesson for her to learn. | middle4190.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "she is going to know something more about China"
},
"options": [
"she is going to know something more about China",
"she lives in America",
"she can know China on television",
"she is not Chinese"
],
"question":... | Gina's sister lives in England. She knows something about China on TV. But she wants to know more. So she is looking forward to visiting China. She will have a holiday next week. She is going to visit Beijing because she likes Chinese culture. She is going there by plane and then stay in a hotel. In Beijing she is going to do sightseeing, and visit the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and walk up the Great Wall.
Gina's sister also likes animals. She likes Chinese pandas very much. So she is going to visit Beijing Zoo to see the pandas there and take some photos of them. On the last day in Beijing she is going shopping. She wants to buy Gina a present. She knows that Gina likes Chinese silk and Chinese paintings. | middle7499.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "memory loss"
},
"options": [
"drop in body temperature",
"great weight loss",
"sickness",
"memory loss"
],
"question": "Lacking of sleep over four weeks leads to many problems, except _ .",
"question_type... | Did you sleep the day away on March 21? Well, you should have done that because it was World Sleeping Day. This is the one day of the year when people around the world care about their sleep and ask themselves a lot of questions about sleep.
Why do we need sleep? Nobody as yet can give a correct answer to this question. However, tests have shown that lack of sleep over about four weeks leads to a strong drop in body temperature, great weight loss and finally sickness.
Different people need different amounts of sleep. Eight hours a night is considered the average amount of sleep. For teenagers the least number of sleeping hours advised by doctors are ten hours for primary school students, nine for junior highs and eight for senior highs.
Some people seem to get along just fine with very little sleep at night. Leading American scientist Thomas Edison said that sleep was a waste of time. He did, however, take naps during the day. On the other hand, Albert Einstein, another great scientist, said he needed at least ten hours' sleep a night.
Here are some of the most useful suggestions, for a good night's sleep.
Go to bed regularly. Use your bed only to sleep. Don't exercise in the evening. Keep the bedroom dark and quiet. Drink a glass of milk before sleep. | middle6787.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "sells"
},
"options": [
"sells",
"eats",
"keeps",
"gives"
],
"question": "Tom _ most of the things in his garden.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | Tom grows the nicest vegetables and fruits, and the most beautiful flowers in his village. Plants grow in Tom's garden all through the year.Tom cuts some flowers for his sitting-room table and eats some fruits and vegetables, but he sells most of them in the market. His vegetables, fruits and flowers are so wonderful that they sell much more quickly in the market than those of other villages.
How does Tom grow these beautiful plants? He is so lazy that he just sits under his orange tree with his radio. He listens to music all day.
That is quite true. Tom plants things in spring, summer, autumn and winter. After that he sits with his radio. And everything grows. It is the music that does work. Tom knows more clearly that music makes the biggest vegetables and fruits and the most beautiful flowers. Plants love music as much as people. | middle554.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In a bank."
},
"options": [
"In a bank.",
"At the police station.",
"In a school.",
"In a shop."
],
"question": "Where does Andrew's father work?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | My name is Andrew.There are three people in my family--my father,my mother and I.
My father is a bank clerk.And he works in a bank.He thinks it's a boring job.He wants to be a policeman.My mother is a teacher.She teaches Chinese.She thinks her job is very interesting.She works hard and often comes back home very late.In her free time,she likes writing stories for a magazine.I'm a student.I want to be a musician when I grow up. | middle232.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in every room of the hotel"
},
"options": [
"in the hotel dining room",
"at the hotel bar",
"in every room of the hotel",
"in the hotel shop"
],
"question": "You can see the notice probably _ .",
"question... | Welcome to Moonlight Hotel! To make you stay as enjoyable as possible, we hope you will use our facilities to the full.
Dining Room: Breakfast in the dining room is from 6:30 a.m. Also the room _ may bring breakfast to your room at any time after 6:00 a.m. If you would like this, please fill out a card and hang it outside your door before you go to bed. Lunch is from 11:50 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Room Service: We provide a 24-hour service for you. Call the Reception Desk, you're your message will be passed on to the staff
Telephones: To make a phone call, dial 0 for Reception and ask to be connected . If the lines are busy, please wait and try again. There are also public phones near the Reception Desk. Tell Reception if you need morning calls.
Shop: The hotel shop is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Bar: The hotel bar is open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Banking: The Reception staff will cash checks and change any foreign money for you. | middle4806.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "something about Sunday papers"
},
"options": [
"what people usually do on Sundays",
"when people get up on Sundays",
"something about Sunday papers",
"people can know from the paper who died during the week"
],
... | Many people go to church on Sunday, but others don't. Many people sleep late on Sunday morning, but others don't. Some people work on Sunday, but most don't. However, almost everyone reads the Sunday paper.
Often the paper is waiting outside the door when the family gets up. The newspaper boy has put it there. The paper has many advertisements and many different parts.
The parents in the family like the front page and the world news part. Many men also read the sports pages and the financial pages.
Most men don't read the women's pages, but the mother of the family usually does. The women's pages have the news about parties and some good ideas about food, health and clothes.
Most Sunday papers have interesting stories. Children enjoy them. Old people read the death notices. They tell about people who have died during the week.
There is something for everyone in the Sunday paper. | middle226.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "both B & C"
},
"options": [
"play baseball",
"play video games",
"play the guitar",
"both B & C"
],
"question": "What things do the three children do together? They _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | I'm Tony. My best friends are Frank and Cindy. We often do many things together. Frank lives next to my home and we are in the same class. He is thirteen years old and tall and of medium build. He has curly hair and blue eyes. He's good-looking and very clever. He's good at math and often helps me with my homework. He likes wearing black pants and yellow T-shirts.
Cindy doesn't go to my school. She's eleven years old. She is thin and of medium height. She has curly blonde hair and her eyes are brown. She is good-looking, too, but a little bit shy. She is good at playing the guitar. Her favorite subject at school is music. She often teaches Frank and me to play the guitar after class.
The three of us have great fun together, and we help each other and sometimes play video games at my house. | middle540.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Smoking, drinking and fighting."
},
"options": [
"Smoking , drinking and exercising.",
"Drinking, fighting and playing.",
"Smoking, drinking and fighting.",
"Chatting, watching and smoking."
],
"question": "What... | Who is reading your blogs or checking out your information online? Two reports show that surfing the Internet and sending personal information to people you do not know could be a problem.
Most sites give users their own webspace where they can write their diaries or post their pictures. The sites encourage users to get their friends to look at their work and to comment on what are posted on the sites.
Teachers are worried that some children are posting their personal information on websites. This could put them at risk from those who plan to do harm to young people. Teachers are also worried some users think it is OK to use the websites in a way that could get others into trouble.
In a school in Illinois in the US where some popular sites are used wildly, the school would punish students who posted pictures or information about smoking , drinking and other illegal activities on the websites.
The school is now going to encourage its 3,200 students to obey a new rule. The warning is clear. That is, be careful when posting information about yourself such as your age, sex, address and interests on a website that anyone can see.
Another warning about the Internet comes from a report. It shows searchers are leading users to websites that show them spam and other dangerous downloads.The words " free _ " were found to be the most dangerous words that people search for.
It is well-known that visiting sites offering free MP3s leave users at serious risk. Spyware should be installed on their computers. So, happy surfing ,but remember not to get caught in the Net! | middle2052.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Beautiful and interesting."
},
"options": [
"Beautiful.",
"Interesting.",
"Bad",
"Beautiful and interesting."
],
"question": "How are Jimmy's pictures?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"an... | Once there is a boy in London. His name is Jimmy. He starts painting when he is three years old, and when he is five years old, he is already very good at it. He paints many beautiful and interesting pictures, and a lot of people buy his pictures. They say, "This boy is going to be famous when he's a little older, and then we're going to sell these pictures for a lot of money."
Jimmy's pictures are different from others' because he never paints on the whole of the paper. He only paints on half of it, and the other half is always empty.
"That's very clever," people say. "No other painters have ever done that!"
One day someone asks Jimmy, "Please tell me, Jimmy, why do you only paint on the bottom half of the paper, but not on the top half?"
"Because I'm small," Jimmy says, "and my brushes can't reach very high." | middle6234.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Three."
},
"options": [
"Three.",
"Four.",
"Five.",
"Six"
],
"question": "How many books has Dou Kou written?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "l... | Dou Kou, a Chinese boy, is called "the youngest writer in the world" .He has written 3 books now.
Dou Kou was born in Jiangsu Province in 1994. When he was 7 months old, his parents started working in over 30 different cities, such as Xi'an and Shenzhen .This kind of life gave him things to think
and write about.
When Dou Kou was 9 months old, he could speak and at the age of one he could say five to six hundred words. At 3, he could look up words in the dictionary. At 4, his father taught him to learn something. His parents like reading very much. So does he. At the age of 5, he began writing fairy tales
.
His fairy tales are all from his life. One day ,he found many mice in the house. They not only ate their food but also hurt his mother's hand. So he thought, "lf we give mice the stomachs of cows, they'll eat grass and it'll be helpful to people. " This was his first fairy tale Change, Stomach for Mice.
At 6, he wrote a novel about his own life in different cities with his parents.
Now, he studies well in a middle school. He has written his third book, the novel- called Eyes of Childhood . | middle8219.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Three"
},
"options": [
"Two",
"Three",
"Four",
"Five"
],
"question": "How many written tests will the students get ready for?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | Here is an examination notice. Mrs. Dickson gave it to her students last week. Read it and answer the questions.
To the students of Class 3
*Examinations start on June 22 and end on June 23.
*The time for each of the subjects is:
English June 22 9:30 A.M.- 10:30 A.M.
Math June 22 11:00 A.M.- 12:00 A.M.
History June 22 2:30 P.M.- 3:30 P.M.
PE June 23 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.
Music June 23 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.
*For the PE test, go to the playground. For the music test, go to the Piano Room. All else are written tests. They will be held in classroom 3.
*No student can get into the examination room more than 15 minutes after the exam starts.
*No food or drink during ANY test.
*No dictionaries during the English exam.
*Wear sports shoes and clothes for the PE exam.
If you have questions, go to the Teachers' Office before the tests. | middle971.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It costs a lot of money."
},
"options": [
"It costs a lot of money.",
"It may have a bad effect on children.",
"It can lead to violent action.",
"It can cause addiction."
],
"question": "Which is NOT, mentioned ... | Parents and teachers worry about games having a bad effect on students, and, a large number of reports have been written about games leading to addiction and _ action. One who is addicted to games of violence might think fighting or even killing is not a very serious thing.
But not everything about gaming is bad. For some, games are a good way to learn as well. Many games are based on history, city or planning. Such games can teach students valuable lessons of life in some ways. Some games can improve players' memory skills by asking them to perform memory exercises throughout the game in order to reach the next level. Computer games are known to improve hand-eye coordination and help players develop problem solving. Most games encourage players to meet more difficult challenges.
Computer games have both good and bad effects. Playing games itself is not a problem, but students need to know about how much time to spend playing games and what kind of games to play. Gaming is like any other activity in life----eating too many hamburgers or too much pizza is harmful too. | middle7894.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "take a test on first - aid badge"
},
"options": [
"take a test on first - aid badge",
"collect their first - aid badges",
"report a hit - and - run accident",
"help the victim of an accident"
],
"question": "Joe... | Joe and his friends were on their way to the Red Cross Headquarters to take the test for the first- aid badge .They had worked and practiced very hard the whole year and were confident that they would do well for their test.
On their way to the test place, they saw a hit - and - run accident. A taxi driver had sped through the red light and almost hit a schoolboy, However, he could not stop in time to avoid a motorcycle that had turned round the corner. The passenger at the back was thrown off the motorcycle and landed heavily on the ground. The taxi driver was frightened and drove off.
Everyone on the street was greatly surprised.
Joe realized that they should take action when he saw the victim bled heavily. "Come on," he said to his friends and wanted them to follow him but they didn't move.
Joe knew what they were thinking. They would have to wait for another year if they were to miss the test. "Which is more important? A man's life or a badge?" Joe asked his friends.
The question made his friends feel small.
The victim had a deep cut on his head. Joe and his friends dressed his wound to stop the bleeding while waiting for the hospital car to arrive. This was what the Red Cross Society had trained them for. | middle2734.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "alone"
},
"options": [
"with friends",
"alone",
"on weekends",
"on weekdays"
],
"question": "Both Alice and Maria like shopping _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answ... | Alice, 35
I like shopping, but shopping with young children is not a good thing. I have to look after them while I'm shopping. I go shopping with my husband only when I buy something for him. When I look at a cheap dress, he always says, "It's beautiful on you." But when I have an expensive one in my hands, he always says, "I don't think it fits you well." So I often go shopping with my friends. It's fun. I like shopping alone, too.
Maria, 26
I like shopping very much, but I never go shopping on weekends. There are too many people in shops. I don't like shopping with other people. It usually takes me much time to buy things because I never buy the first thing I see. I always look around other shops to find the same thing cheaper. I'm good at finding cheap things. I don't like buying food in small shops or street markets. I think food in supermarkets is fresh and cheap. | middle4345.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They live together in peace."
},
"options": [
"They live together in peace.",
"There are no problems at all in Hawaii .",
"It is difficult for them to live together .",
"There are serious problems among them ."
],
... | There are some special traditions in Hawaii . People there are very friendly and always welcome visitors . They give visitors a lei , a long necklace of beautiful fresh flowers . Men wear bright flowered shirts , and women often wear long flowered dresses .
In Hawaii you may find some traditional Chinese , Japanese and Philippine holidays . Of course , many holidays are from the United States . People call Hawaii the Aloha State . Aloha means both "hello" and "good--bye". It also means "I love you " .
Usually when people from different countries , races or traditions lives together , there are serious problems . But in Hawaii there are few problems , people have learned to live together in peace .
Hawaiians earn most of their money from tourists , most of whom come from the mainland and from Japan . The families of the first people who came from the U.S. mainland own the important banks and companies . Japanese are also starting business and buying more and more land . | middle2720.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The one he feels most inspired."
},
"options": [
"The easiest one.",
"The most interesting one.",
"The one he feels most inspired.",
"The one he does worst in."
],
"question": "What type of writing should a begi... | From diaries to blogs, we're all used to recording our lives with words.
So why not take those words one step further? It's a great hobby that can produce something as simple as a 17-word poems, or as _ as a 900-page novel. All you need is just a pen and a notebook.
Types of Writing
You can jump into any type of creative writing-novels, poems, or something else. Start wherever you feel most inspired, and try a few different forms to see what you like. You can also plan a children's book, write a song, or just write pages in your diary.
Actually Writing
Creative writing is a skill. If you own natural talents for writing, that's great! If not, you can improve yourself by writing something every clay, even if it's just a few words. 100words. com and 750words. com can help you reach the goal.
Getting Inspiration
No inspiration is one of the biggest problems that beginning writers face, and it can be hard to find until you know how to look. So, you have to practice looking. Look for the beauty in everyday life, start by reading everything, and see where it takes you.
Really, just start writing. Get your thoughts on paper, express yourself, and have fun--because that's what creative writing is all about. As Ray Bradbury, the famous American writer said, "May you live with hysteria ,and out of it make fine stories. | middle4351.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it's good manners not to talk with our mouths full"
},
"options": [
"it's good manners to use a knife and fork to eat",
"it's bad manners to stand and talk",
"it's good manners not to talk with our mouths full",
"how to... | From the time we were babies we have been taught manners. We are taught how to hold a knife and fork and not to talk with our mouths full. We are taught how to shake hands and when to stand and when to sit and the way to introduce people.
Sometimes good manners in one place are very bad manners somewhere else. Almost everywhere eating together means that people are very friendly to each other. But in parts of Polynesia it is bad manners to be seen eating beside each other. So they politely turn their backs to each other when they are taking food.
Some East Africans spit four times as a kind of blessing .They do it to show that they want a sick person to get well,or to bless a new-born baby. In most other places,spitting means something completely different. It usually shows an unhealthy habit. In many countries,it may mean that you hate someone.
When we go to visit someone we say " Hello!" Or " How are you ? " or things like that.
But if you are visiting an East African village , everyone will be very careful not to pay attention to you, The polite thing there will be for you to go quietly,without speaking to anyone, and sit beside your friend. You should wait until he has finished what he is doing and then he will begin talking to you.
In a village in Arab , a visitor will walk behind all the tents until he gets to the one he wants to visit. If he passes in front , he will be invited into each tent and asked to eat. It is rude to refuse. | middle965.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "six"
},
"options": [
"four",
"five",
"six",
"seven"
],
"question": "How many people are there in Tina's family?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
... | Hi, boys and girls! My name is Tina. I'm twelve. Welcome to my home. This is my*house. I think it's nice. I have two brothers. They are Tom and Tim. Tom is ten and Tim is seven. Tom likes playing tennis and Tim likes playing soccer. And I have one sister. Her name is Jenny. She is only five years old. She likes playing with her dog. This is my mother Linda and this is my father Jack. They don't like playing sports. They like watching TV. I love my family. | middle7658.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "1.27 billion"
},
"options": [
"1.58 billion",
"1.53 billion",
"1.36 billion",
"1.27 billion"
],
"question": "The population of India is _ now.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | India has a population of 1.27 billion. Its population is the second largest in the world. China has the largest population of over 1.36 billion. One out of six people on this planet live in India. Although, the crown of the world's most populous country is on China's head for ten years. India will take the _ by 2030. With the population growth rate at 1.58%, India will have more than 1.53 billion people by the end of 2030.
Now more than 50% of India's population is below the age of 25 and over 65% below the age of 35. About 72.2% of the population lives in some 638,000 villages.
Some of the reasons for India's quickly growing population are poverty, illiteracy , decrease in death rates and immigration from Bangladesh and Nepal. India started taking measures to stop the growth rate quite early. India had the "National Family Planning Program" in 1952. It became the first country in the world to have a population policy. However, it failed to reach the final goal . | middle6546.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "An old woman"
},
"options": [
"A young woman",
"An old man",
"A young man",
"An old woman"
],
"question": "_ is sitting beside little Jerry.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Mum gives little Jerry twenty yuan. Then little Jerry goes shopping. He gets on a bus and sits down next to an old woman. Then he sees the old woman's bag is open. There is twenty yuan in it. He quickly looks into his pocket. The money isn't there now! Little Jerry is sure that the old woman is a thief . He wants to take back the money from the old woman's bag. He carefully puts his hands into the old woman's bag, takes the money and says nothing. Then, the old woman shouts, "Where is my money? I can't find it. There is a thief on the bus." Little Jerry feels strange . Then he sees twenty yuan under his seat. Little Jerry is thinking a question now, "Am I a thief?" | middle1229.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "all of them"
},
"options": [
"clowns",
"elephants",
"monkeys",
"all of them"
],
"question": "What can children see in the circus?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | One day, my father and I were in line to buy tickets for the circus . And a family was standing in front of us.
The family had eight children. Their clothes were not expensive but clean.The children talked about the clowns( ), elephants, monkeys and other things excitedly. It was their first time to go to the circus.
The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly answered, "I want eight children's tickets and two adults' tickets, so I can take my family to the circus."
The ticket lady said the price. The man's wife lowered her head and there was no smile on th e man's face. He quietly asked, "How much did you say?"
The ticket lady said the price again. The man didn't have enough money. How could he tell his eight kids the bad news? My dad put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground.(In fact, we were not rich!) Then my dad said, "Excuse me, sir, this dropped out of your pocket."
The man knew what was going on. He looked into my dad's eyes, held my dad's hand in his, and took the $20 bill. "Thank you, sir, thank you. This really means a lot to me and my family."
My father and I went back home. We didn't go to see the circus that night, but we didn't care. | middle6220.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "1964"
},
"options": [
"1964",
"1965",
"1969",
"1979"
],
"question": "Ann Moore made her first baby carrier in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
... | A baby carrier is like a backpack for carrying a baby. Ann Moore introduced the idea of a baby carrier to American people nearly 50 years ago.
Ann spent two years in Africa in the early 1960s. She worked as a nurse there. Ann saw babies wrapped in bright cloth tied to their mothers' backs. The babies snuggled close to their mothers, and the mothers could use their hands to do other things.
In 1964, Ann had her own baby. She tried making a carrier like the one African mothers used. The carrier was like a backpack. Everywhere Ann went with her baby in the carrier, people asked, "Where can I buy one?" In 1965, Ann and her mother began to sell handmade carriers. Ann received a patent for the baby carrier in 1969. By that time, the baby carrier had leg holes and straps that could be made longer or shorter. It could also be worn on the back or front.
By 1979, the baby carriers were made in a factory. These baby carriers cost less to make and more than 25,000 were sold every month.
When Ann made her first baby carrier, she just wanted to keep her baby close and still have her hands free to do other things. Now all over the world babies ride in baby carriers, close to their parents, safe and happy.
,. | middle3358.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The Centres of Earthquakes"
},
"options": [
"The Centres of Earthquakes",
"Earthquakes",
"The Loss Caused by Earthquakes",
"Buildings and Earthquakes"
],
"question": "The best title of this passage should be _... | Some countries have a large number of earthquakes. Japan is one of them, while others do not have many, for example, there are few earthquakes in Britain.
There is often a great noise during an earthquake. The ground vibrates .Houses fall down. Railways are broken, which causes trains to turn over. Sometimes thousands of people are killed in different ways. About 60,000 were killed in 1783 in the south of Italy. Some people say that earthquakes often happen near volcanoes , but it is not true. The centres of some earthquakes are under the sea. The bottom of the sea suddenly moves. The powerful forces inside the earth break the rocks. The coast is shaken and great waves appear. These waves travel long distances and rush over the land when they reach it, breaking down houses and other buildings. Sometimes they break more buildings than the earthquake itself.
A terrible earthquake happened in Assam, India, in 1986.The land near Shillong suddenly moved 1.5 feet to one side, and then back again. It continued to act like this 20 times a minute.Few buildings could stand what was happening and the great stones flew four feet up into the air. What kind of building stays up best in an earthquake? The Americans carefully studied the results of the earthquake at San Francisco(1906) and believed it best for buildings to be made with concrete walls together by steel frames. Such are the buildings that can't burn or fall easily. | middle4437.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The old man sells"
},
"options": [
"The young man buys",
"The old man sells",
"The two men sell",
"The old man buys"
],
"question": "_ the elephant.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answe... | One day an old man is selling an elephant. A young man comes to the elephant and begins to look at it slowly . The old man goes up to him and says in his ear, " Don't say anything about the elephant before I sell it, then I'll give you some meat." "All right," says the young man. After the old man sells the elephant, he gives the young man some meat and says, " Now, can you tell me how you find the bad ears of the elephant?" " I didn' t find the bad ears," says the young man. "Then why do you look at the elephant slowly?" asks the old man. The young man answers, "Because I never see an elephant before , and I want to know what it looks like." | middle5729.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Big"
},
"options": [
"Big",
"Small",
"I don tknow.",
"Yes,itis."
],
"question": "What s this family like ?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answ... | Tom has got a big family .His grandparents are in America.His parents are in China . His father is a manager and his mother is a teacher .They have got two children . Tom is a boy and Jane is a
girl . Tom is thirteen and Jane is eight . Jane and I are good friends and we are in the same class . | middle2046.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A housewife"
},
"options": [
"A worker.",
"A housewife",
"A teacher",
"A writer"
],
"question": "What did the writer's mother do?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | My mother was a housewife. She thought that successful people spent a lot more time reading than watching TV. So she asked my brother and me not to watch too much TV, but to read two books every week in our free time. She would check them with marks, though she couldn't read the book at all.
When I went to high school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted cool clothes and hung out with friends. I became a C-student, but I didn't care. One night I complained about not having enough Italian shirts. Then my mother gave me all the money and said I could get the money left to buy shirts if I finished buying all the things the family needed. I was pleased with that, but after I bought those things, there was no money left. I got to know how difficult it was for my mother to do all these. I went back to my studies and became an A-student again. Finally, my dream came true and I became a doctor.
My story is really my mother's story----a woman with little education greatly changed my life as a parent. So I believe there is no job more important than parenting. | middle1567.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Read stories to Jenny."
},
"options": [
"Asked for the plastic necklace.",
"Talked with Jenny.",
"Read stories to Jenny.",
"Played dolls with Jenny."
],
"question": "What did Jenny's father do every night?",
... | Jenny was a five-year-old girl. One day, while she was shopping with her mother, she saw a plastic pearl necklace and loved it so much. So she asked her mother to buy it for her.
Every night, before Jenny went to bed, her dad would read stories to her. One night, when he finished the story, he asked, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Dad, you know I love you," Jenny answered.
"Well, give me your necklace," Dad said.
"No, Dad. But you can have my favorite doll."
Several times, when her father asked her to give him the plastic necklace, Jenny would give him something else instead. One evening, after Jenny's father read her a story, Jenny said, "Here, Dad." She put her plastic pearl necklace into her father's hand.
Her father hold the necklace in one hand and opened the other hand. There was a real pearl necklace in it. He had had it for a long time, and waited for Jenny to give up the cheap one so that he could give her the real one.
So, don't be _ . If we are generous , maybe we will get something better. | middle7116.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "songs that keep going round in our mind"
},
"options": [
"songs that keep going round in our mind",
"worms that live in a part of our brain",
"tunes by pop singers like Lady Gaga",
"parasites clearly under our control"
... | "Earworms", some people call them. Songs that get stuck in your head go round and round, sometimes for days, sometimes for months. For no clear reason you cannot help yourself from humming or singing a tune by Lady Gaga.
To a psychologist, the most interesting thing about earworms is that they show a part of our mind that is clearly outside of our control. Earworms arrive without permission and refuse to leave when we tell them to. They are parasites living in a part of our minds.
If you have got an earworm you can suffer an attack of it simply by someone mentioning the tune, without having to hear it. This proves that earworms are a part of long-term memory. Humans have an "inner ear", for remembering phone numbers, for instance. When it gets infected with earworms, rather than review our plans for the day, or lists of things to remember, the inner ear gets stuck on a few short bars of music or a couple of phrases from a song. A part of us that we normally do not have to think about, that should just do what we ask, has been turned against us, upsetting us with a request that we never asked for. The mind is an inner world which we do not have complete knowledge of, or have control over.
Fortunately psychology can provide some advice on how to deal with an uncontrollable mind. Consider the famous "don't think of a white bear" problem, which tells you to try not to think about white bears, or to do something else, to avoid both thinking of the white bear and not thinking of the white bear. For earworms, the solution may be the same. Our inner ear has become infected with an earworm. This is a part not under our control, so just sending in instructions to "shut up" is unlikely to be of much help (and has been shown to make it worse). Much better is to employ the inner ear in another task. If your mind is poisoned by Brittany Spears' Toxic, for instance, then try singing Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You out Of My Head. Let me know if
works! | middle8225.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a small place for people to stay and drink something"
},
"options": [
"a small classroom",
"a small horse",
"a small place for people to stay and drink something",
"a kind of water for writing"
],
"question": "A... | Can you think of a sentence? It has the word "and" five times, without any words in between? There is one at the end of this story.
There was an inn. It was called "The Horse and Cart". Many people came to have a drink and chat with each other after work. It had a sign outside it, and there was a horse, a cart and some letters in the sign. But the sign was getting old, so the owner of the inn decided to have a new one. He went to a painter and asked him to draw one and write "The Horse and Cart" on it in large letters.
A few days later, he went to see how the painter was getting on. He liked the picture of the horse and cart very much, but he did not like the writing at all. He said to the painter, "No, no! There's too much room between HORSE and AND and AND and CART!" | middle3370.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an advertisement"
},
"options": [
"a story",
"an advertisement",
"a play",
"a song"
],
"question": "The passage is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,... | Are you looking for something fun and would you like to help other people in your free time? Then join us.
We have jobs for people of all ages;Anyone from twelve-year-old children to 80-year-old people can become one of us.
You can help people in many ways.Schools need help with taking care of children while their parents are working.Hospitals need us to look after children while their parents see a doctor.Animal lovers can help take care of thosedogs and cats without homes.There is something to do for everyone.
"As a member of this group,I don't want to get anything.Seeing the children's happy faces,I am happy,too."said Susan,an old woman of 62.
"I often played computer games in my free time before.Now I help older people learn how to use Computers,"said another one at the age of 18.
If everyone helps out a bit,we'1l all have a better world to live in.
Interested? Call us on 3847613 or visit our website :http://www. activol.com. | middle5701.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Playing computer games or watching TV alone."
},
"options": [
"Being kind.",
"Spending time with them together.",
"Playing computer games or watching TV alone.",
"Doing your best at whatever you do."
],
"questio... | You may meet many people in your life. But Mom and Dad are two of the most important people in your life. Over your lifetime, they may influence you more than anyone else you will meet. Moms and Dads need to care for their kids every day. Most parents will do _ as long as they live.
There are many ways to stay close, to get along well and to build a strong relationship with your parents. Here are some of them:
Spend time together. Don't play computer games or watch TV alone. Ask your mom and dad to play with you. Go outside together, or do some reading.
Be kind. Little things might mean a lot to your mom or dad. You can give your parents a happy day with a card or a joke. It's also lovely when a kid cleans up his or her room without being asked. And if you try not fight with your brothers or sisters, your parents will be so happy.
Do your best at whatever you do. You don't have to be the best, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud . It makes them happy to see how you are turning into a good kid. Why? Because it lets them know they are doing a good job. | middle2708.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she wanted to develop his interest in piano"
},
"options": [
"her friend sent them two tickets",
"the pianist invited them there",
"she wanted to develop his interest in piano",
"her son liked the pianist very much"
... | A mother wanted to encourage her son to play the piano. She bought tickets to the concert of a great pianist. When they arrived at the theater, the mother found a friend. Sbe stopped to talk to ber friend and her son ran off.
At eight o'clock'the lights began to dim ,and the concert was set to start. The mother began to look for the boy. Then, she saw her 6-year-old son on stage. He was on the piano bench playing Twinkle, Twinkle little star.
The mother was very shocked. Before she could get her son back, the famous pianist himself was on the stage and quickly moved to the piano.
"Don't stop. Keep playing," he said kindly to the boy. The great pianist reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass of the song. Soon, his right arm reached around the other side and played a beautiful piece of music. Together, the two impressed people with their beautiful music.
In all of our lives, we receive helping hands- some we notice, some we don't. We also have Iots of chances to give helping hands- sometimes we want people to know, sometimes we don't. Little of what we all achieve comes without other's help. What we receive we should give back | middle5067.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In old clothes."
},
"options": [
"With his friends.",
"In old clothes.",
"With good food.",
"In good clothes."
],
"question": "How does Mr Clark goes to the party at first?",
"question_type": "factiod_questi... | Mr Clark goes to a dinner party in old clothes. He comes into the room, but the people in the room don't look at him. They don't ask him to sit at the table.
Mr Clark goes home and puts on his good clothes. He goes back to the party. People in the room stands up and smiles at him. They give him very good food to eat.
Mr Clark _ his clothes, and puts them in the food and say, "Eat, clothes!"
The other people ask, "What are you doing?"
He answers, "I'm asking my coat to eat food. When I am wearing my old clothes, you don't look at me. You don't ask me to sit down. Now I am in these clothes. And you give me very good food. Now I know, you give the food to my clothes, not to me!"
,. | middle4379.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "journal articles and textbooks"
},
"options": [
"a professional magazine",
"a recent blog post",
"journal articles and textbooks",
"a 3-D printer user"
],
"question": "Dudley got the information on making a 3-D ... | Amos Dudley, a 24-year-old boy who studies digital design at New Jersey University of Technology, felt ashamed about his teeth. But being a student, Dudley didn't have the money to get braces . So, he decided to
3-D print his own and marked down the DIY project in a recent blog post. His braces totaled less than $60, and after wearing them for 16 weeks, his teeth are also getting straighter.
Months ago, he mentioned on his blog that he avoided smiling for a while because he was unhappy with his teeth.
However, clear braces can get pricey, costing up to $8,000. But after studying some images of these expensive clear braces, something comes up on him--they looked like that one which can come from a 3-D printer.
So he decided to hit up his school's 3-D printing equipment and scanned and printed models of his teeth. He
then made non-harmful plastic molds around them to make 12 sets of braces.
Dudley, who does not recommend attempting any of this at home said that he didn't ask a dentist for his project. But the student did get information from journal articles and textbooks. And though this was a perfectly
friendly choice to buy braces. He didn't accept the project just to save money--he was also up for the challenge. "When I realized that I could do something that was a little bit special, while proving my skills as a designer
and a maker, and fixing something that was making me self-conscious for actually free, I felt it was more than worth the risk." he said. | middle7670.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Peter"
},
"options": [
"Peter",
"Barry",
"Peter and Barry",
"Nobody"
],
"question": "Who wants to play computer games?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,... | Peter: Let's play computer games!
Barry: That sounds interesting, but I don't have a computer.
Peter: Well, do you have a volleyball?
Barry: Yes.
Peter: Then let's play volleyball.
Barry: Oh, volleyball is so difficult.
Peter: OK, let's watch TV.
Barry: That sounds boring. Hmmm, let's play soccer! Do you have a soccer ball?
Peter: No, I don't.
Barry: Oh, well, do you have a basketball?
Peter: Yes, I do. Let's play basketball!
Barry: That sounds fun! | middle795.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "trouble"
},
"options": [
"good luck",
"trouble",
"nails",
"a hammer"
],
"question": "Losing control may bring you _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,... | Once a boy often made trouble. His mother gave him many nails . She told him to hammer(,)one in the garden fence every time he lost his patience and fought with someone. The first day he hammered 27 nails. In the following weeks he learned how to control himself better and the number of nails hammered became smaller and smaller. He learned it was easier to control himself than to hammer nails.
The day finally came when he didn't hammer any nails. He went to tell his mother about it. Then his mother told him to pull off a nail from the fence each time he didn't lose his patience. After some days he told his mother that all the nails had been pulled off, so she took him to the fence and said to him, "You've behaved well, but look at all the holes in the fence. The fence will never be again like it was before. When you fight with someone, you leave wounds in him like these. The trouble may be over, but the wounds will always be there."
So, learn to control yourself before you hammer the nail in the fence. Try not to leave any holes in your past. | middle7664.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Worried."
},
"options": [
"Excited.",
"Bored.",
"Worried.",
"Surprised."
],
"question": "How does the writer feel about exams?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Very few people enjoy exams. I don't, either. And although I tell myself not to worry about them, I always do! So I'm not surprised that my students worry about them, too, even though they usually don't need to. Because they are afraid of failing. However, since it is hard not to worry at all, we all must try not to worry too much. Why? Because worrying makes exams worse! How to do this?
Ask the teacher about how to revise and about exam skills--how to work when you are in the exam. Good students don't wait until the week before an exam. They study all through the year. It is not possible to learn everything at the last minute. So don't leave it till then.
If you start planning and working for each exam early and you make sure that you understand what you're studying, then, when it is over, you'll be able to say, "What a good exam that was!"
Take a short rest during your time of work and revision. If your mind is tired, it won't remember well. Work at the time when you know you'll work at your best.
If you're studying in the evening, don't go straight to bed afterwards. Your mind will still be "going round and round"--thinking too much. Do something else, maybe walk or get exercise. Choose something that will relax you, and make you think of other things.
If you feel bad, talk to someone about your worries. But don't be too relaxed! Some stress over exams makes you work hard for them. | middle1215.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "weakest"
},
"options": [
"longest",
"weakest",
"farthest",
"brightest"
],
"question": "According to the passage, the scattering of the red light is the _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | When the traffic lights turn red, we will stop driving a car or crossing a street. Why is red used for traffic lights instead of other colors?
As we know, scattering happens when light goes through the air. For the same media , if the _ is long, the sscattering will be short. If the wavelength is short, then the scattering will be long.
Of all lights we can see, red has the longest wavelength. So the scattering is the weakest. That means the red light travels far. In fact, it travels farther on rainy days.
Using the red light can help drivers in farther places see the lights. It helps drivers slow down or stop in time. So there will be fewer accidents. Moreover, red can also excite people. We can act more quickly when we see the color red. In a word, red lights help drivers stop in time and help prevent accidents. | middle5073.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "wanted to realize her dream"
},
"options": [
"wanted to live longer",
"loved to stay with the young",
"wanted to realize her dream",
"planned to enjoy her life there"
],
"question": "Rose went to college because... | On the first day of school, our professor introduced himself and let us get to know someone we didn't know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. "Hi, girl! My name is Rose, I'm 87 years old."
"Why are you in college at such a young age?" I asked jokingly.
"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she replied.
Rose became a college symbol this year and she easily made friends with other students.
At the end of the term we invited her to speak at our football party. I'll never forget what she taught us.
"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only two secrets of staying young, being happy and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!
"There is a big difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do anything, you will turn 20 years older. If I am 87 years old, and stay in bed for a year, and never do anything, will turn 88. Anybody can grow older. But every minute counts for young men," she added.
She ended her speech by singing The Song Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.
At the end of the year, Rose finished the college education. One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.
Remember GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY , GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL . | middle3364.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Unfriendly"
},
"options": [
"honest",
"kind",
"welcome",
"Unfriendly"
],
"question": "People thought that Mr. Dawson was a(n) _ person.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Mr. Dawson is an old man with a bad temper . Kids were afraid to go into his yard to pick apples.
One day, 12-year-old Janet and her friend Amy had to walk past Mr. Dawson' s house. When Janet saw him outside, she suggested they cross the street and walk on the other side. But Amy said they didn't need to.
When Mr. Dawson saw Amy, he smiled and said: " Hello, Amy! I see you have a new friend with you today." Amy smiled back. Mr. Dawson was friendly and gave them each a fresh apple.
Later, Janet asked Amy: " Everyone says he is the most unwelcoming person in town. Why was he kind to us?" Amy explained that when she first walked past his house, she was also afraid of him. But she pretended there was an invisible smile on his face and started talking to him. At first she only said "hello" but then began talking to him more every time she saw him.
"An invisible smile?" Janet was puzzled . "Yes," answered Amy. "My grandma told me to try that. She says smiles can spread. So if we keep trying to smile at someone, sooner or later they will smile back."
Amy's grandma realized most people can't refuse to smile at a friendly face. | middle5715.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "five"
},
"options": [
"five",
"four",
"three",
"two"
],
"question": "In China, Wang Jun had _ English classes every week.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index... | Hi, my name is Wang Jun. Do you want to know about my staying in America? Well, to tell you the truth, it is really an eye-opening experience here.
In China, I had English classes five times a week since Grade Five. But I didn't know textbook English could be so different from everyday English until I came to Hotchkiss School, Connecticut. When I first studied English, I was told to say "I'm fine." when people say "How are you?" But in the USA, I found that people say "I'm good." or "I'm tired."
One day, someone greeted me with "What's up?" It made me _ I thought for a moment and then smiled because I didn't know what to say.
Since then, I have learnt more and more differences between Chinese and American cultures. To my surprise, American girls spend a lot of time in the burning sun getting a tan . In China, girls try every possible way to keep their skin white.
American students are hard-working like Chinese students. In China, schoolwork is almost everything, so we study hard and that's it. But here, a "good" student not only gets good grades, but also does a lot for the public. That is to say, they get lots of knowledge at school and learn many life skills from social work. | middle1573.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Good Night Sun Hello Moon"
},
"options": [
"Good Night Sun Hello Moon",
"Where the Wild Things Are",
"The Petit Appetit Cookbook",
"If You Give a Dog a Donut"
],
"question": "Lily, 5 years old, likes listening t... | The Petit Appetit Cookbook
List Price: $35.00 Price: $23.10 You save: $11.90(34% off)
Product Description: Fresh, healthy meals that give little mouths something to smile about...In the Petit Appetit Cookbook, mother and professional cook Lisa Barnes offers healthy foods to help create delicious menus and bagin a lifetime of proper eating habits for babies and very young children.
Everyday Raw Express (Paperback)
List Price: $19.99 Price: $13.57 You Save: $6.42(32% off)
Product Description: Many people love eating raw food, but often the recipes take hours or even a period of several days to prepare. Everyday Raw Express offers delicious soups and smoothies, pastas and desserts, all prepared in 30 minutes or less.
If You Give a Dog a Donut (Hardcover)
Reading Level: Ages 4--8 List Price: $16.99 Price: $10.10 You Save: $6.80(40% off)
Product Description: If you give a dog a donut, he'll ask for some apple juice to go with it. When you give him the juice, he'll drink it all up. Then, before you can say "Woof!" ...Dog is off on a backyard adventure!
Good Night Sun Hello Moon (Board Book)
Reading Level: Ages 4--8 List Price: $10.99 Price: $9.34 You Save: $1.65
Book Description: Bedtime is a special time and this beautiful book will be a special part of saying goodnight. As kids turn the page, a little bit of the sun goes away and a little piece of the moon appears. The sweet story about a little bunny who doesn't want to go to bed will help send little ones off to sleep night after night.
Where the Wild Things Are (Hardcover)
Reading Level: Ages 4--above List Price: $16.95 Price: $11.53 You Save: $5.42
Book Description: Max, a boy who feels misunderstood at home, as he sets out in a small boat, finding new worlds across the sea. He lands on the amazing island of the wild things, a place where being a beast isn't a bad thing. The wild things make Max their king, but he sails back to his own room where he finds his mother and his supper waiting for him. | middle7102.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Nine hours."
},
"options": [
"Ten hours.",
"Nine hours.",
"Seven hours.",
"Eight hours."
],
"question": "How long is the reading room open every day?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answ... | Rules in the reading room
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the school reading room. We hope you have a good time here. Before you go into the reading room, there are some rules you need to keep.
1.The reading room is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
2. Don't take your bag into the reading room.
3. Don't talk loudly in the reading room.
4. Don't take any food or drink into the reading room.
5. Take only one book at a time. After you finish reading the book, you must put it back and then you can take another one. Don't take many books to your seat.
6. Before you leave, you must
the book to the bookshelf. You can't take any book out of the reading room. | middle8231.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "nurse"
},
"options": [
"doctor",
"nurse",
"teacher",
"farmer"
],
"question": "Mary is a young_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Be... | Mary is twenty-three years old. She is a nurse at a big hospital. She is very kind, and all of her patients like her very much.
One day she was out shopping when she saw an old woman waiting to cross a busy street. Mary wanted to cross the street, too, so she went over to help the woman cross. When Mary was near her, she shouted happily, "Mrs Herman! You were my patient last year." "Oh, thank you very much, Mary," Mrs Herman said, and stepped forward. "No, no, Mrs Herman," Mary said quickly, "the light's still red.""Oh," Mrs Herman answered as she stepped back. "I can easily cross the street alone when the light's green." | middle2091.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Comparing the price and quality"
},
"options": [
"Choosing good brands",
"Comparing the price and quality",
"Going to big shops",
"Learning business at school"
],
"question": "_ can help us use our money wisely... | There are many things we need to know, but we do not learn them at school. For example, if we want to use our money wisely, we need to shop carefully. We need to know how to compare the prices of things in different shops. We need to be able to compare the quality of different brands . We need to know how to make _ choices when we shop.
Knowing how to make such choices is a "life skill", and we need the skill if we want to lead a useful and happy life.
Some of these choices are small. For example, will I have an apple for lunch or a pear? Will I take a bus to school today or will I walk? Will I wear the red T- shirt or the blue one to go to the movie? Other choices are more important. For example, will I eat healthy food for lunch or will I eat junk food? Will I work hard on all my classes or will I work hard only in the classes I enjoy? We make choices like these every day.
Making wrong choices can cause unhappiness. We have to realize that the choices we make can affect the rest of our life. And our choices can also affect other people. If you decide to waste time in class, play a joke on someone or talk loudly at the movie, consider this: who else does your choice affect?
,A, B, C, D,(10). | middle5926.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she was recommended by her university professor."
},
"options": [
"She replied to a job advertisement.",
"She was introduced by her family friend.",
"she was recommended by her university professor.",
"She met Mr. Kelle... | On March 3, 1887, the lives of two amazing women were changed forever when Anne Sullivan, a poor university graduate, arrived at the home of the wealthy Keller family to teach their six-year-old daughter Helen. It was a difficult job as Helen was unable to see, hear or speak because of illness.
Anne had been suggested to the Kellers by her university professor, a close friend of Mr. Keller. Before she arrived, Anne expected her new pupil to be a quiet, weak child. But Helen was nothing like that. When Anne first walked through the Kellers' door, the energetic Helen nearly knocked her over in her hurry to feel Anne's face, clothing and bag.
Helen was used to visitors bringing her sweets, and angrily tried to force open Anne's case to take her candy. But Anne calmed her down by allowing Helen to play with her watch. So began one of the most successful student-teacher relationships in history.
Anne Sullivan was only twenty years old when she began teaching Helen. She had to not only teach the child all the usual school subjects, but also control Helen's sometimes wild behaviour. Her well-meaning parents allowed Helen to do as she liked at home. Realizing that such an environment was unsuitable for learning, Anne requested that she and Helen live in a small house nearby.
As soon as Helen began learning, it became clear that she was especially intelligent. She quickly learned to read and write, and by the age of ten she could also speak.
In 1900, Helen started studying at Radcliffe University, and graduated first in her class in 1904. She was the very first blind and deaf person to get a university degree. How did she do it? Anne Sullivan read all of Helen's books and then signed the information into her hand. Anne remained at Helen's side until her death in 1936. Helen became a world-famous writer, and fought for disabled people's rights until her death on Jun 1, 1968. | middle5098.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "His parents."
},
"options": [
"His parents.",
"His friends.",
"His teachers.",
"His brothers."
],
"question": "Who plan to visit Beijing with the writer?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"... | My parents want to take me to visit Beijing this summer holiday. I want to plan a good trip. So I must learn something about Beijing on the Internet. Beijing is a beautiful city. Autumn is the best season. There are many places of interest in Beijing. We want to visit the Great Wall, the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace. Beijing Duck is very famous all over the world. I hope I could have a try.
We can get to Beijing by train. I want to buy a gift for my good friend. I also want to send a postcard to my teacher. I think I will have a great holiday. | middle6591.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "3"
},
"options": [
"2",
"3",
"4",
"5"
],
"question": "How many tips does the passage mention ?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "below 80"
},... | China's air pollution problems are more serious these days. But just try to remember that the air pollution shouldn't stop you from enjoying life in China. Here are some tips for you to keep the smog away.
Watch the weather report.
As you can see, it will give you an _ of pollution, but my general rule is: if it's above 80, wear a face mask and limit time to spend outside; if it's below 80, go outside and enjoy the day, open all the windows to get some much-needed fresh air and exercise. But do not exercise outside if the pollution is high. I went running once when it was around 120, and I was ill and missed several days of work.
Get a house plant that cleans the air.
A house plant can make your home beautiful and clean the air. I have some plants and just yesterday, I bought another plant. At that time I didn't know it could clean the air. I just got it because it could make me feel better.
Never open the windows.
No matter how hot and wet it is inside, just wait until it is a nice day to air your apartment. Just stay at home and do some things you like. | middle7857.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The White Horse"
},
"options": [
"The Black Horse",
"The White Horse",
"Mr. Webster's Bar",
"Mr. Wilson's Bar"
],
"question": "The name of the bar is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | There is a bar with the name "The White Horse ". A picture of a white horse is on the door of the bar. It is Mr. Webster's. Few people go to the bar.
One day, Mr. Wilson comes in, drinks a cup, watches the bar, and then says to Mr. Webster, "Few people come here. Take down the picture of the white horse and put a picture of a black horse." "But the name of the bar is 'The White Horse,'" Mr. Webster says. "Yes, but do it," says Mr. Wilson.
After that, Mr. Webster goes to a store and says, "I want a picture of a black horse." The next day, a picture of a black horse is on the door of the bar.
The next morning, a man comes in and asks, "The name is "The White Horse", but why do you put a picture of a black horse on the door of your bar?" The man sits down and asks for a cup. Then a second man comes in and asks the same question, and then a third man .... Many people come in and say, "The picture on your door is not right." After that, they all sit down and drink in Mr. Webster's bar. | middle6585.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Stephen has had the answers to some very big questions."
},
"options": [
"Stephen is good at thinking.",
"Stephen cannot walk.",
"Stephen has had the answers to some very big questions.",
"Stephen had once studied math ... | Stephen Hawking was one of the most famous scientists in this century. He was born in
1942. He's a world well-known on space and time. Stephen is researching some very big questions, such as: How did the universe begin? How will it end?
Stephen was a student at Oxford University. He studied math and science. Then, at the
age of twenty, he became sick. He was so young, but the doctors said to his family, "He has only two more years to live." As a matter of fact, the doctors were wrong---- he didn't die. He can't walk now but he uses a wheelchair . He can't feed himself and get in or out of bed himself. But he refused to give in to the condition. He talks with the help of a computer. After Oxford, Stephen went to Cambridge University. Three years later, in 1965, he became a doctor of philosophy .
Because of his serious health problems, it was difficult for him to draw diagrams
or to write. So he started to think in pictures. With this new way of thinking, he became one of the most famous scientists in the world. In 1991, he met the Pope in Rome. They talked about his ideas. Then in 1998, he wrote his first important book, A Brief History of Time. It sold more than 5.5 million copies in 33 different languages. He was once invited to China, he impressed us with his self-confidence, humorous and witty conversation. | middle7843.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A group of people who have worked in the film industry for many years."
},
"options": [
"In 1927.",
"Oscar.",
"The Academy of Nicknames.",
"A group of people who have worked in the film industry for many years."
],
... | Do you know what Oscar is? When did it start? Maybe you can find the background of the awards in the following passage.
The awards started in 1929. Their full title is "The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards". The Academy is a group of people who have worked in the film industry for many years. They decide who will receive the awards. The awards are often referred to as the "Oscar". This is a nickname given to the awards by a lady called Margaret Herrick. She was once the director of the Academy and she once said that the little gold statue reminded her of her uncle Oscar!
The Oscar is always an exciting event. Each year, at least one unusual thing happens. When the Italian actor and director Roberto Benigni won an Oscar for best foreign film, he danced on stage! When Gwyneth Paltrow, the star of Shakespeare in Love won the Oscar for best actress, she could not make her acceptance speech because she was crying so much with happiness!
In 1987, Roberto Benigni won the award for best director for a film about the last emperor of China. Since then, Chinese film and actors have started to make an impact at the award. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a huge success and it won the award for best foreign language film in 2001. It also won several technical awards for its amazing "flying" people. We expect to see more awards for Chinese film in the near future.
It's time for the Oscar again. Once more, the stars will dress up in their finest and go to Kodak Theater. There, they will find out who had won the awards for best actor, best actress and best director. Millions of people watch the awards every year to find out who the winners are. Some people watch it to see the stars crying and laughing as they receive their awards. | middle2085.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "for animals"
},
"options": [
"only for Tibet's antelopes",
"for Tibet's tourism",
"for animals",
"for Tibetans"
],
"question": "The special underpasses are _ to go through.",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | Lamu was a 12-year-old Tibetan girl. She wanted to go to Beijing to watch the 2008 Olympics. Only one month ago, Lamu still thought it would be difficult.
In the past Tibet had no railroad . If Lamu took a bus, it would take her a long time to reach Beijing. And a plane ticket would cost lots of money.
However, things changed for Lamu. She was able to buy a ticket to the world's highest railroad. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway had been completed! The 1,142-kilometer railroad runs on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau . Lamu could reach Beijing by train in 48 hours!
About 550 kilometers of the railroad are constructed on the frozen earth . When the frozen earth warms in summer, it can move the track. But Chinese scientists have built a special structure to solve the problem. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway has been designed with the wild animals in the designers' minds. It also has special underpasses for animals like Tibetan antelopes to go through.
"The new railroad greatly helps Tibet's tourism,"said Liu Yueqin, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences .
As more tourists take trains to Tibet, there are more money for Tibetans. With the money, more kids can go to school.
The railroad also makes things less expensive in Tibet. Now one can buy a TV set for about 1,500 yuan. It used to be much higher than that price. When there was no railroad, it had been difficult to send things in and out of Tibet. With the new railroad, shopping can be more convenient and faster. | middle5932.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In Europe"
},
"options": [
"In Europe",
"In Asia",
"In America",
"In Africa"
],
"question": "Where was the trash hotel built?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Maybe you can not imagine what a hotel made of trash looks like. But in Rome, Italy, there is a campaign called Save the Beach that has created a hotel out of 12 tons of trash in order to raise awareness of our waste.
Save the Beach is an environmental awareness campaign set up by the makers of Corona Beer. They collected all the trash from all the beaches all across Europe. Then they built the special hotel.
It was reported that the hotel was fully booked . And it was open only for four days there in early June, the same time as World Environment Day. Next to the "trash hotel" was the slogan of Save the Beach. It said, we have built the first hotel made of trash in the world. This will be the future of our holidays if we do nothing to protect our beaches.
The hotel was built just to show the _ we were causing to the sea and the coastline . We live in the time of trash and we are running the risk of becoming trash ourselves. Do we really want such a world?
The trash hotel in Rome was just the beginning to support healthy, clean and trash-free beaches all across Europe by Save the Beach. Maybe there will be more surprising ideas in the future. Let's wait and see. | middle756.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In a university."
},
"options": [
"In a university.",
"In the Parliament Hall.",
"On the Internet.",
"In a tourist attraction."
],
"question": "Where did the speaker probably give the talk to the audience?",
... | Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you. Well, ni-hao. (Laughter) It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university, so thank you so much for having me. I'm here today because I know that our future depends on connections like these among young people like you across the world.
That's why when my husband and I travel abroad, we don't just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of countries. We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you, because we believe that relationships between countries aren't just about relationships between governments or leaders -- they're about relationships between people, particularly young people. So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational chance for students, but also as an active part of America's foreign policy .
Through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before. Ideas can cross oceans with the click of a mouse. Companies can do business and _ with companies across the world. And we can text, email, Skype with people in the world.
So studying abroad isn't just a fun way to spend a time of learning; it is quickly becoming the key to success in our times. Because getting ahead in today's workplaces isn't just about getting good grades or test scores in school, which are important. It's also about having real experience with the world beyond your borders -- experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own. Or, as the Chinese saying goes: "It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books." | middle2913.txt |
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