questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "like learning to ride bike s"
},
"options": [
"like riding bikes",
"learning to ride bikes",
"like learning to ride bike s",
"as easy as riding bikes"
],
"question": "Learning English is _ .",
"question_... | Learning English is just like learning to ride a bicycle. When learning English becomes a kind of habit, everything will become easier.
Please think about how we learned to ride a bicycle. There are four stages : At the first stage, the child doesn't know what it is to ride a bicycle, nor can he ride. So look at ourselves, when we learned English at the first time, we were also in this condition.
And then is the second stage. Although the child cannot ride himself, he grows and understands what it is to ride a bicycle. So, at this time, teachers are our navigation marks.
So according to this, we are just like the child starting to learn and now come to the third stage. He can ride a bicycle but has to think every time how to do it.
At last, the fourth stage comes when the child has practiced consciously riding the bicycle so much that he doesn't have to think. Riding a bicycle becomes a kind of habit. He can talk to people and wave to others while riding.
Learning English is just like learning to ride a bicycle. When learning becomes a kind of habit, we'll find we can be successful not only in English but also in other subjects. When learning becomes a kind of habit, I think, no, I believe, one day we'll succeed and the success will belong to us forever.
,,. | middle7868.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "ask your doctor for advice"
},
"options": [
"make up these suggestions",
"ask your doctor for advice",
"find your health problems",
"have a careful health exam"
],
"question": "Before you start your exercise pla... | Having an exercise plan is important, but you should always ask your doctor for advice before starting it. Keep in mind that you can have too much of a good thing: overexercising and exercising in a wrong way can hurt your body. The following suggestions can help you avoid this.
Warm up before exercise. This helps to prepare your body for activities. It's especially important in the morning.
Cool down after exercise. Rather than stop immediately, do a few light activities to avoid aches and pains later.
Exercise with your limits . Build up slowly. Never try to exercise when you feel painful. If you don't listen to your body, you will hurt yourself.
Avoid being thirsty. Water is important to keep your normal temperature during exercise and prevent tiredness.
Wear sports shoes. These shoes can keep your feet safe and prevent you from being hurt. | middle5919.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she couldn't write a composition"
},
"options": [
"she was punished by her teacher",
"she couldn't write a composition",
"she forgot to take her composition home",
"she didn't get on well with her classmates"
],
... | One day, Susie was unhappy when she came home from school. "What's the matter, my dear?" asked her mother, drawing her to her side and smiling.
"All our class must hand in compositions tomorrow. We must write 12 lines at least. But I can never write one. I'll have to go to school without a composition, for I won't copy one from a book, or ask you or papa to write one for me."
"That's right," said her mother. "You'll be happier with a poor composition, if it's your own, than with a fine one written by somebody else. But cheer up. Run into the garden and play. I'll call you in half an hour. Don't think about your composition now. Just have a good time."
It seemed just a few minutes to Susie before she heard her mother calling her. She went into the house immediately -- her hands full of sweet flowers, and her face red with exercise.
Then her mother asked her to sit by the window with a nice piece of paper and a pencil, and write something about what she could see. "Never mind your composition; do this to please me, and we'll talk about that later."
Although Susie thought her mother's request was strange, she knew she always had a good reason for everything she did. So she did as her mother requested.
As she looked out, she first saw the western sky and some bright, sunset clouds. "Oh, mother, what a sunset!"
"Don't talk. Just write."
The pencil began moving rapidly across the paper. She wrote about the sunset clouds, the look of the distant hills, the streets, the river, the garden with its flowers, and the birds flying past the window. She forgot all about the terrible composition!
Just as she had reached the bottom of the page, her mother came in and said with a smile, "Well, Susie, how does that composition come on?"
"Composition! You told me not to think about it, and I've never thought of it once. I've had such a nice time writing about what I could see from the window."
Mrs. Smith took the paper and read what Susie had written. She said, "There, Susie, that's a very nice composition, really."
"A composition! Is that a composition?" Susie asked in surprise.
"Yes, my dear, and a very good one, too, if we find a title for it," replied her mother. Then she added, "I'm sure it will please your teacher, as it does me. You see, it's easy enough to write a composition if you have anything interesting to write about." | middle7049.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "France."
},
"options": [
"England.",
"France.",
"America.",
"China."
],
"question": "Where does the writer of \" The Little Prince\"come from?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Books are our best friends. They are very quiet, but we can always find both fun and knowledge once we open them. Here are two good books you can read during the holiday.
Book: The Little Prince
French writer :Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Both adults and children love this classic book. It is about the adventure of a young prince. It shows the importance of innocence ( ) ,imagination and love. The little prince comes from planet B-612. In his eyes ,adults are all very strange. Unlike them, he sees the essence of things .He cares more about a flower and a sheep than the " important" things of adult world.
The prince lives on his planet with a rose. He loves the rose very much. But he soon feels tired and leaves his planet. He meets many more strange adults on other planets. On Earth, he discovers interesting things such as a snake, other roses and a fox. The fox tells him a secret :Only the heart can discover the most important things. This helps the prince realize his love for the rose and he goes back to his planet.
Book: To Succeed on One's Own( )
American Writer :Liu Yong
Writer Liu Yong from Taiwan wrote this book for his daughter .It can help young people succeed. The book teaches you about student-teacher relationship, how to use your free time and even what kind of clothes to wear. It answers many of teenagers' most common questions. Liu uses his daughter's stories as an example to help readers understand the principles . His book is far from boring. There are lively stories and dialogues,
with objective analysis ,hope and confidence from a good father.
,. | middle6357.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "are playing an important role in China"
},
"options": [
"have changed China's image",
"are playing an important role in China",
"are very good at writing",
"are people who are more than 80 years old"
],
"questio... | In China,people born in and after the 1980s are called the post-80s generation .Most of them come from single-child families. However,this generation is playing a more and more important part in China,and their image in people's minds is changing.Han Han,a popular youth writer,is one of them.
Han Han was born in 1982 in Shanghai.His talent for writing was clear at an early age.When he was 17,he drew the public's attention with the article Viewing the People through the Glass. The article won first prize in the national New Concept Composition Competition.Later,Han Han again surprised the public by leaving high school. "I did poorly in Grade One of high school and failed to move up to the next grade. I tried my best to improve my studies,but failed ,so I gave up. However ,I am always learning, since learning and going to school are two different things." Han Han said.
Han Han's first novel Three Folded Gates sold very well in China.Later the book wastranslated into several languages and sold abroad.
In the following years,Han Han wrote a lot of books. All of them were welcomed by the market.In 2006,he started blogging and had great success. Today,Han Han's blog has become one of the honest blogs on the Internet. | middle2131.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Jim"
},
"options": [
"Jim",
"Green",
"Jim Green",
"Green Jim"
],
"question": "My first name is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text... | Hello! I'm Jim Green. Here is a photo of my family. I'm English. This is my mother. Her first name is Mary. This is my father. His first name is Steve. My telephone number is seven-six-o, nine-one-seven-six. My friend is Li Lei. His English name is Paul. He is in China. His telephone number is 281-5248. Who's that in the photo? It's my Chinese teacher. His name is Liu Yong. He is a good teacher.
,. | middle4540.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Over 70,000 filmmakers are not professionals."
},
"options": [
"YouTube makes sharing videos easy.",
"Over 70,000 filmmakers are not professionals.",
"Many videos on YouTube are short.",
"Most of the filmmakers are just... | In 2004, three young men went to a dinner party in San Francisco. Afterward ,they wanted to share a video from the party with their friends. They wanted to send it over the Internet. But at the time, the process of sharing videos that way was difficult. Using e-mail did not work and the friends complained that there, was no website to help them. So they created their own. They called their website YouTube. It made sharing videos easy, so the website soon became very popular. People watched 2.500 million videos in the first six months!
Today, more than 70,000 new videos go up on YouTube each day. People watch more than 1,000 million videos a day. Many last no more than 10 minutes. These videos show all kinds of things, from sleeping cats to earthquakes. Most of the filmmakers are not professionals. They are just everyday people making videos, and they use the website in many interesting ways.
First many people use YouTube to entertain others. One example is Judson Laipply. He made a funny dance video and put it on YouTube in 2006. People watched the video more than 10 million times in the first two weeks. Now people stop Judson on the street to ask, "Are you the dance guy on Youtube?" Some people have invited him to dance at their parties. A few women even asked to marry him. Judson wants to make more dance videos, and people look forward to seeing them.
Other people use YouTube to advertise a business. David Taub does this. He is a guitar teacher and he sells videos of guitar lessons on his own website. He wanted to increase his business, so he put short videos with free lessons on YouTube. People enjoyed watching the lessons on YouTube, and afterward, many decided to go to David's own website. Now David sells hundreds of guitar lesson videos each week.
People also use YouTube to help others. Ryan Fitzgerald is one example. Ryan is friendly young man who knows that some people are lonely and have no one to talk to. One day, he made a video of himself for YouTube. In the video, he gave his phone number and invited people to call him. In less than a week, he had more than 5,000 calls and messages from all over the world. These days, he is very busy talking on the phone. He helps people when he can, but mostly, he just listens, like a friend.
Finally, some filmmakers use YouTube in a more serious way. They want to inform people about important events happening in the world. For example, they show clips of videos from countries at war, or they show people in need of help after a storm. Sometimes TV news shows do not give enough information about these events. Thanks to YouTube filmmakers, people can go to their computers and learn more.
For many people, YouTube is more than just another website to visit. It is a way to communicate with others. More and more people are using it every day, and they will probably find even more ways to use it. | middle3549.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "black socks"
},
"options": [
"black shoes",
"black shorts",
"blue shirts",
"black socks"
],
"question": "You can't buy _ at Mr. Cool's Clothes Store.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"an... | Hello, boys and girls! My name is Zhang Hanyun, and my English name is Selina Zhang. Kristy Zhang's Chinese name is also Zhang Hanyun. She is a singer. But I'm a clerk at Mr. Cool's Clothes Store.
We have shorts in black and white for $3. We have shirts in blue, black and white. The blue shirts are $7. The black shirts are also $7. The white shirts are on sale for $4. For boys, we have white socks. A pair of white socks is only $1. We only have black shoes. We sell black shoes for only $18. Come and see for yourself at Mr. Cool's Clothes Store. | middle4226.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "at school ."
},
"options": [
"at school .",
"at home",
"on the farm.",
"in the open air."
],
"question": "Stampedes , earthquakes and fires are the main accidents _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | In China, safety education is becoming more and more important now. The last Monday in March is for students to learn it at school. It helps students learn more about what they should do to keep themselves safe. What are the accidents at school? Take a look.
Stampedes , earthquakes and fires are the main accidents at school.
A stampede always happens in crowded places. When students around you begin to push, just stand there and try to hold onto something. If you fall down in the crowd, move to one side and protect your head with your hands around.
When earthquakes happen, you can get under a desk quickly and hold on. It'll protect you from falling things. If you are outdoors, find a place away from buildings, trees, and power lines.
When there's a fire, leave the classroom quickly. It's better to put something wet over your mouth and nose. In this way, you won't breathe in smoke. Many people die in a fire, not because of the fire but smoke. It makes them cough and they can't breathe. That's very dangerous! So when you want to get out, you should make yourself close to the floor. Then you can breathe some fresh air. | middle5138.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a thick forest"
},
"options": [
"a mountain",
"the woods",
"a thick forest",
"a hill"
],
"question": "There was _ in Hong Kong a thousand years ago.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"ans... | A thousand years ago, Hong Kong was covered by a thick forest. As more and more people came to live in Hong Kong, these trees were cut down and burnt. Now there is no forest left, though there are still some small areas covered with trees. We call these woods.
Elephants, tigers and many other animals were living in the thick forest. When people came to live in Hong Kong, the animals began to die out. Early farmers grew rice and kept pigs and chickens in the valleys. They cut down the trees and burnt them. They needed fire to keep themselves warm in winter, to cook their food and to keep away the dangerous animals. Elephants quickly disappeared because there was not enough food for them. Many other animals soon died in the same way.
You might think that there are no longer any animals in Hong Kong except in 2005. But there are still about 36 different animals living there. One of the most interesting of Hong Kong's animals is the barking deer. These are beautiful little animals with a rich brown coat and a white patch under the tail. They look like deer but they are much smaller. They are less than two feet high. They make a noise rather like a dog barking. In Hong Kong the barking deer has only a real enemy---- men. People hunt these little animals though it is illegal, There are now not many barking deer left. So it is important for people to protect wild animals. | middle2657.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it may have different meaning in different people's eyes"
},
"options": [
"people can't find this word in the dictionary",
"no one knows what it is",
"it may have different meaning in different people's eyes",
"people c... | You may have heard of the famous saying, "East or west, home is the best."
What does the word "home" mean to you? How do you say the word in French? In Chinese? In your language? Although people usually know what the word means, it sometimes has no exact translation. It's not surprising, because the idea of home is " different from country to country and from person to person". A home is more than a roof and four walls. It's the cooking ,eating, talking, playing and sleeping that go on inside. And at home you usually feel safe and relaxed.
Homes look different in different countries. They also have different things inside. For example, in cold northern Europe, there's a fire in the living room or kitchen and all the chairs face it, In the south, where the sun shines a lot and it's more important to keep the heat out, there are small windows and cool stone floors.
We asked some people about their homes.
How often do people move house in your country?
" In my country many people don't stay in one place for a very long time. They often move every ten years or so."
------Cheryl, Boston, USA
What are the features of homes in your country?
" In Britain, even in town, there's always a garden. We have separate bedrooms and living rooms. But we don't often have balconies. The weather isn't warm enough!"
------Pat, Exeter, England | middle6431.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "All of the above"
},
"options": [
"Animals.",
"People",
"Places.",
"All of the above"
],
"question": "What can you read about in books?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"... | The best thing about going to school is learning how to read. Books are great friends. They can help you to learn about anything you want to know. They can go anywhere with you. You can read about animals, faraway places, people, and anything else.
Books are written by people called authors . Authors think of things they want to write about. They make a plan for a book and start to write .Some authors write books that give us information and teach us things. Authors are very important people because they help us learn. Find a good book to read and read every day ,You will enjoy your time with a good book. | middle812.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "London"
},
"options": [
"train",
"London",
"Pairs",
"Rome"
],
"question": "Michael and Dick would spend their holiday in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_inde... | Michael and Dick are good friends, but they like to play jokes on each other. One holiday, they decided to go to London together. They went to the station and bought their tickets.
Michael got on the train first. He dropped his ticket on the platform when he got into the carriage. Dick, who was close behind, saw the ticket fall and quickly picked it up. He put it in his pocket, but didn't tell Michael. After they had been in the train for a while, they heard the conductor coming down the corridor, shouting, "Tickets, please!" Michael looked for his ticket and of course couldn't find it.
"Oh dear, I can't find my ticket, Dick," Michael said.
"Look for it carefully, Michael; it must be somewhere." said Dick.
"No, I can't find it anywhere. What shall I do?" said Michael.
"Perhaps you'd better hide under the seat; then the conductor won't know you are here." So Michael hid under the seat. At this time, the conductor came in. "Tickets, please," he said. Dick handed him tow tickets and said, "This is mine. The other is my friend's. But he prefers to stay under the seat." | middle46.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A doctor"
},
"options": [
"No one",
"A PE teacher",
"A doctor",
"A jogger"
],
"question": "_ tells Paul Miller to jog.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,... | My name is Paul Miller. I was too fat before, but now I do not have this problem. My doctor tells me to jog . So early every morning I run for two miles before breakfast. I do not run fast, but I do not stop to rest.
People call me a jogger. There are many joggers on my street. We often run together in the park or along the road. Jogging helps to keep us strong and healthy.
Jogging is very popular in the United States. People like to feel well and look nice. Some people do not jog, but they do not get fat. They work hard on their jobs and they do not need to run before they go to work.
Do you want to jog? Go to your doctor first. Your doctor can tell you something about jogging. My doctor tells me to eat only three meals a day. I feel healthy and my doctor is happy because I jog every day and I do not eat anything before or after meals. | middle6425.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A young person"
},
"options": [
"A girl",
"A boy",
"A young person",
"A man"
],
"question": "What did the old man see on the other side of the pool?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | One day, an old man went for a walk in a park in Washington, and when he was tired, he sat down in a chair. A young person was standing on the other side of the pool.
"Oh!" the old man said to the person sitting be side him on the chair. "Do you see that person with the glasses and long hair? Is it a boy or a girl?" "A girl." said the neighbor . "She is my daughter." "Oh!" the old man said quickly. "Please forgive me, I did not know that you were her mother." "I'm not." Said the other person, "I'm her father." | middle806.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Her mother."
},
"options": [
"Her father.",
"Her friend.",
"Her aunt.",
"Her mother."
],
"question": "Who goes to the store with Mary?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | It's a Sunday morning. Mary doesn't need to go to school. She says to her mom, "I need some clothes. Can we go to Nice Girls' Store?"
"Well, what do you need, Mary?" Mom asks her. "My skirt is small, so I want to buy a skirt. And I need a pair of sports shoes, too," Mary says.
"I see. Let's go and see now." In the store, Mary sees a blue skirt. It's nice .So she asks the _ ,"How much is it?"
The clerk says, "It's twenty dollars." "OK. Let me think about it. Thanks."
Mary asks her mom, "What do you think of that blue skirt, Mom?"
" _ s nice, but I don't think blue is nice on you. What about this green skirt, Mary? "
"Oh, it's nice! " Mary says.
They take it at a good price. Only 12 dollars! They buy a pair of green sports shoes, too. It's 32 dollars. | middle4232.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "big"
},
"options": [
"old",
"new",
"big",
"small"
],
"question": "The supermarket near my home is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_te... | There is a big supermarket near my home. Its name is Pricelow. It has lots of things. You can buy school things, like notebooks, pens, rulers, pencils, erasers and pencil boxes. You can buy vegetables, fruit and all kinds of food. You can also buy clothes. Some of the things there are cheap, and anybody can afford the price. But some of them are _ .
The supermarket is open every day from 7:00 a.m.to 8:00 p.m. The workers there are very good. They work hard all day. They are happy to answer your questions. They help you if you want to buy anything. There are many people on weekends. They buy lots of things. Sometimes they have breakfast, lunch or dinner there. | middle2643.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "helping primary school students"
},
"options": [
"helping the old man",
"helping the poor",
"helping primary school students",
"helping his classmates"
],
"question": "Zhang Kai and his group do good deeds as Le... | Zhang Kai is a student at North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power . He has led a group of college student volunteers since last year. They help children at a primary school with their studies and daily lives.
"When I was a small child", Zhang said, "I knew March 5 was a day for people to learn from Lei Feng and help others, but I didn't know the real meaning of the spirit of Lei Feng. Now when I see the smiling faces of the kids I have helped, I deeply understand Lei Feng. Helping others makes me happy."
Lei Feng (1940-1962) is one of the most famous soldiers in Chinese history. He lost his parents when he was very young. His neighbors brought him up. He died in an accident at 22. He did many good deeds in his short life. For example, he gave his own money to the parents of another soldier. And bought tickets for a woman he didn't know without telling her his name.
On March 5, 1963, Chairman Mao called on people to "Learn from Lei Feng" and made the day "Lei Feng Day".
Today almost 50 years has passed since Lei's death. Some people say that the spirit of Lei Feng is outdated .
But many people think we need to promote that spirit again. There have been many reports about the coldness of people toward strangers. This has made many Chinese people think deeply about themselves.
"The most important thing is that we must be ready to help others and make it a habit." said Huang Tianze, a student from Jianlan High School in Zhejiang. | middle4554.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Anybody can be in Reality TV."
},
"options": [
"Real-life people are in it.",
"We can see a real situation in it.",
"It usually costs less money to make Reality TV.",
"Anybody can be in Reality TV."
],
"question... | Reality TV is a type of programme. It means that real-life people, not actors, are followed and filmed in a real situation, or game.
Reality TV is very popular in the UK. At their best, these programmes give us a good look into the lives of different people in Britain. At their worse, they are a very cheap way to make programmes and sometimes involve people behaving very badly.
Here's a selection of some of the UK's reality shows.
Shattered
A group of young people live in a house for a week and must stay awake. Each day there are tests to see how well they can work even though they are totally tired out. They must leave the house if they fall asleep. Viewers vote on those who stay in the house and text their comments every day.
Come to Dine with Me
Each week four people prepare dinner in their homes for the other competitors. Each competitor then gives the cook a grade out of 10 for the food and entertainment . The winner gets a $1,000 cash prize. Sometimes the food is terrible and the competitors are very rude to each other.
World's Strictest Parents
Badly-behaved British teens are sent abroad to live with a super strict family for a week. The teenagers have to follow the rules of their host family and go to the local school. After seven days the teenagers return home and their parents tell us if their behaviour is better. There is often a lot of crying and shouting in this show but it can be pretty funny too. | middle6343.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "people there are busy"
},
"options": [
"the streets are empty",
"you are new there",
"people there are busy",
"you don't have time"
],
"question": "It isn't easy to find anyone to talk to in the USA because _ ... | If you ask me to tell how to get along in the United States, I think the following "do's" and "don'ts" would be helpful.
Generally speaking, it isn't easy to find anyone to talk to in a busy city, so you should try to do the following. First, get or borrow a dog! Walk him several times a day! Americans love dogs and cats and usually stop to talk to anyone with a dog. Then, try to eat in a restaurant. People generally share the same table and will sometimes talk to you if they see you are new there. Next, take your dirty clothes to a laundry ! It takes about an hour to wash and dry them and people there often pass the time talking with each other. Always ask for information from a woman if you are a man, and from a man, if you are a woman! Learn to say, "Please" "Thank you" and "You're welcome" and use them all the time!
There are some things you shouldn't do. Don't tell the truth when people ask, "How are you?" The only answer they want is "Fine". Never ask people their age--especially women! Everyone wants to be young. Don't tell heavy people they are fat. Tell them they are losing weight. Everyone wants to be thin. Don't be late when meeting people! When someone says six o'clock, be sure to be there by six. Americans respect time and want everyone to be "on time". | middle5662.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "both the food and the house are bad"
},
"options": [
"the food is not good",
"the Country mouse lives in a hole in the field",
"both the food and the house are bad",
"the house is not made of stone"
],
"question... | Once there were two mice. They were friends. One mouse lived in the country; the other mouse lived in the city. After many years the Country mouse saw the City mouse; he said, "Do come and see me at my house in the country." So the City mouse went. The City mouse said, "This food is not good, and your house is not good. Why do you live in a hole in the field? You should come and live in the city. You would live in a nice house made of stone. You would have nice food to eat. You must come and see me at my house in the city."
The Country mouse went to the house of the City mouse. It was a very good house. Nice food was set ready for them to eat. But just as they began to eat they heard a great noise. The City mouse cried, "Run! Run! The cat is coming!" They ran away quickly and hid.
After some time they came out. When they came out, the Country mouse said, "I do not like living in the city. I like living in my hole in the field. For it is nicer to be poor and happy than to be rich and afraid." | middle3213.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "six"
},
"options": [
"three",
"four",
"five",
"six"
],
"question": "There are _ people in Mr. Black's family.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"a... | It's Sunday today. The Blacks(Black) are all at home. Mrs. Black is in the kitchen . She is cooking for the _ family. Mr. Black is in the living room. He is sitting in the chair and reading the newspaper. Their son Tom and his friends are in the garden . They are playing football there. Ann is Tom's sister and she is playing with a cat in her room. Her grandparents are watching TV in the room. How happy the family are!
,, | middle7075.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "in many parts of the world"
},
"options": [
"all over the world.",
"in many parts of the world",
"in some parts of the world",
"in a few parts of the world"
],
"question": "Hot weather is common _ .",
"qu... | Very hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people hot, it can cause medical problems and death.
Floods, storms and other terrible natural events kill thousands of people every year. And we hear much about them in news reports. We general hear little about heat, which experts say may be nature's most dangerous killer.
Health experts say that since the year 1900, very hot weather has killed more people in the United States than any other natural event. One year--- the unusually hot summer of 1980 heat caused about 1,700 deaths in the United States. In 1995, more than 600 people died in another heat wave in one city----Chicago, Illinois.
Besides drinking lots of cool water , doctors say there are some other things to do to protect against the health dangers of heat. Stay out of the sun, if possible. Wear loose and light--colored clothes. Wear a hat while in the sun. Eat fewer hot and heavy foods. And, when possible, cook foods during cooler time of the day. If possible, rest more often.
Health experts say these simple steps can prevent the dangerous health problems caused by heat. They will prevent sickness, help you feel better and may even save your life. | middle190.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "July"
},
"options": [
"September",
"January",
"June",
"July"
],
"question": "In England, summer holidays begin in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
... | English Students' Education
English schools begin in September after a long summer holiday. There are two terms in a school year. The first term is from September to January, and the second term is from February to June. Most English children begin to go to school when they are five years old. When they finish high school, they are seventeen or eighteen years old.
High school students take only five or six subjects each term. They usually go the the same class every day, and they have homework for every class. After class, they do a lot of interesting things. After high school, many students go to college1. They usually have to pay a lot of money. So they have to work after class to get money for their studies.
Notes:1. go to college | middle1404.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to do something successfully, we should do what is needed"
},
"options": [
"a good planning is the most important in the job of selling",
"Markita took the free trip around the world herself",
"Markita has a full-time selling... | The greatest saleswoman in the world today doesn't mind if you call her a girl. That's because Markita Andrews has got more than eight thousand dollars selling Girl Scout cookies since she was seven years old.
Going door-to-door after school, the terribly shy Markita changed herself into the cookie-selling dynamo .
It starts with great wish.
For Markita and her mother, whose husband left them when Markita was eight years old, their dream was to travel the world. "I'll work hard to make enough money to send you to college," her mother said one day. "When you leave college, you'll make enough money to take you and me around the world. Okay?"
So at the age of 13 when Markita read in her Girl Scout magazine that the Scout who sold the most cookies would win a free trip for two around the world, she decided to sell all the Girl Scout cookies she could--more Girl Scout cookies than anyone in the world, ever.
Wish, however, alone is not enough. To make her dream come true, Markita knew she needed a plan.
"When you are doing business, wear your Girl Scout clothes when you go up to people in their building, " her aunt told her. "Always smile, whether they buy something or not and always be nice."
Lots of other Scouts may have wanted that trip around the world, but only Markita went off in her own uniform each day after school, ready to ask--and keep asking--people to help in her dream.
Markita sold 3,526 boxes of Girl Scout cookies that year and won her trip around the world. Since then, she has sold more than 42,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.
Markita is no cleverer than thousands of other people, with dreams of their own. The difference is that many people fail before they even begin. They fear that they will be refused. This fear leads many of us to refuse ourselves and prevents us from getting where we have set off for long before anyone else ever has the chance--no matter what we are selling.
"It takes courage to ask for what you want," she said. "Courage is not that you don't have fear. It means doing what it takes although you have a fear of it". | middle1362.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "someone helps you"
},
"options": [
"you say something kind to others",
"you help others",
"someone helps you",
"you need others to help you"
],
"question": "You should say \"Thank you\" when _ .",
"quest... | American people like to say "Thank you" when others help them or say something kind to them. People of many countries do so, too. It is a very good habit .
You should say "Thank you" when someone passes you the salt on the table, when someone walking ahead of you keeps the door open for you, when someone says you have done your work well, or you have bought a nice thing, or your city is very beautiful. "Thank you" is used not only between friends, but also between parents and children, brothers and sisters.
"Excuse me" is another short sentence they use. When you hear someone say so behind you, you know that somebody wants to walk past you without touching you. It's not polite to break others when they are talking. If you want to speak to one of them, say "Excuse me" first, and then begin talking. You should also do so when you begin to cough or make any noise before others.
Let's learn to say "Thank you" and "Excuse me".
: | middle7713.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Thirty-four."
},
"options": [
"Thirty-one.",
"Thirty-two.",
"Thirty-three.",
"Thirty-four."
],
"question": "How old is Jay Chou now?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | Do you want to make friends with a special man? Here is some information about him.
He is quiet and shy. He likes to hide his eyes behind his hair. He doesn't smile very often. However, if you talk to him about music, he'll have a lot to say.
This is Jay Chou, the 34-year-old Taiwanese pop king . His fans are so excited because he will have a singing party next month. Many pop stars will come, too.
Chou grew up just with his mother. He did not talk much and did badly in many school subjects. His mother noticed the boy's special interest in music and sent him to learn piano when he was only three years old. He loved it and kept on practicing.
Chou is not very handsome. He does not speak clearly when he sings or talks. But the singer has a lot of fans. "He is really good at music. It makes him attractive to me, " said Liu Jiajun, a Junior 2 student in No. 101 Middle School in Beijing. "He is true to himself. _ , "said Zhang Yujie, a Junior 1 girl at No.23 Middle School in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. | middle3575.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "28 million."
},
"options": [
"14 million.",
"42 million.",
"28 million.",
"200 million."
],
"question": "How many blind people should not have to suffer with medical knowledge and skills today?",
"question_t... | Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you couldn't see. Imagine having to read this page, not with your eyes but with your fingers. How do you feel, then?
With medical knowledge and skills today, two-thirds of the world's 42 million blind people should not have to suffer. Unluckily, rich countries have this knowledge, but developing countries do not.
ORBIS is an international charitable organization. Its goal is to help fight blindness all over the world. Inside a DC-8 airplane, there is a teaching hospital with television room and classroom. Doctors are taught the latest technology of helping the blind get sight again here. ORBIS is always trying to keep a closer relation among countries.
ORBIS helps those developing countries by providing sight-saving training. It has taught over 35,000 doctors and nurses. They continue to treat thousands of blind people every year. They have traveled around the earth 3 times, visited 76 countries and treated over 20,000 blind people. They need your help to continue their work and free people from blindness.
For just $ 38, you can help one person see; for $ 380 10 people can see; $ 1,300 helps train a doctor new skills; and for $ 13,000 you can provide a training program for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see again. Your love can help them open their eyes to the world. | middle5104.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it is a good way to keep the person's identity unknown"
},
"options": [
"it is not necessary to use real names",
"they become popular because of a comedy film",
"it is a good way to keep the person's identity unknown",
... | Have you ever had this moment: you are talking about name? Don't worry! In English, there are special names to replace their real names.
In the US, if you forget someone's name, you can simply say the name John Doe for a man, or Jane Doe for a woman. For example, 'Did you see that boy who was running in the rain?' 'Ah, yes, poor John Doe.'
Also, in US courts ( ), people also use these names. This is to keep the person' s identity a secret. People use the name so often that there was even a comedy film in 1941 called Meet John Doe.
However in the UK, unknown people are called John Smith. This is because John is one of the most common first names in English. And Smith is the most common family name.
So next time you forget someone's name, you know who to say. | middle5110.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "sunny"
},
"options": [
"windy",
"rainy",
"sunny",
"cloudy"
],
"question": "What was the weather like that day? It was _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Jane was an old woman. She was rich and lived in a big house. One morning, Jane opened the window and looked at her garden. The sun was shining brightly. "What a good day!" she said. Suddenly she saw a man eating grass in front of the garden of her house. She walked to the man and asked, "Why are you eating grass? Are you very hungry?" The man answered, "I have no money to buy any food. I haven't had meals for days. I'm dying of hunger." "Poor boy," said Jane, "come to the back door." Then she walked into the house again. "The rich lady will give me some food to eat. It's so kind of her." The man thought. But when he went into the house, Jane opened the back door and said to him, "The grass is taller behind the house." | middle1376.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "give some flowers from his garden"
},
"options": [
"buy some flowers",
"give some flowers from his garden",
"make a card",
"give a football"
],
"question": "Wang Kai would like to _ to his English teacher.",... | Hi, everyone! My name is Wang Kai. I'm twelve. I'm in Class 5 Grade 7. Teachers' Day is coming. I want to give some presents to my teachers.
Miss Zhang is my English teacher. She is twenty-four years old. She likes flowers very much. I want to give her some flowers from my garden. My Chinese teacher has a four-year-old son, Li Xin. He likes playing football a lot. I want to give my Chinese teacher a "special" present: playing football with Li Xin for a day! What about my maths teacher Mr. Zheng? He likes drawing pictures. I would like to draw a picture of him and give it to him.
My friends, what presents do you usually give to your teachers? Please tell me! | middle6419.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "By putting sensors in rivers."
},
"options": [
"By putting sensors in rivers.",
"By using mobile phones.",
"By boating or swimming.",
"By surfing the Internet."
],
"question": "How do scientists find pollution l... | You've got plenty of emails from your mom, and maybe even a few from dear old grandma. But have you ever received a message from a river?
Now, Ireland's River Lee is sending out much information, thanks to wireless technology. In a program called the DEPLOY project, scientists have put some sensors in rivers that can find pollution levels.
Instead of asking scientists to collect water _ several times a day, the government can now examine pollution levels in the water, and find out if there is anything polluted entering the river. This makes it much easier for scientists to protect the environment, since problems can be discovered before a serious pollution accident really happens.
People in the area can also receive free reports from the river, so that they can find out whether the water is safe for swimming or boating on a certain day. And people can also know if the water is clear enough for them to drink and use.
The DEPLOY project has not only started in Ireland, also the same programs have started in thousands of places around the U.S. Now you live in a world in which you could receive information with your mobile phone about environment. The technology should help to make us know more about the pollution that surrounds us--which just might get us all a little more involved with trying to clean up our world. | middle7707.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "say that she and David have arrived safely"
},
"options": [
"tell her mother some bad news",
"say that she and David have arrived safely",
"report an accident to her mother",
"say that she and David have left London"
... | Linda and David have traveled by air from London to Sydney, Australia. Linda has promised her mother that she will ring her to let her know that they have arrived safely. This is something she had done ever since she was a child. David thinks it is not a good idea to ring so far, to spend too much, and to say so little.
"If there were an accident. " He says, 'they'd know soon enough. Bad news travels fast. "
But Linda has promised that she would ring. "However," she says, "'it doesn't cost much when you just think that it's the other side of the world. It's only six pence per second . "
"If you're on that telephone for less than one minute, I'll eat my hat,' David says, "And one minute's nearly four pounds. "
"That's no more than you'd pay for a new hat," ''Linda answers.
She has asked the man at the hotel desk to get her the number. The telephone rings. Linda picks it up.
"Hello, Mum. Is that you ?" She says.
"Six pence per second," David reminds her.
"Hello, love. " It is Mrs Lee, Linda's mother, speaking from London. "I can hear you very clearly just like you are in the next room. It's a better line than when you called me from your office. Do you remember? I shouted at that time, and still you couldn't hear me sometimes. "
"Yes, Mum. "Linda puts in. . "I just wanted to ring to ....... "
"I remember how you rang when you went to Betty's house to eat, when you were a little girl. And then when you ..." Mrs Lee is a great talker
"Nearly four pounds. " says David.
Linda tries to tell her mother that it is time to say goodbye.
"Yes, all right, "says Mrs Lee," But you will write, won't you, as you did when you were at work ..."
Once again, Mrs Lee talks about the pass. and there is no stopping her.
"Four pounds fifty, 'says David.
At last, Linda cuts her mother short, promises to write, and rings off.
"There! That wasn't long, was it ?"
"Four pounds, ninety pence." David answers. "And you didn't even say that we've arrived." | middle7061.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Kowloon Public Pier."
},
"options": [
"Kowloon Public Pier.",
"Near Star Company.",
"On the ferry",
"Office Company"
],
"question": "Where does the cruise start?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | Hong Kong Harbour Cruise By Night
Enjoy your wonderful dinner on the ferry and see the fantastic city lights.
Time: 7:00 pm~10:00 pm daily
Price: With dinner Without dinner
Adult: HK$300 HK$120
Child under 12: HK$ 210 HK$ 84
Start/ Stop: Kowloon Public Pier (Near Star Ferry Pier)
Ticket Office:Star Company (123 Canton Road) | middle1410.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "students"
},
"options": [
"teachers",
"parents",
"students",
"visitors"
],
"question": "This text is written for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
... | Feeling left out?
A reader wrote in to say that she was feeling lonely at break because her best friend wasn't around.Here's our advice to her--and to all kids who feel lonely sometimes.
It's hard when a best friend isn't around--maybe because she moved to a different school or a different class.You may feel lonely at break or lunchtime.You want to have new friends.but how do you make them? Maybe it seems like everybody else already has their friends.But remember, there's always room for more friends.
Start by looking around your classroom--think about which kids you'd like to play with at break.Look for chances to say hi to them,smile,and be friendly.Offer to share something or express your appreciation to them.Invite someone to play with you or say "Do you want to sit here?" in the lunchroom.When you're at break,walk over to kids you want to play with.act friendly,and say "Hi,can l play, too?" or just join in.If you have trouble doing _ or if you're feeling shy, ask your teacher to help you make new friends.Teachers are usually pretty good at matching up friends.The best way to make friends is to be a friend.Be kind,be friendly,share,say nice things,offer to help--and pretty soon,you'll have one,or two,or even more new friends.
You might still miss that special best friend.But when you see each other, you can share something you didn't have before she left:You can introduce her to your new friends! | middle184.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Move the bottle quickly up and down"
},
"options": [
"Heat it on the fire.",
"Move the bottle quickly up and down",
"Add some hot water to it",
"Go and ask the doctors advice"
],
"question": "According to the in... | Read the instructions of the medicine before you take your choices.
Adults : 2 tablespoonfuls
Children: according to age
10----14 years 4 teaspoonfuls
5----10years 2 teaspoonfuls
3----6 years I teaspoonful
Repeat above doses every 1/2 hour to 1 hour if needed until 8 dose are taken. If you do not get better within two days, see a doctor. SHAKE WELLBEFORE USING. | middle5676.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "No, we can't."
},
"options": [
"Yes, we can .",
"No, we can't.",
"The author didn't tell us in the passage",
"The author is not sure about that."
],
"question": "Can we use every ATM to withdraw our money in a c... | Nowadays we can see ATMs everywhere. So we'd better learn how to use an ATM to withdraw money.
First, we must find an ATM for your cards. Some ATMs can only work with certain bank's cards. But now more and more ATMs can use all the banks' cards.
Second, we can put our cards in a slot on the right side of the machine. Make sure the card is facing the right way.
Then , when the screen says, "Please enter your PIN," we can press the numbers. After that, we can select the type of transaction .So we can press the key for withdrawing money.
Next, we can put in the amount of money we want to withdraw by pressing the numbers. Then the screen may say, "Please wait". After a short while, we can take our money from the slot at the bottom of the machine.
At last, if we don't need other services, we can press the key for ending. Then our cards will come out from the slot we put it in. And we can finish our dealing and take the cards and money away. | middle4568.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A business teacher"
},
"options": [
"A historyteacher",
"A scienceteacher",
"A business teacher",
"A math teacher"
],
"question": "What was Mr. Black?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | "What is success"? Mr. Black asked his 6th grade business class. It was his opening conversation for the first class of the term.
"Success is riding in a sweet car, watching an 80-inch( TV, and living in a place with at least twelve rooms." One student answered, earning laughs from all the students.
Mr. Black smiled, but shook his head. "Tom, that is excess . That is not success."
"How about being able to provide for your family?" A blonde girl named Sandy in the front suggested as an answer.
"Now we're getting closer," Mr. Black smiled, "but try thinking about what you need and what you want."
"Getting everything you want." Tom shouted out an answer again, trying for more laughs.
Mr. Black sighed ." I believe we've already talked about excess versus(...) success."
"Getting everything you need, but some of what you want?" James, sitting in the back wondered aloud.
"Quite right!" Mr. Black clapped. "Success is getting everything you need and some of what you want. The more you get that you want, the more successful you are. You do reach a point where you are living in excess, though."
"What does this have to do with business?" Tom asked. It seemed if it wasn't funny, he wasn't happy.
"Well, Tom, think of it this way: the point of business is to make a living to support your family. Once you have properly seen to their needs, you can then seen to getting the extras that you want."
"What if I don't have a family?" he continued to be difficult.
"Then you have to provide for yourself, a family of one."
"He has goldfish to think about!" Peter, Tom's friend, shouted out.
"Then he needs to provide for a family of one with a fishbowl." Mr. Black corrected himself.
Tom nodded, satisfied with that answer.
"So in the next nine weeks, we're going to study basic business situations, like having a checking account and understanding credit cards ."
Tom rubbed his hands together excitedly. "When do we get to start spending?"
"You already are, Tom. You're spending time with us!" Mr. Black laughed. "Now, let's see what you guys know about credit cards..." | middle3207.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Friday"
},
"options": [
"Sunday",
"Saturday",
"Friday",
"Thursday"
],
"question": "Emma's favorite day is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"a... | Hello! My name is Emma. My favorite day is Friday. Do you know why? We have four classes in the morning. We have a music lesson on Friday morning. It is my favorite subject. I also like other three lessons in the morning. They are English, Chinese and math. In the afternoon we usually have three classes, but on Friday afternoon we only have two classes P.E. and oral English. P.E. teacher is my favorite teacher because her lessons are very interesting. | middle4583.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Linda Johnson"
},
"options": [
"Mary Johnson",
"Mike Johnson",
"Linda Johnson",
"Nick Johnson"
],
"question": "Mother is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | My name is Tom. I'm nine. This is my mother.Her name's Linda Johnson. Her telephone number is 13052864515.And this is my father.His name is Mike Johnson. His phone number is 13120884699.And this is my sister.What's her name?Her name is Mary. Look!The boy is my brother Nick. Mary is eight and Nick is six. | middle5845.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Many unhappy things happened to him."
},
"options": [
"He argured with his parents.",
"He heard some bad news.",
"He burned the kitchen.",
"Many unhappy things happened to him."
],
"question": "What happened to ... | Today was not a good day. Everything went wrong. First, I slept late and Mom shouted at me to wake up. When I went to the kitchen for breakfast, there was no cereal. I decided to have some toast instead, but I burned it. I had to eat it anyway because there was no more bread. The juice bottle was empty, so I had a glass of cold water.
When I was getting on a bus, I realized that I had forgotten my wallet, so I had to go back home to get it.
Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next.
I was late for school and the teacher told me to stay in the classroom at lunchtime to catch up on the school work I had missed. After lunch, it was time to give the teacher our homework. I reached into my bag to get it, but it wasn't there. I had left it at home. I was in trouble again.
When I got home, I went straight to my room to catch up on my homework. Mom cooked fish for dinner. She knows I don't like fish, but she thinks it is good for her son. How terrible! I hope tomorrow will be better. | middle7934.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A 46-year-old woman"
},
"options": [
"A 10-year-old boy",
"A 46-year-old woman",
"An 11-year-old girl",
"All babies"
],
"question": "What kind of person can become a volunteer?",
"question_type": "factiod_qu... | Are you looking for something fun? Would you like to help other people in your free time? Then join us and be a volunteer .
We have volunteer jobs for people of all ages. Anyone, between the age of 12 and 80, can become a volunteer.
You can help people in many ways. Nursing homes need volunteers to take care of old people. Hospitals need volunteers to look after children while their parents see a doctor. Animal lovers can help take care of those dogs and cats without homes. There is something that out volunteers want to tell you.
"As a volunteer, I don't want to get anything. Seeing the children's happy faces, I am happy, too." said Carlos, an old woman of 62.
" I often played computer games in my free time before. Now I help middle-aged people learn how to use computers." said another volunteer at the age of 18.
If everyone gives a hand, we'll have a better world to live in.
Interested? Call us on 1-800-555-5756 or visit our website: www.active.com. | middle609.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "32"
},
"options": [
"31",
"32",
"30",
"33"
],
"question": "How old was Bruce Lee when he died?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "I... | The Legend of Bruce Lee was a very popular TV play. The surprising life of Brue Lee came to the small screen in the play. The play followed the 32 vears of Bruce Lee's life, from his hard young age to his experience in the U.S.A. and his movie-making life.
Lee was born in San Francisco, California, and grew up in Hong Kong. He loved his motherland China and Chinese kung fu. His Hong Kong and Hollywood films were quite different from the traditional kung fu films. He started a new kung fu film age. Because of his films, the west began to show great interest in Chinese culture. He affected Chinese kung fu and Chinese kung fu films in Hong Kong and the rest of the world. Lee showed Chinese national pride( )in his movies. | middle91.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The population policy"
},
"options": [
"The one-child policy",
"The population policy",
"The human rights",
"China's population growth"
],
"question": "Which may be the best title of the article? _ .",
"qu... | China introduced its so-called one-child policy in the late 1970s. It's been believed to help control China's population growth . It's also been against for forcing parents to make difficult personal choices , or in some cases face huge fines .
The policy said that in big cities or towns, parents could only have one child, although there were some exceptions , for example, the famous director Zhang Yimou, who was ordered to pay the heavy fines for his three children.
The new rule says that if either parent is an only child, then they are able to have two children of their own.
One reason for the change is economics .
In China, many people care for their elderly relatives, so a single child could not afford to look after his parents and grandparents. This new policy could help with that.
Another reason, China says it wants to improve human rights . | middle2694.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to the two sons"
},
"options": [
"only to the elder son",
"only to the younger son",
"to their father",
"to the two sons"
],
"question": "One day, the mother gave two boxes of seeds _",
"question_type": "c... | Once there were two brothers. They were very good to each other. They were half brothers because the elder brother's mother was dead, and then his father married again. The stepmother was not kind to the elder brother, but the younger brother loved him and often helped him.
One day, the mother gave each of the brothers a box of seeds and enough food for a few days. She said to them, "Take them. Go and plant them. One of you must plant them on the east hill, and the other on the west hill. Don't come back if the seeds don't come out. " The mother gave very bad seeds to the elder brother, but the two brothers didn't know this, and set out the next morning.
When they came to a bridge, they sat down to rest. After that, they got up to say good-bye to each other, but they took the wrong boxes of seeds!
Ten days later, the elder brother's seeds began to grow and he came back. But the younger brother did not return home because his seeds didn't grow. At last, he died on the hill.
,. (10) | middle2680.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "about thirty kilometers from"
},
"options": [
"about thirty kilometers from",
"to the east of",
"far from a museum",
"in the north of"
],
"question": "Panrit lives _ the capital of Thailand.",
"question_t... | My name is Panrit. I live in Samutprakarn. It is about thirty kilometers south of Bangkok,the capital of Thailand. My house is near a museum and opposite a school.
My house has two floors,two bedrooms and two toilets. We don't have a dining room,so we eat our meals in the living room. There are four people in my family, my mum,my dad,my brother and I. My house doesn't have a garden but we have some plants in pots . We also have some small fish. My mum likes the plants very much. She usually waters and looks after them when she's at home.
I don't usually stay at home. I usually stay at my grandma's home because it is more comfortable. In her home. there is no homework. and all I have to do is to play. | middle2858.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "his question"
},
"options": [
"supper",
"his question",
"a party",
"a present"
],
"question": "I took Adam to buy apples for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | One afternoon, my son came home from school and asked me, "Are all people the same even if their skin color is different?" I thought for a moment, then I said, "I'll explain. Let's go to a fruit store first. I have something interesting to show you."
At the store, I told him that we needed to buy apples. And we bought some red apples, green apples and yellow apples.
After we got home, I told Adam, "It's time to answer your question." I put one of each type of apple on the table: first a red apple, followed by a green apple and then a yellow apple. Then I looked at Adam, who was sitting on the other side of the table.
"Adam, people are just like apples. They come in different colors, shapes and sizes. See, some may not even look as delicious as others." As I was talking, Adam was examining each one carefully.
Then, I took each of the apples and peeled them, placing them back on the table, but in a different place.
"OK, Adam, tell me which one is the red apple, the green apple and the yellow apple."
He said, "I can't tell. They all look the same now."
"Take a bite of each one. See if that helps you tell which one is which."
He took big bites, and then a huge smile came across his face. "People are just like apples! They are all different, but if you take off the outside, they're pretty much the same on the inside."
"Right," I agreed. "Just like everyone has their own features but they are nearly the same."
He completely got it. I didn't need to say or do anything else.
Now, when I eat an apple, it tastes a little sweeter than before. What perfect fruit it is! | middle7920.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "boys"
},
"options": [
"fathers",
"girls",
"stars",
"boys"
],
"question": "The clothes in Lovely Clothes Shop are for _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Lucy is a nice girl. She is twenty-six. She opens a clothes store. Its name is Lovely Clothes Store. The store is for girls, not for boys. The store has clothes in many colors. Do you want to have a look at the store?
Clothes Colors Price
T-shirts blue, green and white Y=25
Skirts red, green, yellow and black Y=45 \ Y=65
Sweaters yellow, blue and red Y=35 \ Y=55
Trousers orange, white and green Y=54 \ Y=84 \ Y=104
,. | middle1389.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He is 10 years old."
},
"options": [
"He is 6 years old.",
"He is 7 years old.",
"He is 9 years old.",
"He is 10 years old."
],
"question": "How old is Takashi?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | My name is Takashi. I am ten years old. I live in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Now I'd like to tell you something about my school day.
In the morning I get up at seven, and I eat breakfast at half past seven at a table called a kotatsu. We usually sit on mats with our legs under the table.
After breakfast, I start going to school at ten to eight. I usually wear a yellow hat and a T-shirt. The clothes can tell other people my address and my school. I go to school from Monday to Friday and every other Saturday. When it's lunch time, we eat in our classroom. Our teacher eats with us, too. Sometimes we have sushi, a kind of popular Japanese food. Many people in Japan like it very much. We make it with rice, fish and eggs.
My school day is not easy, but most of us enjoy it because we want to have a good future. | middle6380.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "His old axe fell into the water."
},
"options": [
"He fell into the water.",
"His old axe fell into the water.",
"He met a young man .",
"He found an axe."
],
"question": "One day , when the poor man was cutting... | One day a poor man was cutting a big piece of wood near a river. Suddenly his old axe fell into the water. He felt very sad because he lost his only axe. Then all at once a beautiful fairy came out and asked the man what the was matter.
"I have lost my axe." he said, "It fell into the water when I was cutting the wood."
The fairy showed him a gold axe and asked, "Is that yours?"
"No." said the man.
The fairy then showed him a silver axe and asked again, "Is this yours?"
"No." again answered the man.
Then she showed him the old axe.
"Yes, that is mine." called out the happy man.
"I know it well enough." said the fairy, "I only wanted to see if you would tell me the truth, and now I'll give you the gold axe and the silver axe besides your own one."
,. | middle4597.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "things to do for the weekend"
},
"options": [
"visiting teams",
"famous players",
"things to do for the weekend",
"prices to pay for the sports events"
],
"question": "The main purpose of the passages in the new... | Bicycle Tour and Race
A bike tour and race will be held on August 26 and 27(Sat. & Sun.) at 5:30 a.m. The riders will leave Tiananmen Square and ride the first 35 kilometers as a training leg. Then the next 55 kilometers leg, from Yanjiao to Jixian, will be the first competitive part of the tour. The riders and their bikes will then be taken from Jixian to Changli.
The second racing leg of the tour will be from Changli to the seaside of Nandaihe, covering a distance of 20 kilometres. Saturday night the riders will stay at Nandaihe for supper. Sunday morning is free for playing at the seaside. At noon all the people and their bikes will be taken back to Beijing.
Cost: 200 yuan
Telephone: 4675027
Ticket price: Y=60, Y=100, Y=150
Time/Date: 4:30 p.m., August 26(Sat.)
Telephone: 5012372
Rock Climbing
The Third National Rock Climbing Competition will be held on August 26-27 at the Huairou Mountain Climbing Training Center. More than 10 teams from Beijing, Wuhan, Dalian, Jilin and other places will join in it. A Japanese team will give an exhibition climbing free for audience .
Take a bus from Dongzhimen to Huairou.
Time/Date: 9:00~12:00, August 26 and 27
Telephone: 7143177, 7144850 | middle5851.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "eat fast food"
},
"options": [
"don't like cooking",
"cook food in the morning",
"eat fast food",
"like having a picnic"
],
"question": "Most Americans",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"an... | Every country has its own way of cooking. American people have their way of cooking, don't they?
Most people in the United States like fast food, but if you think that American people don't like cooking, you are wrong. It's true that most Americans eat fast food for their breakfast and lunch, but they also think cooking is interesting. Parents see the importance of teaching their children how to cook, and most Americans say that home cooked meals are the best.
Americans have their own way of cooking. For example, baking is the most popular way of cooking in America. Most American families have ovens. American cooks pay attention to the balance of food. In planning a big meal, they try to cook meat, a few vegetables, some bread and often some sweet food. They also like to make the meal look beautiful. There are many kinds of food of different colors, so the meal is healthy and looks beautiful, too. | middle153.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It's orange"
},
"options": [
"It's white",
"It's black.",
"It's orange",
"It's blue and red."
],
"question": "What color is Tom's pencil-box?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Hi! I'm Tom.This is my pencil box. It's orange. My ruler is blue and red .It's in the pencil-box. That is a pencil. It's black. It is not my pencil. It's Lucy's. The white eraser is Bob's. I call Bob at 789-6943. It is his telephone number. | middle5879.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "stop playing computer games"
},
"options": [
"break their computers",
"sell their computers to teachers",
"play games in the day, not at night",
"stop playing computer games"
],
"question": "Ted wants his roomma... | Dear Victor,
I am a college student. Nowadays games on the net are very popular with college students. Some of my roommates are very interested in them. They not only play games in their free time, but also keep talking about them at night when lights are off, and they regard games as a part of their life. I've asked them to give it up, but they wouldn't listen to me. It has become a rather big problem. Should I report it to our teachers or do something else?
Ted
Dear Ted,
Drop it. Your roommates, as grown--ups, can do whatever they want with their time so long as it doesn't break school rules or violate other people's interests.
Playing perhaps gives these students relaxation from hard study. If they play too often and have little time to study, they will reap what they have sown , but you will not. Reporting to the teachers would only harm your good name in your dormitory . However, you have rights to ask your roommates to be quiet when you need sleep. If they aren't angry with you, they will stop talking. But be polite and friendly. Perhaps, in return, join them in a game or two.
Victor | middle7908.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because there are unhealthy materials in them."
},
"options": [
"Because there are unhealthy materials in them.",
"Because people prefer to live in the city center.",
"Because landfills are not big enough for trash.",
"... | Most of the things around you will be replaced or thrown away someday. Where will they go when they are thrown out? What kinds of waste will they create, and how will it affect the environment
Most of our crash goes to places called landfills. A LANDFILL is a low area of land that is filled with garbage .Most modern landfills are lined with a cover of plastic to keep dangerous liquids from polluting earth and ground water supply. The problem is that more than half of the states in this country are running out of places to landfill their garbage. Because of the unhealthy materials, landfills do not make good neighbors,and people don't want to live near them. Many landfills are set in poor neighborhoods.
The Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, New York, was the largest garbage landfill in the world. For years, people who live nearby complained about air and water pollution caused by the enormous pile of trash. They say that the smoke have made people sick. The landfill closed in
April 2001.Now can a harmful waste--material that can pollute air, land, and water -be disposed of in a safe way.
Another way to get rid of trash is to burn it. Trash is burned in an _ Because incinerators in operation can get rid of almost all of the trash, some communities would rather use incinerators than landfills. There is a problem, though. Leftover ash and smoke from burning trash may have dangerous chemicals, and even make it hard for some people to breathe. They can harm plants, animals, and people.
You can help reduce waste by reusing bottles, batteries, and paper. You can also recycle newspaper, glass, and plastics t to provide materials for making other products.
From recycled materials, many things are made. For example, from recycled paper we can get newspapers, boxes and so on. From recycled plastic we can get soda bottles, tables, and backpacks. | middle2864.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Living close to her good friend."
},
"options": [
"Having a job.",
"Having no hate.",
"Getting on well with her husband.",
"Living close to her good friend."
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT include... | For many years I had a good life. My illness was reasonably under control, I had a nice relationship with my husband, I did work, I didn't hate. It was, as I said, a good life.
But there's a saying that the good is the enemy of the best. I finally realized this one day, and began making my best life. I changed doctors and tried a new way that could relieve my symptoms , rather than just making them easier to deal with. I started talking more with my husband and listening to what he had to say. And I quit my job and started working for myself.
I have the best life I've ever had. I'd call it great. It is possible there's a better life for me, which would then be my "best life" , but for now I don't think so. I've started a business I love. My husband and kids are wonderful. I have a good friend and I'm close to my older sister who lives in town. Could it get better? I suppose so. But for me I think this is the best life I can have right now.
Think more about your life. Where are you living? Are you in a job you just don't mind? What makes your life "good" ? Why isn't it great? What's the enemy of the best and what can you do about it?
Enjoy your best life. We're only here for a short while, and we all need to have the best possible time we can. It's like going to Disney World. If you spend too much time standing in line waiting for the ride, pretty soon your time's up. Get out of the "good" line and have your best life. | middle147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "From a stone."
},
"options": [
"From a tree",
"From a book.",
"From the Western Paradise.",
"From a stone."
],
"question": "Where was Sun Wukong born?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | Do you like Sun Wukong? He is one of the most popular novel characters in Chinese history. Both young children and adults love him so much. In our mind, he is a great hero in the Chinese novel Journey to the West(<<>> ).
In the novel, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng beat demons and protect Tang Seng when they travel to the Western Paradise . Sun Wukong was born from a stone. He can change himself into a tree, a bird, or and animal. With one somersault , he can travel 108,000li.
Sun Wukong is clever, brave and always makes fun magic tricks. Chinese people love him very much.
Sun Wukong is also popular in other countries. Many western children love him and learn kung fu because of him. To them, he is a super hero, just like Superman and Spiderman. | middle6633.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Carter"
},
"options": [
"Cook",
"Smith",
"Carter",
"Miller"
],
"question": "Who is the farmer?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "M... | Four friends live in a small town. Their names are Cook, Miller, Smith, and Carter. They have different jobs. One is a policeman, one is a carpenter , one is a farmer, and one is a doctor. One day Cook's son broke his right leg, and Cook took him to the doctor. The doctor's sister is Smith's wife. The farmer isn't married . He has a lot of good hens. Miller always buys eggs from the farmer. The policeman sees Smith every day because they are neighbors . | middle2455.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Shy."
},
"options": [
"Shy.",
"Lonely.",
"Unhealthy.",
"Outgoing."
],
"question": "What's the matter with the girl?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
... | Dear editor,
I am 14. I am really outgoing when I am with my family at home, but I almost never talk at school. I really want to get over it, but I just don't know how. What should I do?
A shy girl Rachel
Dear Rachel,
The following ways may be able to help you out.
To begin with, you need to SMILE to others. If you are meeting someone and they look scared and angry, would you talk to them? Probably not. This may be how people feel about you. If you are smiling and if your eyes are saying that you're happy to see others, the conversation will be easier for you and them.
Next, do some volunteer work at school. Many shy kids don't do these because they always wonder if they can do very well. In fact, when you take part in activities that interest you, you'll find you can really do very well, and you will meet people with the same interests.
Start today one small step with one welcoming smile or one volunteer work and show the world inside you, and then you'll become a person who has interests and talents and self confidence. I believe that this is the person you want to be. Only you can make it happen. | middle4024.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because it is fashion."
},
"options": [
"Because it is fast.",
"Because it is safe.",
"Because it is fashion.",
"Because it is cheap."
],
"question": "Why do many people like to travel by plane?",
"question_... | Many people like to travel by plane, but I don't like it because the airport is usually far from the city. You have to get there early and wait for hours for the plane to take off. You can't open the windows. You can't choose the food. Planes are fast, but it still takes hours to get out of the airport and into the city.
I like travelling by train. I think trains are safe. Railway stations are usually good in cities. When you are late for a train, you can catch another one. You can walk around in the train and open the window. You can see many interesting things on your way, though it takes a little more time.
I also like cars. You can start your journey whenever you want to, and you don't need to get to a railway station or a bus stop. Also you can carry many things with you in a car. But sometimes there are too many cars on the road.
,. | middle4742.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "two turkeys in the movie Free Birds"
},
"options": [
"two people",
"two turkeys in the movie Free Birds",
"two chicken",
"two students"
],
"question": "Reggie and Jake are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | What would turkeys do if they could think like us? Maybe the first thing is to run away from our dinner!
That's the idea of Reggie and Jake. They are two turkeys in the new movie Free Birds (<<>> ).
On Thanksgiving Day, people in the United States eat turkeys. But why? Reggie and Jake want a change.
In a time machine, they go back to the first Thanksgiving in 1621.
Reggie liked to be alone . But this time, he learns to become part of a team to make a big change. | middle6155.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the doorbellring"
},
"options": [
"somebodysing",
"the doorbellring",
"thetelephonering",
"somebodyknockatthewindow"
],
"question": "Mr.Whitewastryingtogotosleepwhenheheard _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_qu... | Mr. White was in bed and was trying to go to sleep when he heard the doorbell ring. He turned on the light and looked at the clock. It was half past twelve. "Who can be it at this time of night?" he wondered. He decided to go and find out. So he got out of bed, put on his jacket and went to the door. When he opened the door, there was nobody there. "That's very strange," he thought. Then he went back to his bedroom, took off his jacket, got back into bed, turned off the light and tried to go to sleep.
A few minutes later he heard the doorbell ring again. Mr. White jumped out of the bed very quickly and rushed to the door. He opened it, but again he found no one there. He closed the door and tried not to feel too nervous. Then he saw a piece of paper on the floor inside the door. He picked it up. There were some words on it: "Now it's after midnight, so it's April 1st. Happy April Fool's Day!"
"Oh, it was the funny boy next door!" Mr. White smiled.
,. | middle6141.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "eat chocolate"
},
"options": [
"eat chocolate",
"read books",
"collect coins",
"eat fruit"
],
"question": "Camilla liked to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Camilla Chomp was a strange little girl. She liked to spend her time alone eating chocolate. Her parents were worried, so they took all the chocolate away.
Camilla left her house to look for some chocolate. She found a small house full of bottles. Among the bottles, a blue bottle caught Camilla's eyes. It was full of chocolate. In the bottle there was also a card with the words "Change tears into chocolate."
Camilla was very excited. She ran out of the house with the bottle to look for someone crying. First, she met a little boy crying hard and collected his tears. The tears were quickly changed into chocolate. While Camilla was collecting the tears, she comforted the boy. Finally, the boy stopped crying and they had a good time together.
Later, Camilla met a woman and an old man crying. The woman had broken some bowls. And the old man's dog had just died. Camilla collected their tears and made them happy again.
Soon, Camilla knew that making people happy was much more important than finding chocolate. So she stopped collecting tears and began to help sad people. As a result, she had many friends and had a happy life. | middle3039.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "wanted to sell the trousers"
},
"options": [
"wanted to steal the trousers",
"wanted to sell the trousers",
"wanted to fool him",
"wanted to buy the trousers"
],
"question": "At first, the owner thought that Tom... | Tom walked into a shop. It had a sign outside: " Second-hand clothes bought and sold. " He was carrying an old pair of trousers and asked the owner of the shop, " How much will you give me for these? " The owner looked at them and said " Two dollars. "
" What? " Tom said, " I had guessed they were worth at least five dollars. "
" No. " said the owner, " They weren't worth a cent more than two dollars."
"Well," said Tom, taking two dollars out of his pocket. " Here is your money. These trousers were hanging outside your shop. The list price was six dollars and a half. But I thought that was too much money, so I wanted to find out how much they were really worth."
Then he walked out of the shop with the pair of trousers and disappeared before the owner could think of anything to say. | middle5448.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he would rather not spend money on another pair"
},
"options": [
"they were a precious gift given by his friends",
"they were bought at a high price in a big store",
"he could not find other gloves as good as this pair",
... | Old George selected his food in the supermarket more carefully than NASA chose its astronauts. When he left the cashier, he was pleased to think that he had saved 80 cents today.
At the exit, the cold wind made him think of his gloves. He looked for them in his coat and pants but could not find them anywhere. He had bought the black gloves at a good price, for just $35, years ago. They were soft and very comfortable. He had taken great care looking after them, so they were _ .
George, calm on the outside but mad on the inside, re-entered the store. He followed the same route he had walked before. Several minutes of searching turned out to be in vain . His black gloves were gone. "People have changed," he said to himself. "Years ago, if somebody picked up something lost, they would give it back. Not any more!"
He stared at anybody wearing black gloves to see if they looked like his. On his way to the dairy section, he noticed a lady wearing a pair of black gloves. He sped up and in three seconds was in front of her. But when the surprised woman looked over, his eyes dropped, for her gloves were just far too small to be his. He went over to the cashier to ask if she had received any lost gloves, but she said no. He finally walked out into the street.
A few days later, poor George decided to buy another leather pair. Before getting on the subway, he stepped into the supermarket again to see if by any chance his gloves had been returned to the lost and found office. "What color are they?" the woman in the office asked. "Black," he gave the same answer. She looked into her drawer and drew out a pair of men's leather gloves. "Are they?"
"Yes! Those are mine," George exclaimed, his eyes full of joy. | middle2327.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It gets easier."
},
"options": [
"People who are in different parts can understand each other easier.",
"People who are in different parts can understand each other harder.",
"It gets harder .",
"It gets easier."
],... | Now people who are in different parts of the world communicate easier than before. But it is a little hard to understand each other well. Some of them may not understand others' words, so it's easy to make a few mistakes.
For example, an important question about eating out, is who pays for the meal. If a friend of yours suggests you have lunch with him, you might simply say something like this, "I'm afraid it will have to be some place inexpensive, as I have very little money." The other person might say, "OK. I will meet you at McDonald's." This means it is agreed that the two will go Dutch, that is, each person pays for himself. He might also say, "Oh, no. I want to take you to lunch at Johnson's", or " I want you to try the steak there. It is great." This means that the person intends to pay the bill for both of you. If you feel friendly towards this person, there is no reason why you shouldn't accept this invitation. You might simply say, "Thank you. That would be very nice."
,. | middle3987.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "was about to go to bed"
},
"options": [
"was tapping the window",
"was watching a flash of lighting",
"was about to go to bed",
"was watching TV"
],
"question": "The writer _ when a face appeared at the wind... | It was a dark and stormy night. I was about to go to bed when I heard a tapping sound on my window. "Who's there?" I shouted. Suddenly there was a flash of lighting; I saw a face at the window. It looked like an alien that I have seen on the television show.
I felt very scared. I ran to my bed and pulled my blanket over my head. I started to shout for my parents but there was no reply. Then I remembered that they were at a dress party.
After a while my head showed up out of my blanket but it was too dark to see anything. Then I heard footsteps. They were getting louder and louder. It was dark but I knew the way to drawer where I kept my camera. I ran there and took out my camera and started to take pictures in the direction of the window. Soon the footsteps _ , maybe because of my taking picture.
The grandfather clock struck...It was 12 midnight. I went back to my bed and tried to sleep. But I couldn't sleep. I felt too frightened. I sat up; my mind was full of thoughts. Time passed, one o'clock, two o'clock, ... Finally, I fell asleep.
I woke up only after eight and decided to find out the truth. I found some footprints outside my bedroom window. I measured them with a tape and found them to be exactly the same size as my father's shoes. The footprints ended at the door of my house. I then went to town to get the film developed . But when I saw the photos, they were black and I could hardly see anything. Then I remembered that I did not use the flash.
When I reached home, I told my father the whole matter and he started to laugh. I also started laughing when he told me that he had dressed up as an alien for the party. | middle4030.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In a restaurant."
},
"options": [
"In the street.",
"In a restaurant.",
"In a hotel",
"In a kitchen."
],
"question": "Where did the story happen?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | One Saturday evening, my husband and I went to have dinner at a restaurant. As we sat there eating and sharing conversation, I watched an old woman stop and look around. I looked over at my husband and said, "She must be lost."
I got up and caught up with her as she walked by our table and touched her lightly on the shoulder. "Ma'am, are you having trouble finding who you are dining with?" I asked.
She said yes. She was there with her daughter. I asked if her daughter was the only person she was there with, and she replied yes. "If you stay right here, I will find her and come back and take you to her--to save you some steps," I offered. She looked at me and said, "But you don't know who I am here with."
She was right. I explained that her daughter should be easy to find, because I thought she would be the only lady sitting by herself in the whole restaurant. She agreed...but just then a young man stopped me and asked, "Is she looking for her seat? They're sitting at a table right across from us."
I told him that she was and thanked him. I watched as they walked off together and kept my eyes on the old woman to make sure that she could see her daughter and all was well. I couldn't help but think that it must not be much different from being lost as a child. I wondered if I too would accept the help from strangers when I was as old as the lost woman. | middle7539.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "pay for using plastic bags at shops and supermarkets"
},
"options": [
"throw plastic bags here and there",
"collect plastic bags in the street",
"pay for using plastic bags at shops and supermarkets",
"use free plastic ... | Do you still get free plastic bags from the supermarkets? Things have changed.
China has banned free plastic bags in shops and supermarkets,and people have to pay for using plastic bags. The rule started on June 1st. It came because our country tried to make less litter. Making super-thin plastic bags has also been banned.
The Chinese once used about 3,000,000,000 plastic shopping bags a day,and they have caused pollution of the environment. The bags have become a main cause of plastic pollution because they are easy to break and people throw them away here and there. So the Chinese people are encouraged to bring their own bags for shop ping.
What kind of shopping bag is the best to bring? Some students in Chongqing have a good idea. They make their own shopping bags. They use old clothes to make cloth bags,and send them to their parents as presents. They also ask their parents and friends to use cloth bags instead of plastic ones. They think it is their duty to protect the environment.
,. | middle2469.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "of medium height"
},
"options": [
"tall",
"of medium build",
"short",
"of medium height"
],
"question": "The girl is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | There is a shy girl in our class.She is thirteen years old.She is not tall and she is not short.She is a little fat.Her face is round,like an apple.She has two big black eyes and a small nose.Her mouth is big,but her ears are small.Her hair is short and black.She likes red.But today she is wearing a yellow sweater,blue jeans and white shoes.She dislikes getting up early,so she is usually late for school.She doesn't like to talk to others.She likes little animals.She has a little black dog.She and the dog are good friends. | middle5306.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She can't stand up"
},
"options": [
"She can't speak.",
"She can't stand up",
"She has to stay in bed every day.",
"She can't walk because of a traffic accident."
],
"question": "What problem does Lisa have?",
... | A group of fifteen-year-old students at Sunshine School are holding a charity sale to raise money to help their classmate Lisa. Lisa had cerebral palsy when she was a baby. People who have cerebral palsy have trouble walking. Although Lisa has to use a wheelchair to help her get around, she never gives up. And she is always ready to help others.
"Lisa has the chance of standing up, but she needs an operation which will cost lots of money." Lisa's doctor said.
"I never thought that I could stand up one day. Actually the news is surprising for me. However, when I see my parents are worried about the cost of the operation, I am sad. I am used to my life. I don't mind if I can't stand up." Lisa said. "Now my classmates and some other kind people are helping me. I am really thankful. If I stood up one day, I could try my best to help more people."
"While helping Lisa, we can also learn a lot. We have learned how to cook cookies and how to sell them," Betty, one of Lisa's classmates said. "Now we know making money is not easy, so we won't waste money anymore."
Alex, a boy in Lisa's class, told a reporter that they could raise about $100 every day. "We have raised about $2,100 so far. We hope we will raise more money for Lisa's operation." he said. | middle4018.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "2008"
},
"options": [
"2007",
"2008",
"2012",
"2010"
],
"question": "Beijing hosted the 29th Olympics in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"a... | Every four years, the greatest athletes from all over the world get together in one city to take part in the world sports meeting--the Olympic Games. The holy flame is carried from one place to the next. In 2008, the holy flame was carried to Beijing, the capital of China.
When Beijing was chosen as the host city to hold the Olympic Games in 2008, all the Chinese people were very happy, excited and proud. They showed their excitement in different ways when they heard the news. Some people cheered, jumped and shouted.
In Beijing we built a new Olympic village with hotels for athletes and stadiums for matches.
"One World, One Dream" is our slogan for the 29th Olympics. It expresses the wishes of 1.3 billion Chinese people for a peaceful and better world tomorrow. | middle3777.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Smiling is useful."
},
"options": [
"Smiling is difficult.",
"Smiling is not easy.",
"Smiling is useful.",
"We can't smile every day."
],
"question": "Which of the following is TRUE?",
"question_type": null
... | Smile, how warm the world is! It can make anyone happy. It's not like anything else, but just warm, makes you feel warm.
Mother's smile is like a spring wind. It's so _ When you are sad, it can make you happy again. When you fail to do something, it can make you stand up and work hard again. When you give up doing something, it can make you try your best again.
Smile, so easy, but so useful as well. Let's learn to smile. Everyone needs others' smile. When we give others a smile, we will feel happy, too. And maybe next time, when you need a smile, the others will give it to you.
Let's learn to smile often, I think it can even make the whole world warm. Living with a smile, _ . | middle7511.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "feet"
},
"options": [
"words",
"eyes",
"feet",
"smile"
],
"question": "The disabled man knew people were impatient mostly by their _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"... | He was struggling to tie his shoes. I was struggling with whether I should help him.
I did, and he was grateful.
"Thank you," he said.
"I'm glad I could help. I just thought it would be easier for me to reach," I said.
He was a disabled man, and forced to look down most of the time. His arms and legs were twisted terribly, and he couldn't do what the rest of us would consider easy tasks. He always managed to look up to see how you reacted to his words, however. He had a big smile, making me feel comfortable.
I was still on my knees by his wheelchair.
" Nice shoes," he said.
"Thanks. No one ever complimented me on them before," I said.
"No one has the same view of the world as I do," he replied.
"Tell me about the world as you see it," I said smiling.
"Most people can see if someone is comfortable with them or not in their eyes. I see it in their feet." he said. "If people keep moving their feet, I just let them go, because I know they're impatient with me. I don't want to make people uncomfortable.
"What about me? I asked.
"I could see your _ And then you came down to my level. I was the one who was nervous." he said. "I don't normally have someone look me in the eye."
"They don't know what they're missing," I told him.
"My old face is nothing to brag about." he said.
"But that smile is so big."
Yes, and it's not only a big smile but an attitude. | middle1606.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The winter break in the UK is not long."
},
"options": [
"The winter break in the UK is not long.",
"The winter break in the UK is a time for sleep.",
"Students work hard in the winter break.",
"Students are prepa... | It's still the holiday season and students in the UK are enjoying their winter break .
Tiffany in Guangdong asks us about how British students spend their winter break.
For some, it's a time to study because they have exams next term. Some might have to study. They have to read some books. They use the winter break to catch up with their reading. But some students can Let their hair down and celebrate Christmas and New Year with a few drinks.
This holiday is also an important time to chat with the family and maybe get some sleep too. Some lucky students are going away on holiday but it won't be long. | middle392.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Green."
},
"options": [
"Tom.",
"Green.",
"Tom Green.",
"Green Tom."
],
"question": "What' s Tom's last name?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"a... | Hello! I'm Tom Green. I'm English. This is my mother. Her first name is Mary. This is my father. His first name is Steve. My phone number is seven six zero, nine one seven six. Li Lei is my friend. His English name is Paul. He is Chinese. His phone number is two eight one, five two four eight. Look at the photo. Who is that in the photo? It' s my cousin. His name is Eric. He is a middle school student. | middle6169.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he would get the result of the programme he was waiting for"
},
"options": [
"he was allowed to watch TV this morning",
"he was dressed more carefully than before",
"he would go shopping with his mother this morning",
"... | On Saturday Patrick woke up with a little shock, knowing that this was a special day. For a moment he couldn't think exactly why, and then, with an excited flutter of his stomach, he remembered. At ten o'clock today he was going to find out the final result of the programme called Super Brain. He got dressed more carefully than usual, went downstairs and turned on the TV. Quickly he switched channels. Cartoons, cartoons, advertisements, man talking, snow, snow... and still nothing at all on Channel 8.
"Patrick, turn it off, darling, if you're going to watch." Judith walked past with the newspaper under her arm and her eyes half closed. She headed for the kitchen. Patrick turned off the TV and followed.
"What's for breakfast, Mum?"
"We will see," Judith said in a low voice, turning on the electric kettle . She looked sleepily at him and smiled. "You look nice, darling," She said. "You're all ready. But we can't go till eight-thirty at the earliest, you know. Nothing will be open till then."
Patrick's stomach seemed to feel a little sick. "We aren't going out, are we?" He asked. Judith began to make the tea. "Don't say you've forgotten!" she said, "I promised you, last Saturday. Your new trainers, remember?"
"Oh--oh, but I can't go out this morning, Mum. There's something I've got to watch on TV. At ten o'clock. I've got to! My trainers will be all right for another week." Patrick said with excitement, looking quite worried.
Judith faced him, hands on hips, "Patrick," she said with great dislike, "it's all organized." | middle7277.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Nora and Kate."
},
"options": [
"Nora and Kate.",
"Nora and Betty.",
"Betty and Kate.",
"Nora, Betty and Kate."
],
"question": "Who are sisters? _",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | Nora is an American girl. She studies in a middle school. She has a little sister. Her name is Kate. Kate is only four. Nora likes Kate very much.
Today is Sunday. Nora wants her pen. She takes out her pencil case. "Oh, dear! Where's my pen?" She can't find her pen. She goes to ask her sister in her bedroom.
"Kate! I can't find my pen. Can you see......Oh, what are you doing with my pen?"
"I'm writing to my friend, Betty." Kate answers. "But how can you? You don't know what to write."."It doesn't matter . Betty can't read." Kate says. | middle8144.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Twenty years ago."
},
"options": [
"Thirteen years ago.",
"Twenty years ago.",
"Thirty years ago.",
"Before 1994."
],
"question": "When did the story take place?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer"... | Not everyone has a chance to be a detective , but I got one when I was 13 years old. It happened in 1994.
One afternoon, I was walking down the street when I saw my father's new car. I expected to see my father in the driver's seat. But to my surprise, I saw a young woman driving instead, "She has stolen my father's car," I thought. So I quickly stopped a taxi and got in. I said to the driver, "Follow that new car in front," I told him why.
The taxi driver had a car phone, so I asked him to call the police. Soon we heard the sound of a police car. The police told the woman to stop the car using a loudspeaker. The taxi came to a stop, too. I got out right then and said to the woman, "This is not your car. It's my father's car."
The woman smiled and said, "Oh. You're Mr. Johnson's son, right? I've seen your photo in your father's office."
Before I could say one word, the woman explained that she was my father's new assistant . My father had asked her to take his computer to the shop to have it repaired. He lent her his car. After hearing this, I called my father and he told us what the woman said was right. The police and the taxi driver laughed. I felt very sorry. It was both the first time and the last time I worked as a detective. | middle3011.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Life is limited but love is forever."
},
"options": [
"The writer's parents had both died before he was50.",
"Life is limited but love is forever.",
"The writer regretted that he had no more time to stay with his parents.",
... | In the days following the first anniversary of my dad 's death, I felt sad. I still missed him so much. I would walk over to his old house where my daughter now live and still expect to see him sitting out on his front porch . I would see him in my dreams, looking young and strong again.
I felt bad too because I regretted not spending more time with him while he was here. I wished I had visited him more, talked with him more, and listened to him more. I wished I had asked the questions that I never did. I wished I had given him more hugs and told him I loved him more often. I wished I had cherished the time I had with him here. I was angry at the destiny because Dad and Mum had both passed away before I was 50, and I was angry with myself because I hadn't made the most of time I had with them.
Today, I found myself walking under a cloudy sky, staring at the leafless trees. As I walked along, one of the last golden maple leaves fell from its tree and sailed in the wind until it landed in front of me. I picked it up and smiled. At the moment of peace I felt a sound in my heart and mind: "death is momentary , but love is eternal ." I knew at that moment that my relationships with Mum and Dad were not over. We would see each other again in a place of love, joy and light. We would spend our days in learning, laughter and love. | middle5460.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a bee"
},
"options": [
"a bee",
"a hornet",
"a butterfly",
"an insect"
],
"question": "When Mrs. King spends her weekend cleaning the house, we can say she is as busy as _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | There are many American expressions about insects like bees, for example. Bees are known as very hard workers. They always appear to be busy, moving around their homes or hives. So you might say you were "as busy as a bee" if you spent your weekend cleaning your house .
Here is an expression about bees that is not used much any more, but we like it anyway. We think it was first used in the nineteen twenties. If something was the best of its kind, you might say it was "the bee's knees". Now, we admit that we do not know how this expression developed. In fact, we do not even know if bees have knees!.
Hornets are bee-like insects that sometimes attack people. If you are really angry, you might say you are"mad as a hornet".And if you "stir up a hornet's nest", you create trouble or problems.
Butterflies are beautiful insects, but you would not want to "have butterflies in the stomach". That means to be nervous about having to do something, like speaking in front of a crowd. And do you know any expressions about ants? | middle5474.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Not everyone."
},
"options": [
"Everyone.",
"All people.",
"Nobody.",
"Not everyone."
],
"question": "Who likes living in big cities?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | New York,London,Paris and other big cities are exciting places to live in. There are many interesting things to see and to go to. You can go to different kinds of museums,plays and films. You can also buy things from all over the world.
But there are some problems in big cities too. It is expensive to live there and there are too many people in some places of big cities. Every year many people move to the cities to find jobs,to study at good schools.
But sometimes these people can't find work or a good place to live in. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean.
Some people enjoy living in big cities,others do not. Before moving to a big city,they should think about the problem of living there. | middle386.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Six"
},
"options": [
"Five",
"Eight",
"Six",
"Seven"
],
"question": "How many pieces of advice are given by the doctors in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": ... | If you go to a fast food restaurant, you will probably see a lot of teenagers. Today, many teenagers are overweight, and this is because of their bad eating habits. Most teenagers are fond of food with a lot of fat, oil, salt and sugar. People call this kind of food "junk food".
But bad eating habits go beyond fast food. We find many teenagers eat unhealthily. Some don't have breakfast before they go to school. During the day, some don't have a proper meal for lunch. In a recent survey at one school, scientists found that over two thirds of the students didn't follow a healthy diet. They didn't like vegetables, and many of them didn't like to eat fruits. They preferred to eat food with a lot of salt, sugar, or fat.
Parents today also worry about their children's diet. Some doctors give the following advice:
Teenagers shouldn't eat too much junk food.
Teenagers shouldn't eat food with too much salt. Salt can cause high blood pressure in the future.
Teenagers should eat food without much fat, oil and sugar.
Teenagers need to eat some fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and have little fat.
Teenagers need to drink more milk. Milk will help their bones grow.
Teenagers need to eat breakfast every day. It is good for their body and mind. | middle1612.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A magic mirror."
},
"options": [
"A magic mirror.",
"A normal mirror.",
"A small mirror.",
"A magic book."
],
"question": "What did the rich boy buy one day?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | One day a rich boy bought a magic mirror . When he got home, he looked in the mirror. His face looked sad. He tried to smile and make funny faces, his face looked still sad. Then he did many happy things, but his face always looked sad. "Oh, what a terrible mirror! It doesn't work! " he said angrily. The next day on his way to buy some chocolate, he saw a little girl crying sadly. The rich boy went up to her and asked what happened. The little girl said she couldn't find her parents.
"Don't worry. I'll help you," the rich boy said. So they went to look for them together. Finally they found her parents. They were so thankful for his help. After the rich boy arrived home, he looked in the mirror as usual. To his surprise, his face looked very happy. The boy understood the magic of the mirror. The mirror could show the true feelings of its owner. This was true--the rich boy helped that little girl, so he felt really happy.
, . | middle7263.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "By bus."
},
"options": [
"By train.",
"By bus.",
"On foot.",
"By taxi."
],
"question": "How does the author usually go to the zoo?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | There's a big zoo in our city. It's about five kilometres away from my house. I like all kinds of animals. I often go to the zoo by bus on Sundays. In the zoo, I can see many different kinds of animals, such as monkeys, bears, pandas, tigers, lions and dolphins. Some animals are friendly, but some are not. Tigers, lions and bears are dangerous, so they have to stay in cages. But I don't think it's good for animals to stay in cages. They are not happy. They should be free.
Tigers and lions usually live in forests. They can run very fast there. They catch and eat small animals like deer and rabbits. But now in the zoo, they live in small rooms. They walk round and round in the cages, and they want to get out. I feel sorry for them.
Of all the animals I like dolphins best. The most interesting animals in the zoo that I like are dolphins. I like watching them swim and jump. They swim fast and they jump very high. They are very clever. They can play with balls. They are very friendly to people. If you fall into the water and can't swim, they may come to help you. | middle8150.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Maine."
},
"options": [
"Florida.",
"Maine.",
"Boston.",
"Washington."
],
"question": "Where did Mr Green want to go that weekend?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | Mr and Mrs Green had different ideas about where to go that weekend.Mrs Green wanted to go to Florida to see her sister,but Mr Green didn't want to go there.He wanted to go to Maine."Maine is a little cold,"said Mrs Green."I like swimming,but the water in Maine is usually not warm enough."
"Florida's too far,"said Mr Green."We don't have enough time to drive there.It'll take us more than two days."
Just then,the phone rang.Mr Green answered the phone.It was Mr Green's mother."Is that Jim?Please come in the shortest time.I need help.I'm calling from the hospital in Boston."
They stopped their talking and in no time they both went there. | middle5312.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Uncle Wang's sons"
},
"options": [
"Uncle Wang's sons",
"students",
"teachers",
"friends"
],
"question": "Wang Lei and Wang Fei are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Uncle Wang is fifty. He has two sons, Wang Lei and Wang Fei. They are twins. They are twenty -two. Wang Lei likes making things. He makes many different things. Today he's making a machine. He wants to ride the machine like a bike and fly it like a plane. Wang Fei doesn't like making things at all. He likes reading and watching TV very much. He plays table tennis on Saturdays and Sundays. Wang Lei and Wang Fei like playing football a lot. Uncle Wang likes his two sons very much. They love each other, too. | middle3763.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a middle school student"
},
"options": [
"a primary school teacher",
"a primary school student",
"a middle school student",
"a middle school teacher"
],
"question": "From the story we know that the writer was mo... | One day, when I arrived at school, an ice cream truck was parked in the schoolyard. Ice cream men usually drove their trucks to primary schools. I had never thought one ice cream truck would come to bring ice cream to us older kids. When I went up to the truck, I was quite surprised to hear the man call out, "Free ice cream!" To make sure of his words, I asked, "I'm sorry, what did you say?" "Free ice cream. Choose whichever you like." he said, smiling.
After I was certain that the man was just giving away the ice cream, I talked with him for a long time. He told me that his dream had always been to travel around giving away ice cream, and that's what he was now doing. With his mother's support, he kept doing what he loved even during hard times. Now, however, some large companies are helping him his plan.
The man said he wanted to encourage people to do exactly what their heart told them to do with their lives. I kept asking him, "So your dream was just to drive around and give away ice cream? It seems like a very unusual goal." "Yes, just meeting people and making them smile," he replied. At that point he handed me my ice cream. I thanked him, but what I got from him was much more than just an ice cream. It can't easily be explained in words. I believe what he is doing is exactly what a great person does all the time: small acts of big love. | middle3788.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "2."
},
"options": [
"3.",
"2.",
"1",
"None."
],
"question": "How many reasons are given why people might get fat without enough sleep?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0... | Do you get enough sleep? With so much homework it's often difficult to get the rest you need. But you need to try, because sleep keeps you healthy and it stops you getting fat.
Recently, a group of US scientists did a study of kids aged between 8 and 13. The study found that if kids sleep for just one extra hour each day, the chance of their getting fat is cut by about 30 percent .
Why? When people don't get enough sleep, they become tired. When they are tired, they don't exercise enough. Also, kids like snacks: If they are awake an extra hour or two each day,they have more time to eat snacks or other unhealthy foods.
So, how much sleep should you get? Scientists suggest 10 to 11 hours a night for kids aged 5 to 12. For older kids, _ . | middle2496.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in the hotel"
},
"options": [
"in his car",
"in the old man's house",
"in the hotel",
"in the street"
],
"question": "Tim wants to stay _ for the night.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | One evening Tim is driving his car in the country and looking for a hotel. Then he sees an old man on the side of the road, so he stops his car and says to the old man, "Where is Sun Hotel? Will you please tell me how to get there?" "Yes," the old man answers. "I'll show you the way." He gets into Tim's car, and they drive for about 12 kilometres. When they come to a small house, the old man says, "Stop here." Tim stops and looks at the house. And he says to the old man, "But this isn't a hotel." "No," the old man answers. "This is my house. And now I'll show you the way to Sun Hotel. Turn back and go 9 kilometres. Then you'll see the hotel on your left. " | middle3950.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a science magazine"
},
"options": [
"a science magazine",
"a comic book",
"a sports newspaper",
"a story book"
],
"question": "You may find the passage in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{... | Everyone has two personalities -- one is showed to the world and the other is secret and real. You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control yourself, but when you're asleep, your sleeping _ shows the real you. And the important position that best shows your secret personality is when you go to sleep.
If you go to sleep on your back, you're a very open person. You usually believe people and you are easily influenced by new ideas. You don't like to make people unhappy, so you never show your real feelings. You're quite shy and you aren't very confident .
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a person who likes to keep secrets. You worry a lot and you're always easy to be sad. You never want to change your ideas, and you are pleased with your life. You usually live for today not for tomorrow.
If you sleep on curled up ,you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and often don't want to be hurt, so you are very defensive . You're shy and you don't like meeting people. You like to be alone.
If you sleep on your side, you usually have a well-balanced personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You're usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel worried, but you don't often get unhappy. You always say out what you think, even if it sometimes makes people angry. | middle6828.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "London"
},
"options": [
"London",
"Pairs",
"New York",
"Beijing"
],
"question": "A wife and a husband went to visit a shop in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | One weekend, a wife and a husband went to visit a shop in London. After they got back home, they couldn't find their camera. They thought the camera must be in the shop. After a few weeks,they went to that shop again and the boss gave their camera back to them.
When their picture of the camera came out, the husband saw two pictures he did not take. One isa man standing at the door of the shop. In his hand there is a piece of paper with some words onit "I find your camera". The other is a boy with a piece of paper in his hand. There are somewords on the paper too, "I take the pictures." | middle7288.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She is reading a book."
},
"options": [
"She is playing football.",
"She is singing songs.",
"She is reading a book.",
"She is listening to stories."
],
"question": "What is Lucy doing in the park?",
"questi... | It's Sunday today. Students are having good time in the park.
Look, there is a table under a big tree, three students are sitting there. Lucy is reading a book, she looks very happy. Next to her is another girl, she's Mary. She is eating apples with her friend Jean. They think the apples are very delicious. Other girls are drawing pictures there.In the middle of the park, there is a playground. There are four boys, they are playing basketball. Lisa is watching them, and singing beautiful songs.
Near the lake, Mr. Li is telling interesting stories for other students, they are so happy and relaxing. | middle6196.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "340,000"
},
"options": [
"300",
"40,000",
"340,000",
"103"
],
"question": "How many adults were included in the survey?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3... | Are people less happy or happier when they get older? If your answer is"happier", then you are right,based on a study published seven years ago.It found that people become happier and experience less worry after age fifty.In fact,it found that by the age of eighty-five,people are happier with their life than they were at eighteen.
The finding came from a Gallup survey of more than three hundred and forty thousand adults in the United States in 2008.At that time,people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five.
Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study.His team found that levels of stress were the highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five.Stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties.
Levels of happiness were the highest among the kids and those in their early seventies.
The survey also found that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older.However, women at all ages reported more sadness,stress and worry than men did.
So why would happiness increase with age? One theory is that,as people get older, they become more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions.They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences. | middle4959.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "use the Internet"
},
"options": [
"look up in a book",
"ask friends",
"use the Internet",
"go to teachers for help"
],
"question": "When people want to check a fact, probably they will _ .",
"question_type... | You can't remember who sings a certain song from the 90s. You Google it. You're arguing with a friend about who played Mickey in The Goonies. You solve the problem by Googling it. You don't know the way to that new restaurant. You Google Maps it.
We hold the answers to about all of life's questions in our hands today. But that means our brains are feeling free to take some rest. According to the Daily Mail, our growing reliance on the Internet for fact checking is making our memories worse.
Scientists at Harvard University found people now regard Google and other search engines as an outside part of their own brains, rather than a tool. Writing in the Journal Scientific American, Harvard psychologists Daniel Wegner and Adrian Ward warn that people who believe their memorable facts that are saved online are much worse at remembering them.
"The Internet is also unlike a human memory partner; it knows more and can produce the information more quickly, You can find almost all information today easily through a quick Internet search. It may be that the Internet is taking the place of people's memory."
In a series of tests, researchers found it was easy for people to remember information well if they believed it would be deleted.
Those who thought it was stored on a computer were more forgetful, even if they were asked to keep the information in mind. | middle4781.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "On April 28."
},
"options": [
"On February 28.",
"On March 28.",
"On April 28.",
"On May 28."
],
"question": "When is 'Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day' all over the USA?",
"question_type": "factiod_q... | This Thursday, across the USA, kids are skipping school and going to work with their parents. They'll be making copies, sending faxes and sweeping floors. This is because April 28 is Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day all over the USA. This holiday shows kids what it means to be a grown-up in the working world.
I still remember when this day started, I was very happy. Not only did I have the chance to miss school, but I also got to sit in my dad's taxi all day long and we would go to a restaurant for lunch.
But after only 20 minutes of driving around the city, I was very bored. couldn't read my book in the car as I would get carsick and my dad didn't like to turn on the radio. I got hot and uncomfortable. People wouldn't get into his taxi because they thought he already had a passenger-me, so nothing happened. It seemed years before we went out for lunch. I actually started to miss school.
While the point of the day is to give kids a chance to experience real-life jobs and give them an idea of the possibilities for their futures, I got something completely different from the day. I learned to appreciate school. Where else do you get to play with your friends, do science experiments, read great books and write stories all in one day?
Just as you'll have to learn to love your job later in life, learn to love school now. If you don't already, try spending the day at work with your dad. | middle4795.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "work hard every day in the year"
},
"options": [
"work hard every day in the year",
"study hard a few days before the exam",
"get up early a few days before the exam",
"keep doing your homework day and night"
],
... | A good way to pass an exam is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in an exam if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the exam.
Do not remember only grammar when you are learning English. Try to read stories in English and speak in English as often as you can. A few days before the exam you should go to bed early. Do not study late at night. Before you start the exam, read carefully over the exam paper. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have finished your exam, read your answers again. Correct the mistakes if there are any and make sure you have not missed anything out. | middle1835.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Almost everywhere."
},
"options": [
"In the big city.",
"In the town.",
"In the country.",
"Almost everywhere."
],
"question": "Where can you see bicycles in China?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
}... | Bicycles are very popular in China. In our country you can see bicycles almost everywhere. When you walk on the road, you will find a lot of people riding bicycles to school, shops and anywhere else. Therefore , China is known as "the kingdom of bicycles". In China, many families have one or two bicycles.
Compared(......) with cars, bicycles have many advantages. First, they are much cheaper than cars. Most Chinese can't afford cars, but they can afford bicycles. Second, bicycles are small enough to park anywhere, while cars need a larger piece of land to park. What's more, with lower speed, bicycles are safer than cars.
However, bicycles also bring some problems. Some riders don't obey the traffic rules and some riders don't think about others' safety. So they ride too fast. During rush hours, too many bicycles may cause traffic jams. _ | middle6182.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "both A and B"
},
"options": [
"wanted to show the size and speed of the coming locusts",
"wanted to show the great damage that locusts may cause",
"wanted that locusts could cover the continent like rain clouds",
"both... | Parts of Africa are covered by a dark cloud. But this is no rain cloud. It is a living cloud made of billions of locusts and they are eating everything in their path.
And now in order to fight against this disaster, a radio station in Senegal, West Africa, is offering listeners 5 kilograms of rice if they can catch and kill 50 kilograms of locusts. "We think this idea will get more people to take part in the fight against the locusts," said Abdoulaye Ba, from Sud-Fm, a radio station in one of Senegal's worst affected area.
This is West Africa's biggest locust disaster in 15 years. Now it is moving east and it leads to the loss of crops. When they move, they have babies, so their number is getting bigger. and will soon threaten Sudan in the northeast of Africa. Some say it may reach Asia.
Experts say many people in the areas will go hungry because of this disaster. What's worse, governments in the areas don't have enough things to fight the locusts.
Although leaders of 12 countries have agreed on a plan, it is not enough. 'We are now treating 6,000 hectares per day with pesticide , but we need to treat 20,000 hectares per day in order to have any hope of controlling this disaster,' said Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Babah, leader of locust control in Mauritania. | middle2482.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a theatre."
},
"options": [
"a theatre.",
"a restaurant.",
"a newspaper.",
"a performance."
],
"question": "According to the reading, what might \"The Kitchen\"be _ ?",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Karen Finley was born in the U.S. in 1956. When she was only fourteen, she became interested in performing. She graduated from a performing arts school in 1981 and then began to perform in theaters. In her performances, she showed people some of the problems in the world.
Karen's The Constant State of Desire was first performed at The Kitchen in New York City in 1986. In this performance she wanted people to notice some of the difficult experienced women have because of men. It soon because controversial . Many people did not feel comfortable with the performance. They thought that Karen hated men to much and was out of control. She was strongly criticized by the newspapers. But some other people thought differently and spoke for her. They said that they felt the experiences Karen showed in this performance were true to life.
Karen hoped that people would think about the sad stories that happen every day. She believed people would understand her and learn some lessons if they could "read"her performances more carefully. | middle3944.txt |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.