questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday and brings it to the classroom"
},
"options": [
"a party for children on their birthday",
"A mom cooks a bowl of noodles for her children on their birthday",
"A mom... | YOUR mom might cook a bowl of noodles for you on your birthday. But in the US, a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday.
Cupcakes are small, round cakes topped with frosting . It has been an American tradition that moms bring cupcakes to the classroom to celebrate their child's birthday.
But recently some doctors have called for this to be banned. They believe cupcakes contribute to child obesity.
Despite their good intentions, however, some people believe that experts are interfering with American culture. The cupcake is seen as American as apple pie -- only prettier.
According to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, the cupcake is the most democratic of desserts. As they are small enough for one person, you don't have to share your cupcake with anyone -- it's all yours. They are also all the same size, so there can't be any cries of "she got the bigger piece!"
Each bite can taste different depending on how much icing you have. It is a lesson in self-determination. Some people eat only a little of the frosting every time, others have it all in just one bite.
In recent years, eating a cupcake has become as _ as having a cup of Starbucks coffee.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokingly promised on a talk show that if she was elected president, she would give everyone a cupcake on her birthday.
Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, explains that the rise of the cupcake is very much about going back to American national identity in food, which is all about comfort. "People want to think about when they and their country were innocent," she said. | high6264.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A mysterious hole in a field."
},
"options": [
"A mysterious hole in a field.",
"Various explanations offered by experts.",
"A simple explanation given by a man.",
"The shape of the flying saucers."
],
"question... | There was great interest when a big hole mysteriously appeared in the middle of a field. Engineers were called in to explain how it had got there. They offered various explanations but were not at all sure how the hole had been caused, it was thought that a large bomb which came suddenly exploded, but it was not possible to prove this. A simple, but highly improbable explanation was offered by a man who declares to know well about "flying saucers"; the strange objects which are round in shape and are said to visit the earth from outer space. The man's explanation may have been nonsense , but at least it was imaginative. At any rate, it was far more interesting than the one given by the army.
After examining the ground carefully the man declared to have seen special marks on the soil quite near the hole, these, he said, could only have been caused by a flying saucer. Moreover the leaves on some bushes nearby had turned yellow because of a strange hot gas which had come from the saucer just before it landed. Even a small tree some way off appeared to have been burnt slightly. A small piece of metal found in the hole itself gave further proof that a strange object had been there. According to the man, it was quite clear that people from another world had been going around the earth trying to pick up information, when something had gone wrong. Because of this they had been forced to land in a field so that the damage could be repaired. The hole had been caused when the saucer struck the earth, while the strange marks nearby were made when it took off again. This, said the man, was the simplest explanation of how the hole had appeared. Judging from the interest the public took in the matter, there must be quite a few people who secretly believe or hope that this simple explanation is the true one. | high12352.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "She fears social occasions."
},
"options": [
"She is not getting along well with her parents.",
"She becomes nervous meeting people.",
"She always puts off dealing with her problems.",
"She fears social occasions."
... | Dear Alice,
My name is Lisa. I have social anxiety, disorder and was wondering how it would be possible to see someone for help without my parents knowing about it. I know that they'd be anything but supportive. They would think I'm ly out of my mind. The truth is, I've put off dealing with it, acting as if it'll just go away or that I'll outgrow it. But in reality, the older I'm getting, the worse I'm getting. I avoid as many social situations as I can. I completely panic when meeting new people, I only stay in classes that don't require any talking on my part. It seems the only place I'm actually happy is at home or with people that I've known all my life. Hope you can help!
Dear Lisa,
About 5 million Americans have some form of social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. While everyone experiences nervousness or fear in social situations to a certain extent, those with social anxiety disorder are weakened by their fear. They may have a constant, intense, and lasting fear of being watched and judged by others, or be terribly afraid of being embarrassed or laughed at by ways in which they behave. As you have described, this fear can prevent people with social anxiety disorder from doing everyday activities, such as going to school or work, and can become so much of a focus that they limit their socializing.
It's understandable that you are worried about how your parents might react to knowing what's been going on for you. Many people think that their families will blame them for how they're feeling or _ their concerns. Being honest with your parents, however, might help you to feel more at ease; it's possible that they've noticed your behavior and wondered about it, or even struggled with similar feelings themselves. There's even some evidence that anxiety disorders may be genetic or run in families --perhaps due to environmental factors and patterns expressed through interpersonal interactions. | high22291.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an unlucky day"
},
"options": [
"a lucky day",
"an unlucky day",
"a busy day",
"a good day"
],
"question": "Harry had _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Everybody has one of those days when everything goes wrong. This is what happened to Harry.
He got up one morning very late because he had forgotten to wind up his alarm clock . He tried to shave quickly and cut himself. When he got dressed he got blood all over his clean shirt, so he had to find another one. The only other shirt that was clean needed ironing , so he ironed it. While he was ironing it, there was a knock at the door. It was the man to read the electricity meter . He showed him where the meter was, said good-bye and found that the iron had burnt a hole in his shirt. So he had to wear the one with the blood on it after all. By this time it was very late, so he decided he couldn't go to work by bus. He telephoned for a taxi to take him to work. The taxi arrived and Harry got in and began to read the newspaper.
In another part of the town, a man had killed a woman with a knife and was seen to run away in a taxi. When Harry's taxi stopped outside his office, a policeman happened to be standing there. He saw the blood on Harry's shirt, and took him to the police station. He was kept till 3 o'clock in the afternoon before the police were sure that he was not the man they wanted. When he finally arrived at the office at about four, his boss took a look at him and told him to go away and find another job. | high4473.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "March 21"
},
"options": [
"March 12",
"March 19",
"March 31",
"March 21"
],
"question": "According to the passage,World Sleep Day falls on _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Sleep is like food for the brain. Enough sleep helps the body and the brain grow and develop. However,many Chinese do not sleep well,and many do not pay enough attention to sleep.
The Chinese Medical Doctor Association released the 2013 China Sleep Quality Index on March 19 to mark World Sleep Day---March 21.
According to the index,nearly a quarter of Chinese people don't sleep well.Half said that they feel tired after getting up and 15 percent people have trouble falling asleep.
Ye Jingying,a sleep expert at Beijing Tongren hospital,says:"If people often wake up during the night,or always feel weak and tired in the day,they should pay attention to their sleep pattern."
Many people play with their cell phones or i pads before sleeping.The report said that this is one of the main reasons for bad sleep.Other reasons include stress and bad moods.
How to sleep well? Above all,get enough sleep.Seven to nine hours of sleep every night is perfect for an adult,and eight to nine hours is best for a teenager.
Forming good sleep habits is important.The report suggested that people need to keep away from digital devices for at least an hour before sleep. The lights keep their brains excited for a long while.Other suggestions include:try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day,even on weekends and during holidays,and do the same relaxing things before bed each night,like listening to soft music. | high19207.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Why do large animals tend to dominate the upper canopy of the rain forest?"
},
"options": [
"How is the rain forest different from other habitats?",
"How does an animal's body size influence an animal's need for food?",
"Why ... | The canopy, the upper level of the trees in the rain forest, holds too much of climbing
mammals of moderately large size, which may include monkeys, cats, civets, and
porcupines. Smaller species, including such as nice and small squirrels, are not as common
overall in high tropical canopies as they are in most habitats globally.
Small mammals, being warm blooded, suffer hardship in the exposed and uncertain
environment of the uppermost trees. Because a small body has more surface area per unit of
weight than a large one of similar shape, it gains or loses heat more rapidly. Thus, in the trees,
where protection from heat and cold may be scarce and conditions may be changeable, a
small mammal may have trouble maintaining its body temperature.
Small size makes it easy to scramble among twigs and branches in the canopy for
insects, flowers, or fruit, but small mammals are defeated, in the competition for food, by
large ones that have their own strategies for browsing among tbod-rich twigs. The weight of
an ape hanging below a branch draws the leaves down so that fruit-bearing leaves drop
toward the ape's face. Walking or leaping species of a similar or even larger size access the
outer twigs either by breaking and gaining the whole branch or by catching hold of hard
branches with the feet or tail and picking food with their hands.
Small climbing animals may reach twigs readily, but it is harder for them than for large
climbing animals to cross the wide gaps from one tree top to the next that typify the high
canopy. A gibbon can hurl itself farther than a mouse can: it can achieve a running start, and it
can more effectively use a branch as a springboard . The forward movement of a small
animal is seriously reduced by the air friction against the ly large surface area
of its body. | high21798.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The northern Asia"
},
"options": [
"Pakistan",
"The northern Asia",
"Afghanistan",
"The western U.S."
],
"question": "Where does the pomegranate not grow?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | The pomegranate is one of the oldest known fruits. Pomegranates are found in ancient writings and pictured in the ancient art of many cultures and religions. The pomegranate is also a symbol of health, fertility and long life.
Experts think the pomegranate is native to northern India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Today it also grows in Southeast Asia, the western U.S., Armenia and parts of Africa, among other places.
The skin of a pomegranate is strong. It can be red, purple or orange-yellow. The inside is filled with beautiful dark red seeds that shine like rubies. It is not easy to get them out. But the reward is great.
Health benefits
The pomegranate grows on trees. Parts of the pomegranate tree and fruit are used to make medicine.
The pomegranate is used for many conditions. However, the U.S National Institutes of Health says there is not enough scientific evidence to rate pomegranates as effective for any of them.
Still, in traditional medicine, the pomegranate is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure and "hardening of the arteries."
The jewel-like seeds of the pomegranate are loaded with many nutrients and chemicals called antioxidants . These antioxidants remove poisons from the body.
The antioxidants found in pomegranates may help remove build-up of damage in blood vessels. So, it is a very heart-healthy fruit.
Antioxidants slow the progression of age-related sickness and may slow the growth of cancer cells. Men who have prostate cancer may benefit from a daily serving of pomegranate juice.
Pomegranates are used for weight loss and used as a treatment for sore throat. Pomegranates are also high in vitamin K, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron.
Let's just say pomegranates are loaded with great things for the inside of your body.
Beauty benefits
But let's not forget the outside, too!
Pomegranates are great for the skin. They protect the skin by encouraging new skin growth, healing wounds and repairing tissue. Pomegranates protect the skin against sun damage as well. They may help skin look younger by providing moisture and elasticity.
Recipes for pomegranates
But how does one eat a pomegranate?
Pomegranates seeds are both sweet and tart. A thick liquid, or syrup, from the pomegranate tastes great with lamb, pork or chicken dishes.
Pomegranate seeds provide extra flavor to salads and other vegetable dishes. The seeds are also delicious in rice and grain dishes. And, of course pomegranates make great desserts. In the U.S., pomegranate juice is often added to sparkling drinks, drinks called smoothies and alcoholic drinks.
Fresh pomegranates are only available in the United States from September to January. They can keep, or remain good to eat, in the refrigerator for about two months if kept in a plastic bag. | high10545.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The benefits that vitamins bring to our health."
},
"options": [
"How many vitamins a person's body needs.",
"How many vitamins some foods contain.",
"The benefits that vitamins bring to our health.",
"What people shoul... | Now, we know that if we do not get enough vitamins, we are at risk of developing a number of diseases. As a result, vitamin supplements ,though expensive, are popular with people who worry that they are not getting enough vitamins from the foods they eat. But contrary to what many people think, medical experts have found little evidence that most supplements do anything to improve health or protect against disease.
In fact, medical experts warn that taking too many of some vitamins can be harmful. For example, too much vitamin E can cause bleeding. People should discuss what vitamins they take with their doctors, as some vitamins can produce harmful side effects when mixed with medicines.
Experts, however, do say that sometimes vitamins can help prevent disease. People who know they lack a particular vitamin should take vitamin supplements. Some older adults, for example, may not have enough vitamin B-twelve. This is because, as people get older, their body loses its ability to take it from foods. Also, people who spend much time inside may need some extra vitamin D as the skin makes this vitamin from sunlight.
Different vitamins are found in different foods. Vitamin A is found in fish liver oil. It also is in the yellow part of eggs. Sweet potatoes, carrots and other darkly color1ed fruits and vegetables contain substances that the body can change into vitamin A. Vitamin B-twelve is found in green leafy vegetables and other foods, like fruits. Vitamin K can be found in pork products.
In fact, for most people, a balanced diet can ensure enough of the vitamins our bodies need. So, it is important for us to eat a mixture of foods every day to ensure that we get enough vitamins our bodies need. | high21940.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Some strange laws you should know about for your trip."
},
"options": [
"How to make your trip around the world safe.",
"Why there are strange laws in the world.",
"Interesting places you can go to around the world.",
"... | Some places in the world have strange laws. It's important for you to know about them before going there.
Whoever likes to chew gum may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you'd better make sure you aren't visiting during Ramadan . During that time you aren't allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains often start late. This law -- no kissing your lover goodbye at train stations - is rather old, and isn't in use today in France.
In Thailand it's against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke -- the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Do you often buy things using coins? Don't do it in Canada. The Currency Law of 1985 doesn't allow using only coins to buy things. Even the use of the dollar-coin is limited . The shop owner has the right to choose whether to take your coins or not.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry. | high11883.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "To make herself thinner."
},
"options": [
"To make herself thinner.",
"To buy a large-size girdle.",
"To put on some weight.",
"To shake herself into it."
],
"question": "What had the writer intended to do with ... | Our neighbor's son was getting married at an out-of-town church, and my husband and I were invited. We were very glad to get the invitation and immediately rushed out to a store, and I bought a nice pink dress with a jacket. The dress was a little tight, but I had a month to go before the June 30 wedding and I believed it would be easy for me to lose a few pounds.
June 29 came and, of course, I hadn't lost a single pound; in fact I had gained two. But I figured a nice new girdle would cure everything. So on our way out of the city we stopped once again at the store. I ran in and told the clerk I needed a large-size girdle. The shop assistant found the box with the described girdle marked "LG", and asked if I would like to try it on. "Oh, no, a large will fit just right. I needn't try it on."
The next morning was rather hot, so I waited to get dressed until about 45 minutes before time to go. I opened the box only to find a new girdle in a small size. Since it was too late to find another one and the dress wouldn't fit right without a girdle, a fight broke out in the hotel room between me and the girdle. Have you ever tried to shake 20 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound bag? That's it. Finally my husband, laughing like crazy, got hold of each side and shook me down into it. At last I put on the pink dress, which didn't match my red face well, and was ready to go.
Finally we got to the church. I heard one of the people say that they were having a High Mass . I turned to my husband and asked, "What is a High Mass?" He shrugged his shoulders.
Unfortunately, I learned that this particular mass would last one hour, twenty-two minutes and eight and one half seconds --- the priest was going to bless everything except my girdle. | high18119.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "confused"
},
"options": [
"upset",
"confused",
"amazed",
"amused"
],
"question": "When the writer read the story of the bird, he probably felt _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | It's amazing how we grow from careless kids to responsible teens. What happens in the course that makes us responsible now? It's the seed that we sow in the beginning which grows and becomes a huge tree. As I sit here, silently thinking about my growth, I wonder over some questions which don't have an answer but it's because of such unanswerable situations that life has become a roller coaster ride.
As a kid, I used to read a lot of story books. In one particular book, I read a story of a bird. From then on, that has become an integral part of my life. It described a male bird which takes a lot of pain to build a nest and the female bird takes shelter in it and nourishes the baby. When the bird learns to fly, the whole family flies off to a different place leaving behind the beautiful nest for other birds to grow their family in it. It made me wonder. How could they so easily sacrifice their house built with so much effort?
One night, when I was deep in sleep, I got this particular dream. I was walking miles on the endless road, totally isolated but lined with beautiful trees on the either side. Fascinated by the greenery, I marched towards it only to end up deeper and deeper into the greenery. I happened to stop upon seeing something. It was a massive, wonderful house. I fell in love with that amazing part of art. Yeah, it was indeed a piece of art with every nook and corner touched artistically and lovingly. I don't know why I felt that it was done lovingly. Maybe because, things turn out to be beautiful only when we put our love into it -- just like the food prepared by mom which tastes more delicious with her love.
I explored the house only to fall more in love with it. There was a sloping roof which matched with the greenery around; the large central open courtyard reminded me of the activities that might have taken place there which felt lively even now when it is completely deserted. The small water body that kept the house cool added to the beauty of the house -- of course, it was all dried up now. It's really wonderful how such things add life to the spaces which otherwise just become structures. Such liveliness and happening turns the house into a home. They say 'THE HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS', but now I began to feel it. This is where my heart belongs. This is what I'm destined to do.
When I woke up from the dream, I was clear about everything. I realized where that mile of walk was intending me to lead. I realized what message my dream wanted to convey me. And years later, when finally my turn of choosing my destination came, I simply closed my eyes, held that book in my hand, pressed it against my chest and relived the dream. When I opened my eyes, I was sure what to do. I decided to choose the road -- less traveled. Yes, I took up architecture as my profession because this is what I am destined to do. I wanted to do the same thing that the male bird in the story did, to take pain in building a beautiful house and let others stay in it. This is my dream come true and the happiness that I gain now from this profession is indescribable. | high10223.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "interfering with natural cycle of forest life"
},
"options": [
"interfering with natural cycle of forest life",
"turning the forest into cultivated land",
"forest fires caused by man's carelessness",
"cutting the trees ... | Modern man has cleared the forests for farmland and for wood, and has also carelessly burned them. More than that, though, he has also interfered with the invisible bonds between the living things in the forests. There are many examples of this kind of destruction. The harmfulness of man's interference can be seen in what happened many years ago in the forest of the Kaibab plateau of northern Arizona. Man tried to improve on the natural web of forest life and destroyed it instead.
The Kaibab had a storybook forest of large sized pine, Douglas fir, white fir, blue and _ . In 1882 a visitor noted, "We, who ... have wandered through its forests and parks, have come to regard it as the most enchanting region it has ever been our privilege to visit." This was also the living place of the Rocky Mountain mule deer. Indians hunted there every autumn to gather meat and skins. The forest also had mountain lions, timber wolves and bobcats that kept the deer from multiplying too rapidly.
Then, in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt made the Kaibab a national game preserve. Deer hunting was forbidden. Government hunters started killing off the deer's enemies. In 25 years' time, 6,250 mountain lions, wolves and bobcats were killed. Before the program, there were about 4,000 deer in the Kaibab, by 1924, there were about 100,000.
The deer ate every leaf and twig they could reach. But there was not nearly enough food. Hunting of deer was permitted again. This caused a slight decrease in the deer herd ,but a far greater loss resulted from starvation and disease. Some 60 percent of the deer herd died in two winters. By 1930 the herd had dropped to 20,000 animals. By 1942 it was down to 8,000. | high2764.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "record more samples"
},
"options": [
"attract more attention",
"see more injuries",
"record more samples",
"find more pedestrians"
],
"question": "The scientists did their study at the 20 crossroads in order to ... | Turns out we aren't good at walking and talking at the same time, according to a study of pedestrians on their cell phones.
Nearly one-third of pedestrians (29.8% ) were distracted by their mobile devices while crossing the street, say researchers of a study published online in the journal Injury Prevention.
Just as drivers who text, talk on cell phones, or adjust MP3 players increase their risk of losing control of their vehicles, pedestrians distracted by their conversations or their devices also put themselves at higher risk of getting into an accident.
During the summer of 2012, scientists in Seattle, Wash. , studied 1,102 pedestrians at 20 crossroads seeing the city * s highest number of pedestrian injuries over the past few years.
They watched how pedestrians crossed the street @ whether they looked both ways or obeyed the crossroad signal @ and also recorded how long it took pedestrians to do so.Distractions included listening to music with headphones, using a cell phone or earpiece to talk on a cell phone, text messaging, and talking with another person.
Overall, researchers found the most common distraction among pedestrians was listening to music (11.2%), followed by text messaging (7.3%), and using a handheld phone(6.2%). But the most absorbing distraction was texting. Compared to pedestrians who were not distracted, those who were texting took 1.87 seconds longer to cross and were four times more likely to not look where they were going, disobey traffic lights, or cross outside of the crosswalk. While the study did not track injuries related to these trends, previous studies have linked such activities to a higher risk of being injured while crossing the street.
Combined with the rise in the use of mobile devices, especially smart phones, the results raise concerns that multi-tasking while walking may be a rising concern for pedestrians. And that danger may only climb, as the number of wireless devices has already _ the population of the United States. Last year, roughly 1,152 people wound up in the emergency room to treat injuries caused by using a cell phone or electronic device, the Consumer Product Safety Commission told the Associated Press in July. Those numbers may be underestimated, however, because patients may not always admit that they were using their phones along with other activities such as walking or driving when they were hurt. | high4315.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "improving their agricultural techniques"
},
"options": [
"making people realize the bad effects of wasting food",
"increasing the production and quality of grain",
"limiting the transporting and storing of food",
"impro... | The world produces about 4 billion metric tons of food a year but 1.2 to 2 billion tons is not eaten, the study by the London-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers said. It is instead thrown away. Experts say food is wasted in both rich and poor countries, but for different reasons.
Elliot Woolley teaches sustainable manufacturing at Loughborough University in Britain. He spoke at the Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, which was held earlier this month in Vietnam.
Mr. Woolley said in poor countries, food is usually lost while it is still in the field or during storage and transportation. He said that is because food producers there are inefficient. These businesses are unable to operate effectively without wasting materials, time or energy. But he added that once food is sold in developing countries, people usually eat everything they buy.
However, people in developed countries throw away as much as half of the food they purchase. In the US, big contributors to waste include supersized portions that customers simply can't manage, and"eat as much as you want"offers in restaurants. In the UK, over-conservative sell-by dates on labels and two-for-one offers of perishable items are key factors, encouraging consumers to buy too much food to start with and to throw away items that have reached their sell-by date, but which are still edible. And efficient farming methods, transport and storage mean that most of the wastage occurs through retail and customer behavior. The British researcher called this custom"adisgrace".
Elliot Woolley has created a smartphone app that he says shows users what food they have bought and when the food is about to become unsafe to eat. It also gives information on how people can combine the foods they have to make a meal. The software program is called"Pantry App".
Mr. Woolley said that people who used the app reduced the amount of food they wasted by a third. But this result came from a limited experiment -- users only followed their food use for a week.
Jeremy Bonvoisin is a student at the Technical University of Berlin. He attended the recent conference in Vietnam. He said one way to solve the problem of wasting food is to take steps to persuade people to stop buying so much food in the first place. He said people buy more food than they need because it is becoming less costly. They waste so much food because they buy more than they need.
He said the new app could help those who already want to change the way they use the food they buy. But he is also worried that it could get people to waste more food because they no longer have to pay attention to how much they have bought. | high19561.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "an educational booklet"
},
"options": [
"an educational booklet",
"a school website",
"a traveling guide",
"an academic report"
],
"question": "This passage is most probably taken from _ .",
"question_typ... | prefix = st1 /New Zealand Education
Compulsory Education
Compulsory education starts at age 5 and ends at age 16. The day children turn 5, they are expected to start school. They can leave school as soon as they reach 16.
Class Size
The maximum number of students in a class is 30 students.
Classrooms
Students from year 0--8 stay in the same classroom for most subjects and move to other classrooms only for specific subjects. Even when they move from one classroom to another, they mostly stay together as a class. In year 9, students take some courses with their homeroom class and some optional classes with students from different classes. Starting from year 10, students no longer stay in the same classroom most of the time nor do they move around with their classes. They go to different classes based on their own choice and abilities.
Term Dates
A school year starts in January and ends in December. There are four terms in a year. Each term is about 10 weeks.
Class Schedule
School starts at around 8:30 and ends at 15:15. There are only five periods a day and a period is about an hour long. In the morning, around 10:30, there will be a 20--30 minute interval when students and staff have morning tea. Students usually have some snacks during this time, and staff gathers in the staff room to drink coffee and eat some snacks. There is a lunch period at around 12:40 for about an hour.
Teachers
In New Zealand, teachers have to teach students of different year level at the same time. Most teachers teach students from at least three to four different year levels. In addition, quite a number of teachers teach more than one subject. This is mainly due to the fact that many courses are optional. | high16652.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "individualism"
},
"options": [
"team work",
"self-control",
"discipline",
"individualism"
],
"question": "People in multicultural countries such as the US or Canada lay more stress on _ .",
"question_type... | United States and Canada are multicultural countries with many national, religious and cultural differences, where people attach great importance to individualism--the uniqueness among people. Teachers value the qualities that make each student special and different. You can see such values through their educational systems. For example, students needn't memorize lots of information. Instead, they work independently and find answers on their own. There are discussions for children to show their own ideas and opinions.
By contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture in most Asian societies. As a result, Asia's educational system reflects society's belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea learn to work together and help one another in assignments. And the teaching methods are often very formal and serious. In class, teachers give lectures while students listen and take notes. Discussion is replaced by reciting rules of information that have been memorized.
These two systems both have advantages and disadvantages. One advantage in Japan is that there is much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. In addition, students study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The difficult system also prepares students for a society that place emphasis on discipline and self-control. However, while memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students admit forgetting much of the information that they have memorized after exams.
On the other hand, the educational system in North American has an advantage that students learn to think for themselves, which prepares them for a society that values creativity. The disadvantage is that when they graduate from high school, they haven't recited as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have. | high921.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Red squirrel populations are wiped out in Northern Italy"
},
"options": [
"Red squirrels and grey squirrels struggle hard",
"Red squirrels and grey squirrels are distributed unequally",
"The invasion of foreign species has a ... | Red squirrels have been wiped out from a large area of northern Italy, threatening a further biodiversity crisis for the species similar to its near extinction in the British Isles.
There are now no red squirrels left in an area of more than 1,150 square kilometres (sq km) in Piedmont, according to research from the universities of Turin, Genoa and Varese. On the edge of this large region, the species is also under threat from the invasions of grey squirrels.
If the spread of the grey squirrel continues uncontrolled, the species could spread as far as France, the scientists fear. They are calling for more research and control and conservation measures aimed at preserving the remaining red squirrel populations and containing the spread of the greys.
Grey squirrels were introduced into Italy ly recently, in 1948. They were a gift from the US ambassador and kept in Turin, but escaped into the wild and rapidly colonized the surrounding area - despite warnings from the UK, where importing grey squirrels was forbidden from before the Second World War, when the destructive effects of having imported greys in the 1880s had become clear.
Grey squirrels are not only more aggressive than the native European red squirrel, which causes them to invade red-dominated areas and take over, but they also carry a deadly virus, the squirrel pox. While greys are largely immune to the virus, it is deadly to red squirrels, which typically die within one or two weeks of being infected.
From only four animals in 1948, at Stupinigi near Turin, the greys spread rapidly in recent years. Until 1970 the distribution of greys was limited to the Stupinigi woods, occupying an area of about 12 sq km. By 1990 this area had expanded to more than 200 sq km, stretching mainly southwards into the Cuneo province.
By 2000, grey squirrels occupied 900 sq km and this year, fresh research from the three universities shows that their distribution now extends to more than 2,000 sq km. In more than half of that area, the native reds have been entirely wiped out, and in the remainder they are under severe threat. | high23831.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Scientists have been working hard to research other kinds of energy."
},
"options": [
"Advantage of the energy from nature.",
"The future of the energy.",
"Scientists have been working hard to research other kinds of energy."... | Energy is very important in modern life. People use energy to run machines, heat and cool their homes, cook, give light, and transport people and products from place to place. Most energy comes from fossil fuels--petroleum, coal, and natural gas. However, burning fuels causes pollution. Also, if we don't find new kinds of energy, we will use up all the fossil fuels in the twenty-first century. Scientists are working hard to find other kinds of energy for the future. What might these sources of energy be?
Energy from the wind
All over the world, people use the power of the wind. It turns windmills and moves sailboats. It is a clean source of energy, and there is lots of it. Unfortunately, if the wind does not blow, there is no wind energy.
Energy from water
When water moves from a high place to a lower place, it makes energy. This energy is used to create electricity. In Brittany, France, for example, waterpower produces enough energy to light a town of 40,000people. Waterpower gives energy without pollution. However, people have to build dams to use this energy. Dams cost a lot of money, so water energy is expensive.
Energy from the earth
There is heat in rocks under the earth. Scientists use this heat to make geothermal energy. San Francisco gets half of the energy it needs from geothermal power. This kind of energy is cheap, but it is possible only in a few places in the world.
Energy from the sun
Solar panels on the roofs of houses can turn energy from the sun into electricity. These panels can create enough energy to heat an entire house. Solar power is clean and there is a lot of it in sunny places. But when the weather is bad, there is no sunlight for energy. | high12434.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "newspapers"
},
"options": [
"magazines",
"newspapers",
"scientific fictions",
"biographies"
],
"question": "The passage may be found in",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": ... | Seven Chinese sailors are missing after a Chinese cargo ship sank in Russian waters near Japan on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday."Some of the 10 Chinese sailors on board were saved but seven are still missing after the ship sank off the waters of Vladivostok," said a statement on its website.The ministry didn't mention the cause of the incident, saying rescue efforts and an investigation into the incident are ongoing.
But the Global Times, a Chinese language newspaper based in Beijing, said yesterday the ship was fired on by the Russian navy before it sank.The news is first reported in a Russian newspaper.New Star, the cargo ship was sequestered at the Russian port of Nakhodka earlier this month for alleged(,)smuggling.It left the port not far from the Sino-Russian border without permission from Russian authorities last Thursday and was chased by a cruiser,the newspaper said.Later, the warship shot at least 500 rounds onto the ship and forced it to sail back toward the port in force 6 winds.However, the Chinese ship started to sink on the way According to the report,in a period of almost 24 hours,Russian navy officers and soldiers onboard the cruiser watched the sinking boat and did not make any response to the cries for help from the crewmen.In the end, 16 sailors onboard New Star got on two lifeboats. The Russian sailors managed to save one boat carrying eight people,while the other was engulfed in the waves.Of all the sailors onboard 6 came from Indonesia.
The Russian News Agency reported the incident yesterday and said the coast guard just found an empty boat in a three-day search.It also said that bad weather was the reason behind the accident.
According to the International Maritime Organization, the owner of New Star is a shipping company of Zhejiang, while the operator is a company based in prefix = st1 /Guangzhou. | high24186.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In a straight line."
},
"options": [
"In the smoothest way.",
"In a straight line.",
"By plane.",
"At top speed."
],
"question": "What does \"as the crow flies\" mean?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
... | There are many idioms in English. An idiom is a phrase that we can't understand from the meaning of each word. The following are some of them.
As the crow flies
When a bird flies from place to place, it takes the most direct route. But when people drive, they have to follow roads and often go farther. When people give a distance "as the crow flies", they mean the shortest distance between the two points, not the distance you would have to travel by following roads.
As Dan and his mum drove along the river, they could see the beach on the opposite side. Dan asked "How far is it to the beach?"
"It's only about a quarter of a mile as the crow flies" his mother said.
Blow hot and cold
In one of Aesop's Fables, a man blows on his fingers to warm them up and then blows on his soup to cool it down. In both cases, the man is opening his mouth, but what comes out is different. If a person says one thing and later says the opposite, we say that the person is blowing hot and cold.
"Is Felicia going to try out for the soccer team this year?" Stacy asked.
"I don't know," Tricia replied." Last week she was saying yes, but this week she's saying no. She's really blowing hot and cold."
Break the ice
Nowadays people use the phrase to refer to ending an awkward silence by beginning a conversation.
It was the first day of summer camp. The four girls began to make their beds in silence. None of the girls knew each other, and no one knew what to say. Finally, one of them broke the ice by saying" Hey, where's everybody from?"
Bury the hatchet
In native American culture, when two nations agreed to end their war, they buried the hatchet. So to bury the hatchet is to make peace with someone else.
Colin could not excuse his sister for breaking his tennis racket. Finally, his sister said, "Colin, can't we bury the hatchet?" | high14045.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "in disorder"
},
"options": [
"organized",
"in disorder",
"free",
"busy"
],
"question": "According to the tips, your life will be if you study without a proper schedule.",
"question_type": "factiod_question... | Dealing with School Pressure
Get organized.By becoming more organized, you can reduce your stress level drastically Make a daily schedule of all your activities.Another way to become more organized is by getting your supplies and desk in order.Label folders for each class and arrange your notes and assignment by topic or date so you can easily find information.
Don't _ .Putting off doing your schoolwork will only make you more stressed.If you get an assignment that is due in a month, and you don't have any other assignment to finish, go ahead and begin working on it.
Exercise.Performing some sort of physical activity for thirty minutes three times a week will considerably lower your stress level.Taking the time to exercise will help get your mind off the chaos and stress in your life.
Get plenty of sleep and eat healthily.You need between seven to eight hours of sleep per night in order to rest your mind and body so they can perform well during the day.Eating well-balanced meals will provide your with enough energy to accomplish your daily activities.
Adopt a positive attitude.If you are always negative, then stress will overwhelm you.By looking at things in a positive light, you will not only reduce your stress, but you will also feel better about yourself.
Realize that it's okay to say "no".If you already have a full schedule, don't attempt to add anything else to it.If your friends want you to go out at the last minute but doing so would conflict with your schedule, don't feel bad about turning them down.They will understand.They have been stressed before too. | high9631.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "allow us to find answers to some historical questions"
},
"options": [
"arouse people's interest in when Europe was settled",
"allow us to find answers to some historical questions",
"enable us to picture the way linguists co... | Can software bring dead tongues back to life? Probably yes.
A computer algorithm works almost as well as a trained linguist in reconstructing how dead " _ " would have sounded, says a new study.
"Our computer system is doing a basic job right now," says Alex Bouchard-Cote, an assistant professor in the department of statistics at the University of British Columbia and lead author of the paper describing the algorithm. But the program does a good enough job that it may be able to give linguists a head start, the statistician added.
For centuries, scholars have reconstructed languages by hand: looking at the same word in two or more languages and making educated guesses about what that word's "ancestor" may have sounded like. For example, the Spanish word for man ("hombre") and the French word for man ("homme") developed from the Latin word "homo." The way linguists compare words from descendant languages to reconstruct the parent language is called, appropriately, the comparative method.
The early 19th-century linguist Franz Bopp was the first to compare Greek, Latin and Sanskrit using this method. Jacob Grimm, one of the Brothers Grimm of fairy tale fame, used the comparative method to show how Germanic languages developed from a common ancestor.
The difference between that and Bouchard-Cote's program, the statistician says, "is we do it on a larger scale." As a proof of concept, Bouchard-Cote fed words from 637 Austronesian languages (spoken in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and more) into the new algorithm, and the system came up with a list of what the ancestor words of all those languages would have sounded like. In more than 85 percent of cases, the automated reconstruction came within one character of the ancestor word commonly accepted as true by linguists.
The algorithm won't replace trained human linguists, but could speed up language analysis.
Using a computer to do large-scale reconstruction offers another advantage. Bouchard-Cote says, "With big data sets, you can really start finding regularities ... You might find that certain sounds are more likely to change than others."
So Bouchard-Cote's team tested the "functional load hypothesis ," which says that sounds that are more important for two clearly different words are less likely to change over time. A formal test of this hypothesis in 1967 looked at four languages; Bouchard-Cote's algorithm looked at 637.
"The revealed pattern would not be obvious if we had not been able to reconstruct large numbers of protolanguages," Bouchard-Cote and his coauthors write in the new study.
In addition to simply helping linguists understand how people spoke in the past, studying ancient languages can perhaps answer historical questions. For example, Bouchard-Cote says, "Say people are interested in finding out when Europe was settled. If you can figure out if the language of the settling population had a word for wheel, then you can get some idea of the order in which things occurred, because you would have some records that show you when the wheel was invented." | high6502.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He was not a local villager."
},
"options": [
"He was an Indian.",
"He knew elephants well.",
"He was not a local villager.",
"He was the owner of the elephant."
],
"question": "Which of the following statements... | Early one morning the sub-inspector at a station at the other end of the town rang me. An elephant was damaging the town. Would I please come and do something about it? I did not know what I could do, but I got onto a horse and started out. I took my gun, maybe too small to kill an elephant, but I thought the noise might scare him. Various local people stopped me on the way and told me about the elephant's doings. It was not, of course, a wild elephant, but a tame one. It had been chained up but last night it had broken its chain and escaped. Its owner had set out to run after it, but had taken the wrong direction. He was now twelve hours' journey away, and in the morning the elephant had suddenly appeared in the town. It had already destroyed somebody's bamboo hut , killed a cow and turned over fruit!stalls. I came round the hut and saw a man's dead body sprawling in the mud. He was an Indian, and he could not have been dead many minutes. The people said that the elephant caught him with its trunk, put its foot on his back and grounded him into the earth. This was the rainy season and he was lying on his stomach in the soft mud, _ standing beside, looking innocent. As I lifted my gun, I hesitated a few seconds. Then I fired. That was a shot for him. You could see the pain of it knocking the last strength from his legs. But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, his trunk reaching skyward like a tree. He trumpeted, for the first and only time. And then down he came, with a crash that shook the ground. | high935.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Eco City Farms are gaining popularity."
},
"options": [
"Eco City Farms save a lot of energy.",
"Eco City Farms helps the workingclass live better.",
"Eco City Farms are influencing community life.",
"Eco City Farms are... | Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the United States.
Eco City Farms in Edmonston,Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a workingclass community. People do not have very much money, and they have limited access to fresh food in markets.
Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers from the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson. Her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable. "I like coming out here," he says, "You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more."
Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. "Growing food in a community brings people together," she continues, "Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration to show people everything about how to have an ecofriendly community." she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost made from food waste.
Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels. In winter, the green houses use a geothermal system.
Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest.
"I like eating the vegetables," says fiveyearold Owen Moss. | high7608.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "that you can invent and how you will be able to do so"
},
"options": [
"how to put your ideas to other uses",
"that you can invent and how you will be able to do so",
"problem-solving technique",
"how inventors invent"
... | You may think that inventions are far away from your everyday life. But in fact, almost everyone can invent. It's just that they do not recognize that their idea could be the start of an invention.
Once inventors see their ideas have some practical value, they don't let them slip away.
For example, the inventor of the dishwasher, American Josephine Cochrane, loved to give dinner parties. But she found it took too long to wash her dishes by hand and too many of them broke. She decided that a machine could do the job faster and with fewer mistakes. So, in 1886, she set out to make one for herself.
Like Cochrane's, most inventions are created to solve a problem. So, the first and most important step is to find the problem.
You can start by looking at what is wrong with things you use now. You can ask grandparents or neighbours if they remember ever saying: "I wish someone would invent something for..." Or you can look at people in different areas such as on the street, or at school. Then you might notice situations or things in need of improvement.
Remember to record your ideas and work. This will help you develop your invention and protect it when it is completed.
The next step is to think about possible solutions. An invention is a new way of solving a problem. So think of many, varied, and unusual ways.
You can often come up with a solution for a problem by looking at it from a different angle or thinking about it in a new way.
Example 1 -- instead of thinking of shoes as protecting your feet from the ground, think of using something to protect the ground from your feet.
Example 2 -- instead of thinking about how you can carry oranges home from a store, think of how they can come to you by delivery or growing your own.
Example 3 -- instead of experimenting with only one solution, can you put two or three solutions together, or arrange them in different orders?
And if one solution doesn't work, can it be put to other uses? That was how yellow post-it notes (N) came about -- a "failed" adhesive experiment proved a weak adhesive had good uses too!
After all, most inventions are not brand new. They do not come out of nowhere, but come out of things or ideas that already exist.
And the hardest part of inventing, even for a lot of inventors, is coming up with a problem and finding a solution. Once you have an idea, you can always get help building your invention.
This problem-solving technique can also work in your everyday lives. So, why not try it in your studies, in your relationship with others, or even in the way you look at the world? | high23825.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "95%"
},
"options": [
"25%",
"40%",
"80%",
"95%"
],
"question": "According to the text, about _ of people worry more on holiday than when they are at home.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | More American people take their troubles with them on holiday, according to a new _ . Although 40 percent said that the main reason for going away is to escape pressure from work, almost all said they worry more than they do at home. Only four in every 100 said that they are happy and free of care.
The most common worry is burglary ( ) , with four out of 10 worrying about their homes being broken into while they're abroad.More than a quarter fear they will feel crazy with some other noisy and rough holiday-makers and 22 percent worry they may be attacked or their possessions will be missing. One in five think the car may break down; and the same number worry about the chances of bad weather.
The survey also showed that the stay-at-home Americans are no more. Three out of every five want to have a holiday abroad, a great increase from the figures only three years ago. The hotel holiday is still a winner, with about one third of all Americana preferring to go on a self-catering ( ) holiday. | high12420.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "on the Internet"
},
"options": [
"by Yin Guo' an",
"inChongqingSatellite TV",
"on the Internet",
"by Sun Li's spokes woman"
],
"question": "The sponsoring matter between Sun Li and Zhang Haiqing was probably fir... | Sun Li has bumped into the headline of the press recently not because of her role of an actress but of a sponsor of a university student.
The student named Zhang Haiqing, who studies in prefix = st1 /ShanghaiFisheriesUniversity, wrote a letter to a reporter named Qiu Zhaoju working in Chongqing Satellite TV , saying that Sun, who had sponsored him for two years, stopped the financial aid after his entry into university and insulted him with words like "you are no better than a pet dog. "
In 2002, Sun decided to sponsor the student who had lived in a poverty-stricken area when she shot a TV series in YunnanProvince. According to Sun's spokeswomen Ms. Wang, the actress and her mother bought pens, notebooks, even a mobile phone and a camera besides tuitions for him.
Qiu revealed the complaint in his blog, which has soon set off a heated debate over whether Sun should stop or continue her aid to Zhang. Most of netizens who responded to the news expressed strongly different views to-wards the issue.
The issue has answered for an old Chinese saying that longtime sponsorship will lead to hatred, an article written by a reader named Yin Guo'an on people. com. cn.
The saying tells us that longtime contacts will set off conflicts. If Sun had donated 5,000 yuan to Zhang once and for all, the student would have had heartfelt gratitude for her. Now, however Sun's two -year-old funding has induced his complaint.
It could be seen, the article said, that Sun had planned to shoulder Zhang's tuition until his graduation from university, as showed the actress' responsible attitude.
As a student being sponsored, Zhang should have some self-control so he could neither feel justified to ask for constant help nor return kindness with hatred, the article suggested.
The reporter Qiu also voiced his own views on kindness. There is no real kind and enmity between Sun and Zhang, he said. Both parties have not done something wrong, the reporter believed, _ , which results in mis-understanding and such a result no one could expect at the very beginning.
That is why he put the student's letter in his blog, the reporter explained. "I want you to think of the questions: why will a kind action lead to a bad ending? How should we help an innocent student deal with the action? What sort of kind actions will get the best result?" | high24192.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It happens to have a natural enemy."
},
"options": [
"It is better received than Christmas.",
"It brings potential danger to people.",
"It becomes increasingly popular.",
"It happens to have a natural enemy."
],
... | With more recognition than Halloween and less than Christmas, Valentine's Day as an imported festival faces a dangerous situation in China, where it's caught between forces of tradition and fashion. Valentine's Day has a natural enemy in China. And it is not the Chinese _ , which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar, usually around half a year away from Feb. 14. It is the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, which will influence the Feast of Saint Valentine.
The real disagreement between East and West probably took place over a century ago, when China's door was forced open by Western powers and Chinese scholars supported westernization as a means to strengthen our nation's ability to compete. The introduction of the solar calendar and Western measurements was both an acknowledgment of their influence and an effort to be accepted by the world order.
For a full century, we have had two systems running in parallel. When it comes to the eventual outcome, practicality usually beats all other concerns. Laws can help, such as the three traditional festivals of Tomb Sweeping, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn gaining legal status in 2008 and giving every Chinese citizen a day off, but laws cannot push what people have no feelings for. So, the celebration or boycott of imported holidaysor homegrown ones should be no cause for worry. If they are irrelevant, no social media will change the public's mind; and if they are accepted, there must be a need which they happen to satisfy.
Since we have no global Qin Shihuang to force one system on every country, we can always rely on a dual approach by which we share with the outside world on one hand but preserve our own ways of life on the other. | high14051.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the Appalachian Mountains and the West"
},
"options": [
"the Northeast and Midwest",
"factories and army camps in the South",
"real-life stories in small towns",
"the Appalachian Mountains and the West"
],
"ques... | Country music is one of the most popular kinds of music in the United States today because it is about simple but strong human feelings and events-love, sadness, good times, and bad times. It tells real-life, stories and sounds the way people really talk. As life becomes more complicated , it is good to hear music about ordinary people.
Country music, sometimes called country-western, comes from two kinds of music. One is the traditional music of the people in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern Unite States. The other is traditional cowboy music from the west. The singers usually play guitars, and in the 1920s they started using electric guitars. At first city people said country music was low class. It was popular mostly in the South. But during World War II, thousands of Southerners went to the Northeast and Midwest to work in the factories. They took their music with them. Soldiers from the rest of the country went to army camps in the South. They learned country music. Slowly it became popular all over the country.
Today country music is also popular everywhere in the United States and Canada--in small towns and in New York City, among black and white, and among educated and uneducated people. About 1, 200 radio stations broadcast country music twenty-four hours a day. English stars sing it in British English, and people in other countries sing it in their own languages. The music that started with cowboys and poor southerners is now popular all over the world. | high6516.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A \"wonder\" material"
},
"options": [
"Asbestos mined in Canada",
"Fireproof material",
"A \"wonder\" material",
"A new roofing material"
],
"question": "Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage... | Although man has known asbestos for hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H.W.Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers,was responsible for the opening of that first mine.
Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves,which looked much like ordinary work gloves,he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increased business in asbestos roofing materials. However,because it was very expensive to transport them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein, in the province of Quebec in Canada.
Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral,which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated,a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibers.
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads ,but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so- called "cloth of stone." | high17558.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "can help to develop unity"
},
"options": [
"indicates a lack of food",
"can help to develop unity",
"is a custom unique to rural areas",
"has its roots in birthday celebrations"
],
"question": "According to the ... | Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat--and when and how we eat them--are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural and urban areas within one country.
Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.
Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies success in the New Year for the person who receives it.
Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.
Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world. | high10237.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "it's difficult to learn English well"
},
"options": [
"it's difficult to learn English well",
"it's important to speak fluent English",
"many immigrants attend English classes",
"many immigrants can't speak English in E... | Immigrants are always being told by politicians to learn the language. But some people want to know how long it takes to speak good English.
There are plenty of people in the UK for whom even basic English is a problem. According to a census , 726,000 people in England and Wales said they could not speak English well, and another 138,000 said they did not speak it at all. Ling, 40, who arrived five years ago from China, found it difficult to learn English."When I came here, I was pregnant and so I was at home for the next three years. It took me longer to learn as I was very busy with the children."Eventually she was able to begin taking classes and now speaks good conversational English. But even with classes, it can be a long process to pick up the language.
Age is the most important factor in language acquisition, says Mila Vulchanova, professor of linguistics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology."There is a sensitive period in language learning, which is biologically determined. So the younger the immigrant, the better. Since this decline is only gradual, teenagers are at an advantage over adults,"she says.
There are a number of systems for grading English. The government expects immigrants to reach"ESOL Entry 3"or"B1 level", also called"Intermediate 1"in Scotland, before they can be granted citizenship. It's equivalent to being able to hold a confident conversation and, although the government does not have a target figure, it might take 360 hours of study to achieve. George Osborne said in June following the spending review that welfare claimants who don't speak English will have their benefits cut if they fail to attend language courses.
Huan Japes, deputy chief executive of English UK, a trade body for language colleges, says a rule of thumb is 360 hours, 120 hours for each of three stages, to get to the standard the government expects benefit claimants to reach. But many of the people who attend courses are visiting students rather than people settling in the UK. Immigrants tend to have very varied levels of education.
"Using 120 hours (for each stage of English fluency) is a rather traditional approach to course book learning,"says Dr Elaine Boyd, head of English language at Trinity College London."If someone is really highly motivated, they can learn really quickly. It's common for children under the age of 11 to be very immersed and be fluent in about six months." | high19575.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Not clear"
},
"options": [
"The baby's father",
"Buick and Hyundai dealership",
"Weibo",
"Not clear"
],
"question": "Who is to blame for the tragedy of Changchun infant according to the passage?",
"question_... | It's really a tough job for automakers doing marketing and sales in China, where competition is acute and customers have little loyalty. They have tried a range of tricks in recent years.
But there should be a moral bottom line. Unfortunately, a Buick dealership used the tragedy of a two-month-old infant to advertise its cars last week on Weibo - Micro blog. And Hyundai Motor followed suit.
On March 4, an SUV was stolen with the infant left inside alone in the northeastern city of Changchun. The news spread widely on Weibo after the baby's father called the local police and radio station for help. The next day it was revealed that the infant was choked to death and buried in snow by the thief. The online community expressed its deeply felt sympathy and condolences.
The Buick dealership posted a photo of the baby and two of its cars on its official Weibo account to advertise its GPS system that can locate the stolen car. "A few thoughts on the Changchun stolen car and baby incident: when buying a car it's entirely OK to choose a brand with advanced technology," said the post. Though the post was made before tragic fate of the infant was known, the action generated a storm of outrage on Weibo. Some online commentators said it is "marketing at the cost of lives" and "extremely _ ."
Worse was the post on Hyundai's official Weibo account that advertised the anti - theft system on its new SUV Santa Fe, an entry made after the child was known to have died. The action also enraged micro bloggers.
Both posts were soon deleted. The Buick dealership made an apology on Weibo to the family of the victim and the public. But screenshots saved by users continued to be posted and the negative impact on both brands persists.
The two brands probably didn't expect such a firestorm of fury from the Internet community, but they really made a big mistake sinking below the moral bottom line. They certainly ruined their own brand images.
The Chinese have the same proverb as the English language - a little leak will sink a great ship. It takes decades to build the great ship of a respectable brand but it can take just a moment of negligence to make it fail completely.
For those in corporate marketing, two lessons should be learned: first, be careful in the era of social media when one wrong can be easily magnified and have disastrous impacts in just a few clicks.
Second and more importantly, think with your brain and heart. Never break the moral bonds of respect for human life and sympathy for our fellow man. | high3308.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the virus that hits people's nose"
},
"options": [
"the cold weather in the winter",
"the virus that hits people's nose",
"the condition of the human body",
"the warm temperature in the room"
],
"question": "A t... | Now, it is winter and as you have probably noticed, virus are everywhere--runny noses, sore throats, nothing quite like the common cold to make you feel so uncomfortable. But experts believe that there is no link between cold weather and catching colds. So why are we particularly easy to catch colds this season?
Internal Medicine expert, Dr Meenakshi Jain of Max Hospital says, "One reason could be because people are likely to stay indoors, so the virus can spread easily. Also the virus grows strong and healthy under wet conditions."
The common cold can be caused by any of up to 250 kinds of virus. The most common group of them is the kind of virus that hits the nose, which is called rhinovirus . Rhinoviruses cause a third and half of all common colds.
"The kind of virus is spread through the nose and respiratory passages , by touch, and by contact with particles in the air that are created by sneezing or coughing," says Dr Jain.
There is no way to treat the common cold. However, there are some tips that can help. Wash your hands regularly, so that germs get killed. Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth, which can limit your chances of infection . Don't share drinking glasses with anyone as this will prevent the spread of the virus. Drink lots of water. Make sure to eat enough fruits to _ your immune system . Get enough sleep and you'll certainly become stronger. | high10551.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "What the girl did recently worried her mother."
},
"options": [
"The girl knew her mother would ask her the questions about the boy.",
"What the girl did recently worried her mother.",
"The mother was eager to read her daught... | She is a cute , quiet girl. As a daughter, she has no secrets from her mother, who is very pleased with her. But recently she has become somewhat mysterious, not so open as before: what if she falls in love, which is too early for a girl of her age. After all, she is reaching the "dangerous stage". These thoughts have caused trouble in the mother' mind.
One weekend the girl came to tell her mother that she was going to the cinema with her schoolmates and would return late. This was the first time her mother had agreed , and she couldn't help worrying because her daughter had never been away at night before. The mother waited till nine and her uneasiness got the upper hand over her. She decided to go out to meet her daughter. Just at that moment the noise of a car pulling up drew her to the window and ------there was her daughter, waving goodbye to a boy. Her heart missed a beat. When the girl came in, the mother was watching TV, pretending nothing had happened. "Mum, I'm back." "Yeah." "Sorry to be late. Still sitting up?" "Yes, Oh, that... Who's that boy?" The daughter was stunned for a moment. "Ah. It's my monitor. He gave a lift on his way home. Mum, I'm going to bed" "All right. Go to sleep early."
Next morning, when the mother went to the daughter's room to do some tidying, she found her diary left at her pillow. After a few minutes' hesitation she finally opened it to the entry of the night before. It read: Mum, it was love that made you ask, but it would show your understanding of me if you hadn't.
Holding the diary, the mother fell in thought. | high21954.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "wrote the play Love Play"
},
"options": [
"is a character in Big and Little",
"is the director of Smashed",
"wrote the play Love Play",
"once wrote for The Age"
],
"question": "We can know from the passage that ... | The following is the information about plays which will be on these days.
Big and Little
It is a play written by Botho Strauss and directed by Laurence Strangio, featuring (......) second-year Performing Arts students. It is about a lonely woman living in a big city. From the play, we can learn how to get along well with our friends, our family, our lovers, ... and with ourselves.
A dreamlike journey in search of identity ...
When:15-17 March, 7:30 pm
Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus
Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5
You can get the tickets at the door.
Love Play
It is written by Moira Buffini and directed by Trent Baker, featuring Performing Arts students.
First-year Performing Arts students present
Love Play. It follows a series of unexpected meetings that have taken place in the same place in London across 2,000 years, through the centuries from the Romans to the Elizabethans to the present day. Love Play is a comedy that challenges the reasons and ways we want love.
When:17-19 April, 8 pm
Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus
Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5
You can get the tickets at the door.
Smashed
It is a play written by Lally Katz and directed by Suzanne Chaundy, featuring second-year Performing Arts students. Smashed is about friendship, time travel and death. Writing for TheAge, Helen Thomson calls the play "a wonderful memory of childhood on the edge of adulthood."Smashedp raises invention, imagination and girl power.
When: 24-26 April, 8 pm
Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus
Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5 You can get the tickets at the door. | high2016.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "get up early than usual"
},
"options": [
"change your energy cycle",
"overcome your laziness",
"get up early than usual",
"go to bed earlier"
],
"question": "If you want to work better at your low point in the m... | Do you find getting up in the morning so difficult that it's painful? This might be called laziness, but Dr. Kleitman has a new explanation. He has proved that everyone has a daily energy cycle.
During the hours when you labour through your work, you may say that you're "hot". That's true. The time of day when you feel most energetic is when your cycle of body temperature is at its peak. For some people that peak comes during the forenoon. For others it comes in the afternoon or evening. No one has discovered why this is so, but it leads to such familiar monologues as "Get up , John ! You'll be late for work again !" The possible explanation to the trouble is that John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening. Much family quarrelling ends when husbands and wives realize what these energy cycles mean, and which cycle each member of the family has.
You can't change your energy cycle, but you can make your life fit it better. Habit can help. Dr. Kleitman believes. Maybe you're sleepy in the evening but feel you must stay up late anyway. Counteract your cycle to some extent by habitually staying up later than you want to . If your energy is low in the morning but you have an important job to do early in the day, rise before your usual hour. This won't change your cycle , but you'll get up steam and work better at your low point .
Get off to a slow start which saves your energy. Get up with a yawn and stretch. Sit on the edge of the bed a minute before putting your feet on the floor. Avoid the troublesome search for clean clothes by laying them out the night before. Whenever possible, do routine work in the afternoon and save tasks requiring more energy for your sharper hours . | high5779.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "solve childhood obesity across the country"
},
"options": [
"solve childhood obesity across the country",
"attract the attention of the world",
"show her first lady identity",
"please the public"
],
"question": ... | Michelle Obama has just started a campaign against childhood obesity with the admission that she put her girls Malia and Sasha on a diet because they were getting fat. Clearly, childhood obesity must be solved urgently. But is it a good idea for mothers to put their daughters on diets?
Studies show that the more children diet, the more likely they are to become obese as adults. Research also shows that girls are highly influenced by their mothers when it comes to eating habits and body image.
This was the case for Carly, 40, who blames her mother for her lifelong struggle with weight. "My mother was on a diet the whole time I was growing up," she says. "And she put me on my first diet when I was 10. I lost puppy fat, gained her approval and never ate normally again."
America's First Lady clearly has a vital healthy eating message to convey. But could this be damaging for Malia and Sasha? Could they develop eating disorders because of it?
"It's wrong just to blame mothers for their daughters' eating disorders," says Susan Ringwood, chief executive of the eating disorders charity. "There is a genetic component to eating disorders." However, "We do know that parents have a very strong influence over a child's eating. It's important to realize that you are your daughter's role model. Girls idolize their mothers." says Ringwood.
"No food should ever be 'good 'or' bad'," Ringwood says. Instead, "You have to make it clear that food is a sociable, healthy and fun part of life, not something to be feared." "Talk to her about body image," Ringwood says. "Talk about how curves are an important and exciting part of being a woman. Show her that anorexic ) fashion models are not sexy, but ill. The pressure on girls today is immense," she says. Never forget that you are the authoritative voice, too. | high20492.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The policemen were dealing with the murder of Mary's brother."
},
"options": [
"The policemen searched around the house until night.",
"The policemen were dealing with the murder of Mary's brother.",
"The Maloney's didn't hav... | A few minutes later she got up and went to the phone. She knew the number of the police station, and when the man at the other end answered, she cried to him. "Quick! Come quick! Patrick's dead!"
"Who's speaking?"
"Mrs Maloney. Mrs Patrick Maloney."
"You mean Patrick Maloney's dead?"
"I think so," she sobbed. "He's lying on the floor and I think he's dead."
"Be right over," the man said.
The car came very quickly, and when she opened the front door, two policemen walked in. She knew them both--she knew nearly all the men at that precinct. Briefly, she told her story about going out to the grocer and coming back to find him on the floor. While she was talking, crying and talking, Noonan discovered a small patch of congealed blood on the dead man's head. He showed it to O'Malley who got up at once and hurried to the phone.
Later, one of the detectives came up and sat beside her. Did she know, he asked, of anything in the house that could've been used as the weapon? Would she mind having a look around to see if anything was missing--a very big spanner, for example, or a heavy metal vase.
They didn't have any heavy metal vases, she said.
"Or a big spanner ?"
She didn't think they had a big spanner. But there might be some things like that in the garage.
The search went on. She knew that there were other policemen in the garden all around the house. She could hear their footsteps on the gravel outside, and sometimes she saw the flash of a torchlight through a chink in the curtains.
Then one by one they came in and were persuaded to take a little nip of whisky. They stood around rather awkwardly with the drinks in their hands, uncomfortable in her presence, trying to say consoling things to her. Sergeant Noonan wandered into the kitchen, came out quickly and said. "Look, Mrs Maloney. You know that oven of yours is still on, and the meat still inside...I better turn it off for you, hadn't I?"
"Will you do that, Jack. Thank you so much."
When the sergeant returned the second time, she looked at him with her large, dark, tearful eyes.
"Would you do me a small favour--you and these others?" She said.
"We can try, Mrs Maloney."
"Well," she said. "You must be terribly hungry by now because it's long past your supper time. Why don't you eat up that lamb that's in the oven? It'll be cooked just right by now."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Sergeant Noonan said.
"Please," she begged. "Please eat it."
The four policemen _ , but they were clearly hungry, and in the end they were persuaded to go into the kitchen and help themselves. The woman stayed where she was, listening to them through the open door, and she could hear them speaking among themselves, their voices thick and sloppy because their mouths were full of meat.
"The guy must've used a big thing to hit Patrick," one of them was saying. "The doctor says his skull was smashed all to pieces."
"That's why it ought to be easy to find."
"Exactly what I say."
"The murderer's not going to carrying a thing like that around with him longer than he needs."
One of them belched.
"Personally, I think it's right here on the premises."
"Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?"
And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle. | high9143.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Clothes bought online may not fit."
},
"options": [
"Students may easily get addicted to it.",
"Clothes bought online may not fit.",
"It attracts more online clothing shoppers.",
"It causes shoppers to waste too much mo... | One advantage of the Internet is shopping conveniently online for clothes; one disadvantage of the Internet is also shopping conveniently online for clothes.
"Nothing fits," said Lam Yuk Wong, a senior in electrical and computer engineering at Rice University. "Everyone says this. They order clothes and they don't fit. People get very unhappy."
Wong and her design partner, Xuaner "Cecilia" Zhang, are Team White Mirror, creators of what they call a "virtual fitting room". Their goal is simple and consumer-friendly: to let online clothing shoppers have a perfect fit and a perfect look when shopping every time. Both women are from China, Wong from Hong Kong and Zhang from Beijing. They both order most of their clothing online. They got the idea from their own experience as consumers and from listening to the complaints of friends and relatives. "They say, 'The color is wrong' or 'I got the right size but it still does not fit.' We want to make it like you're in the store trying on the clothes," Zhang said.
Using a Kinect developed by Microsoft for use with its Xbox 360 video game player, Zhang scans Wong and turns her image into, in effect, a virtual model, keeping Wong's dimensions , and even her skin and hair color. "We put the clothes on the shopper's 3-D body models and show how they look when they are dressed," Wong said. So far, Wong and Zhang have adapted the software to show dresses and shirts, and they are now working on shorts.
Asked if she thought men as well as women might be interested in using their virtual fitting room, Wong said, "I think their wives will care about this, so it will also be important to men." | high14737.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "make good use of the computer technology and classroom assistants"
},
"options": [
"cause more problems such as being able to find enough teachers",
"set no homework and no tests for students",
"make good use of the computer ... | How would you like to teach yourself, rather than have teachers? According to the UK's Department of Education and Skills, students will teach themselves in the schools of the future. This means that there will be no more problems such as finding enough teachers.
Estelle Morris, the UK Education Secretary, opened the 2002 Education Technology Conference in London recently. To start the conference, she presented a video showing a computer--generated model of the school of tomorrow.
Greater use of computer technology and classroom assistants will help students develop their own way of learning, Morris said. She added that this is a more exciting as well as a more interesting way of learning.
At the same time, teachers will be "freed from their traditional role as the source of all knowledge".
Children of all abilities will "form the curriculum around their individual needs." They will "learn in their own time, at their own speed and in their own environment".
At home or at school, they will follow their learning programmes by looking at online libraries and watching lessons by world-class teachers and subject experts.
Instead of going on field trips, students will use virtual reality. If they don't understand something, they can ask other students--"take part in virtual communities with learners with similar needs"--or e-mail their teachers. They will hand in their work electronically to be "auto-marked".
The classroom of the future is fast becoming a reality.
And the Department of Education will soon produce a guide to help schools adapt buildings for new technology, Morris said. These ideas are based on the UK government's plan to create an education system that provides students with a strong grounding of knowledge and skills at primary school level. And provides the chance for students to develop their individual skills at secondary school level. | high6270.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because of the Second World War"
},
"options": [
"Because of the economic crisis",
"Because of culture difference",
"Because of the Second World War",
"Because of countries' lack of interest"
],
"question": "Why... | The Winter Olympic Games are a major international sporting event that occurs once every four years. Unlike the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics feature sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympics, the 1924 Winter Olympics, was held in Chamonix, France. The Games were held every four years from 1924 until 1936, after which they were interrupted by World War II. The Olympics resumed in 1948 and was again held every four years. Until 1992, the Winter and Summer Olympic Games were held in the same year.
The Winter Games have evolved since its beginning. Sports and disciplines have been added and some of them, such as short track speed skating, freestyle skiing, have earned a permanent spot on the Olympic program. Others have been discontinued and later reintroduced. Still others, such as speed skiing, bandy and skijoring, were demonstration sports but never incorporated as Olympic sports. The rise of television as a global medium for communication _ the impression of the Games. It created an income stream, via the sale of broadcast rights and advertising.This allowed outside interests, such as television companies and corporate sponsors.
Beijing has become the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympic Games after beating Kazakhstan's Almaty to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics. With a fully-prepared final presentation by an all-star team, Beijing has successfully convinced the committee members that the 2008 Olympics host city is a more favored candidate for the Winter Games. Beijing was the safe choice because it had already proved it could stage the Games and said it would take winter sports into the backyard of the world's most populated country. | high13058.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "could find a better boyfriend"
},
"options": [
"was a girl with no self-respect",
"could find a better boyfriend",
"was brave enough to stick to her own choice",
"didn't value the writer's suggestion"
],
"questi... | Recently, one of my best friends, whom I've shared just about everything with since the first day of kindergarten, spent the weekend with me.Since I moved to a new town several years ago, we've both always looked forward to the few times a year when we can see each other.
Over the weekend, we spent hours and hours, staying up late into the night, talking about the people she was hanging around with.She started telling me stories about her new boyfriend, about how he experimented with drugs and was into other self-destructive behavior.I was blown away! She told me how she had been lying to her parents about where she was going and even stealing out to see this guy because they didn't want her around him.No matter how hard I tried to tell her that she deserved better, she didn't believe me.Her self-respect seemed to have disappeared.
I tried to convince her that she was ruining her future and heading for big trouble.I felt like I was getting nowhere.I just couldn't believe that she really thought it was acceptable to hang with a bunch of losers, especially her boyfriend.
By the time she left, I was really worried about her and exhausted by the experience.It had been so frustrating, I had come close to telling her several times during the weekend that maybe we had just grown too far apart to continue our friendship,but I didn't.I put the power of friendship to the final test.We'd been friends for far too long.I had to hope that she valued me enough to know that I was trying to save her from hurting herself.I wanted to believe that our friendship could conquer anything.
A few days later, she called to say that she had thought long and hard about our conversation, and then she told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend.I just listened on the other end of the phone with tears of joy running down my face.It was one of the truly rewarding moments in my life.Never had I been so proud of a friend. | high12346.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Families with lots of children."
},
"options": [
"Young people.",
"Milk producers from outside California.",
"Rich people.",
"Families with lots of children."
],
"question": "Who will be hurt by high milk prices... | The price of milk may be going up. There was not enough rain in some parts of the country last year and the bad weather may mean that a gallon of milk will cost 41 cents more after October 1st.
California already has high milk prices and the California court does not want the price to go any higher. High milk prices will be very hard for some people. Families with many children will have to spend more money to buy milk. The poor and older people without much money will also be hurt by higher prices.
The court said that more milk from other states should be sold in California as the price of milk from other states is not as high. Some states got enough rain so their costs did not go up. People will then be able to buy the cheaper milk, meaning that unless milk producers bring their milk prices down, their milk will not sell.
The drought around the country has meant market forces are likely to push milk prices up by as much as 41-cent a gallon by October 1st. Experts said this decision by the Californian court could reduce the effect of the price rise here.
The 41-cent increase would add to California's already high milk prices so California must allow more milk producers from outside the state to sell their products there. This would then lead to increased supplies , which would, as a result, stop milk prices from increasing. | high15429.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The musical career of Ella Fitzgerald."
},
"options": [
"A comparison of Ella Fitzgerald and Bessie Smith.",
"The musical career of Ella Fitzgerald.",
"Ella Fitzgerald's early childhood.",
"Ella Fitzgerald's most recent... | One of the most successful singers of the twentieth century, Ella Fitzgerald has made several different styles of her own. She was born in Virginia but was brought up in an orphanage in Yonkers, New York. Chick Webb _ her in an amateur competition when she was sixteen. He engaged her to sing with his band and when he died in 1939, she took over.
Unlike Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald taught herself the sentimental music so popular in the 1930's -- songs like "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"-- and her recordings became best-sellers. During the 1940's she developed her own "scat singing" -- a breathless, nonsense--syllable style--for songs like "Flying Home" and "Lady Be Good."
Ella Fitzgerald was the perfect musical partner for her friend, the trumpeter Louis Armstrong, matching him in warmth and artistry. "I just like music, period," she said. "To me, it's a story. There's only one thing better than singing.... It's more singing." | high14904.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "had no idea"
},
"options": [
"wanted to know",
"knew quite well",
"had no idea",
"often asked herself"
],
"question": "Mrs. Black _ how she had spent the money.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | Mr. Black gave his wife money every Friday evening, but she always spent it before the next Wednesday. For the next three days she had none.
Every Tuesday evening Mr. Black asked her, "But what did you spend all that money on?" and she always answered, "I don't know."
One Friday Mr. Black brought home an exercise book and a pencil and gave them to his wife along with the money. "Now look!" he said to her. "When you get money from me, write it down on this page, and on the next page write down what happens to the money."
When Mr. Black came home the next Tuesday, his wife came to him and showed him the book. "I have done what you told me," she said happily. On the first page she had written "Friday, 28th June. I got PS18 from John," and on the next page, "Tuesday, 2nd July. I have spent it all." | high23170.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "taught history at a military school"
},
"options": [
"fought in Vietnam",
"taught history at a military school",
"pretended to be a historian",
"made mistakes in the antiwar movement."
],
"question": "While Elli... | Even before historian Joseph Ellis became a best-selling author, he was famous for his vivid lectures. In his popular courses at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, he would often make classroom discussion lively by describing his own fighting experience in Vietnam. But as Ellis's reputation grew--his books on the Founding Fathers won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize ---the history professor began to entertain local and national reporters with his memories of war. Last year, after The Boston Globe reported Ellis's experience in the Vietnam war, someone who knew the truth about Ellis _ Last week The Boston Globe revealed that Ellis, famous for explaining the nation's history, had some explaining to do about his own past.
"Even in the best of lives, mistakes are made," said Ellis. It turned out that while the historian had served in the Army, he'd spent his war years not in the jungles of Southeast Asia , but teaching history at West Point ( ). He'd also overstated his role in the antiwar movement and even his high-school athletic records. His admission shocked colleagues, fellow historians and students who wondered why someone so successful would beautify his past. But it seems that success and truthfulness don't always go hand in hand. Even among the successful achievers, security experts say, one in ten is deceiving. And, oddly, people often beautify their past once they're famous, says Ernest Brod of Kroll Associates, which has conducted thousands of background checks.
Then what makes them do it? Psychologists say some people succeed, at least in part, because they are uniquely adjusted to the expectations of others. And no matter how well-known, those people can be haunted ( ) by a sense of their own shortcomings. "From outside, these people look anything but fragile," says Dennis Shulman, a psychoanalyst. "But inside, they feel hollow, empty," | high20479.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because he was afraid of being tricked."
},
"options": [
"Because he failed to notice this man.",
"Because he was driving too fast.",
"Because he thought the young man didn't need help.",
"Because he was afraid of being... | One summer I was driving from my hometown of Tahoe City,Calif.,to New Orleans.In the middle of the desert, I came upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him.There was a time in the country when you'd be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need. Now you are a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves lurking everywhere, "I don't want to get involved" has become a national motto.
Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker.Leaving him stranded in the desert did not bother me so much.What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision.I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator.
Does anyone stop any more? I wondered.I recalled Blanche DuBois's famous line:"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers". Could anyone rely on the kindness of strangers these days? One way to test this would be for a person to journey from coast to coast without any money, relying solely on the goodwill of his fellow Americans.What kind of Americans would he find? Who would feed him, shelter him,carry him down the road?
The idea intrigued me.
The week I turned 37,I realized that I had never taken a gamble in my life.So I decided to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny.It would be a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar.I would only accept offers of rides, food and a place to rest my head.My final destination would be Cape Fear in North Carolina,a symbol of all the fears I'd have to conquer during the trip.
I rose early on September 6, 1994, and headed for the Golden Gate Bridge with a 50pound pack on my back and a sign displaying my destination to passing vehicles:"America".
For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4,223 miles across 14 states.As I traveled, folks were always warning me about someplace else.In Montana they told me to watch out for the cowboys in Wyoming; in Nebraska they said people would not be as nice in Iowa. Yet I was treated with kindness everywhere I went.I was amazed by people's readiness to help a stranger, even when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests. | high5792.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "see whether lightened darkness affects the brain"
},
"options": [
"see whether lightened darkness influences the activity of hamsters",
"discover whether hamsters drink different amounts of water in different environments",
"... | Man-made nighttime lights have appeared everywhere in industrialized countries over the last century.What people are now asking is whether exposure to lightened darkness can affect the brain.
To find out,Tracy Bedrosian,a doctoral student in neuroscience at Ohio State University,placed hamsters into two environments.In one,they were exposed to 16 hours of daylight and eight hours of complete darkness each day.In the other,the animals experienced 16 hours of daylight,but at nighttime,a dim light was kept on,at about the intensity of a TV screen lighting a dark room.
After eight weeks,the researchers tested the hamsters for behavior that would suggest they were depressed.For example,they looked to see whether the hamsters still engaged in activities they normally enjoy,such as drinking sugar water.
In people,loss of enjoyment is a major symptom of depression.
Hamsters in both groups were given a choice between drinking tap water or sugar water.The hamsters exposed to light at night drank similar amounts of tap and sugar water----they'd lost their preference for the sweet treat.
These changes in behavior were associated with changes in a brain region known as the hippocampus .The hamsters exposed to night light had a reduced number of so-called dendritic spines on the surface of cells in this region.These spines are hair-like things that stick out,and that brain cells use to communicate with one another.
The findings match up with studies on humans that have d the hippocampus to be involved in depression. A patient with major depression has a smaller hippocampus. The brain changes in the hamsters might arise from fluctuations in the production of the hormone melatonin . Melatonin signals to the body that it's nighttime,but a light at night dampens its production. The hormone has been shown to affect mood,and so a decrease in melatonin might prompt depression,Bedrosian says.
If the same mechanism is at work in people,then "people might want to try to avoid falling asleep with their TVs on at night,or to try to minimize light exposure during the night," she adds. | high21767.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The iron-ore industry."
},
"options": [
"Her own beauty.",
"Her wealth.",
"Her family.",
"The iron-ore industry."
],
"question": "According to Gina Rinehart, what makes her successful and famous?",
"question... | There is only one winner and in this case it is Gina Rinehart who has won it all. In her own words,"beauty is an iron mine", Gina suggested her recipe for glory and fame. She has been announced as the richest woman of the world by BRW (formerly Business Review Weekly) in May 2012. Let's read more about her life and journey to the top.
Georgina "Gina" Hope Rinehart was born on 9th February, 1954 in Perth, Western Australia, to Hope Margaret Nicholas and Lang Hancock, the mining king. Her father discovered one of the world's biggest reserves in the early 1950s. Gina gained lots of knowledge of the iron-ore industry while working with her father. She married an Englishman Greg Milton, at the age of 19 and together they had two children, John Langley and Bianca Hope. Soon the marriage broke off and she remarried in 1983. Frank Rinehart and Gina had two children: Ginia and Hope. Frank died in 1990. Since then, Gina has devoted herself to her work and empire.
She was the sole heir of her family's wealth. Then after her father died in 1992, she started her professional career as the Executive Chairman of Hancock Prospecting Pty Limited (HPPL) and other privately owned group of companies. At that time, the company centered its functioning to mining-related explorations and accumulation of vast mining leases . From there, Rinehart worked her way towards transforming the leases into profit earning mines. She also worked together with other companies to raise capital. Her efforts made the business increase three times in 2011 as much as before.
At home, Rinehart was working to expand the family business, but she did not satisfy herself with it. In 2010, she stepped into the media industry by acquiring 10% stake in Ten Network Holdings. Afterwards, she went on to hold stake in Fairfax Media, proving that mining is not her only interest. In June 2012, by increasing her stake in Fairfax to 18.67%, she became the largest stakeholder in the company. With this, she now stands at the head of $US 29.3 billion worth of an empire. Two new projects related to the mining sector in Central Queensland and Roy Hill are expected to begin in 2013.
Gina Rinehart has made her way from being Australia's Richest Woman to Australia's Richest Person and then to World's Richest Woman. | high3485.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He wanted to be more comfortable at home."
},
"options": [
"He wanted to be a special boy.",
"He wanted to be more comfortable at home.",
"He just followed what his grandmother's said.",
"He thought that behavior was ve... | Most teens I meet these days lack basic social courtesy when dealing with people. My own son, who basically grew up with his grandmother, the original manners expert, has perfect table manners. This is partly because he was exposed to manners at a very young age. However, when we eat at home, he would not practice manners. So I asked him why. He said, "I behave the way I am supposed to behave when I'm out, but when I am at home I want to be comfortable."
That's when I realized that most parents, myself included, do teach their children the proper way to behave outside the home, but they are also brought up to believe that at home, anything goes.
My answer to him was "good behavior has nothing to do with where you are or whom you are with". Then he answered, "But I behave properly when I'm with others so that they think better of me ." And that is when I realized that I was doing things all wrong. I explained to him that it had nothing to do with what people think. This confused him even more.
So I went on to explain that behavior, whether in your everyday interaction with people or at the dining table at home, is an expression of who you are. Well, at the age of 13, he got it.
So basically, what I am saying is that teaching your children manners comes with the underlying lesson that it is not about what to do or not to do, but rather , who they are. This way it is not mechanical : it comes from within.
Teach your teens or children the basic courtesy of greeting their friends' parents and introducing themselves when they go to someone's home. Teach teenage boys to open the door of a car, or any door for that matter, for any girl, whether they are their girlfriends or not. This includes holding elevator doors or letting women step out of the elevator first.
Just remember that teenage boys who practice good manners and courtesy grow up to become men who respect people in general. | high18858.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "People have different ideas about cloning humans."
},
"options": [
"In theory, scientists are unlikely to clone humans.",
"Richard Seed has fallen behind other scientists in cloning humans.",
"Cloning human beings is good for... | A private group of scientists has announced plans to make an exact copy of a human being. An American member of the team says he and the others will soon begin a serious effort to clone humans. Panos Zavos says the team hopes to manufacture the world's first cloned baby within the next two years.
In recent years, scientists have produced exact genetic copies of sheep and a few other animals. They created these clones from a single cell of an adult animal.
Three years ago, another American doctor, Richard Seed, announced plans to clone a human being. However, there is no evidence that he has been successful.
Doctor Zavos says the new international group plans to offer human cloning only to women who are currently not able to become pregnant or produce children. He says the aim is to assist people who want to have their own biological child.
The technology would be similar to that used to clone animals. It would involve cleaning genetic material from a woman's egg. Doctors then would place genetic material from the woman's husband into the egg before putting it into the woman's uterus .
Doctor Zavos says his group plans to do the work in a country near the Mediterranean Sea. He did not name the country. He says an Italian reproductive expert, Sevorino Antinori, is leading the team. Doctor Antinori has led the efforts to help many older women become pregnant. He is known for establishing pregnancies in women as old as sixty.
Many medical experts and other groups are opposed to the idea of cloning humans. Several countries ban or restrict work on human cloning. Several doctors criticize the announcement by Doctor Zavos. They say doctors do not know if cloning humans is possible or safe. They say it would be irresponsible to attempt to clone a human being. That is because the chances of success are too small and the risks are too great. | high2943.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "offers students a new way to practice French"
},
"options": [
"make cooking easier and more interesting",
"change the traditional way of cooking",
"improve people's cooking skills at French dishes",
"offers students a n... | A "talking kitchen" teaches students how to cook French dishes and speak French. Researchers at New Castle University have developed the French Digital Kitchen. Professors Paul Seedhouse and Patrick Olivier led the project. Professor Seedhouse says that it works like a satellite navigation system in a car.
The kitchen equipment and tools use motion sensor technology similar to the Nintendo Wii game system. The sensors help a computer guide the students through instructions in French. The system can tell whether you've done what you were asked to do or not. For example, the system tells you to take some butter and cut it with a knife. There's a sensor on the package containing the butter so it can tell where the butter's being moved. The sensor in the knife not only knows that the knife is moving, but it also knows what motion the knife is making. So it can tell whether the knife is being used. And so it doesn't go on to the next stage of the program unless you've done what it tells you to do. Students can ask the computer to repeat the instructions or translate them into English. There are vocabulary lessons before and after the cooking.
Professor Seedhouse became interested in the idea after he visited a talking kitchen designed for a different purpose. "It was actually for communicating with people who suffer from dementia " .And so, for example, it can speak to those people and tell them that they've left the cooker on and they should turn it off." | high21001.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Thirteen."
},
"options": [
"Ten.",
"Eleven.",
"Twelve.",
"Thirteen."
],
"question": "At what age can an American kid make most decisions by himself or herself?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{... | What should I eat for breakfast? Who should I go out with on weekends? What should I do if I miss the bus to school? What colleges should I apply for? Again and again Chinese kids ask these questions to their teachers and parents. They can't make their own choices.
Kids in America would be very surprised to hear how much Chinese children depend on adults. When they are ten years old, kids decide what clothes they want to wear and buy. By twelve they know what classes to take for middle school. Thirteen years old is the beginning of being what Americans call a "teenager". Now the child makes almost all his/her decisions -- what to do after school;who are his/her friends, sometimes even when to come home at night. Finally at sixteen the kid usually gets a car from his/her parents. Now he or she can come and go when he/she likes. The only rule is when they come home at night.
Why should kids be independent? Think about it. After high school most of us will be by ourselves. Will our parents be able to tell us what to eat for breakfast in college? Can our teachers decide what we should do at work?
Making our own choices can be quite hard and scary. But we can start with making small choices, and then slowly make bigger and more important choices. Before we know it we will become independent, confident and able to make our own decisions! And we will have a lot more fun! | high18680.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "his knee was badly hurt"
},
"options": [
"he wanted to be a cook",
"he didn't have a gift for football",
"his knee was badly hurt",
"his family moved toEngland"
],
"question": "Ramsay had to leave the club becau... | Gordon Ramsay is one of prefix = st1 /Britain's best-known chefs. He is one of the only three chefs in the country to maintain three Michelin stars for their restaurant.
Gordon was born in Scotlandbut was brought up inEnglandafter his family moved toStratford. He played football as a teenager for Oxford United Football Club's youth side and was spotted by a scout for Rangers. He became a professional player at the age of 15. After a knee injury that left him unable to regain full fitness, he was released from the club.
At the age of 19 Ramsay now turned his hand to cookery. He worked under Marco Pierre White and Albert Roux in London and Guy Savoy and Joel Robuchon in Parisbefore becoming head chef of the newly-opened Aubergine restaurant in 1993. By 1996, the restaurant had been awarded two Michelin stars. In 1998 Ramsay opened his first own restaurant inChelsea. The restaurant gained three Michelin stars in 1999, making Ramsay the first Scot to gain the achievement. From there his empire has expanded rapidly, opening a lot of restaurants.
Ramsay has published six books on cooking and also appeared in two documentaries --Boiling Pointin 1998 andBeyond Boiling Pointin 2000. The series showed that Ramsay is a hot-tempered man in the kitchen; he was seen yelling dirty words at his staff and throwing equipment around. Food critic Gill, who was famously fired from Ramsay'sChelsearestaurant, has said that Ramsay is "a wonderful chef, just a really second-rate human being". | high16875.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "About math exam"
},
"options": [
"Hello from Ann",
"Hello. I sent you an e-mail",
"About math exam",
"You'll be pleased to get my e-mail"
],
"question": "Which of the following subject lines is the best?",
"... | Once upon a time, people wrote letters mostly with pen and paper. But the Internet has changed all that. Among computer users today, between 50 and 90 percent of written letters take place through e-mail. That's much different from the days when everyone relied on "snail mail" . More and more new e-mail users are asking, "How can I write better e-mail message?" Here are six tips for you.
(1) Who are you writing to?
Who are you writing to? A friend, a classmate, a teacher or a boss? Be sure the tone of your e-mail message is right for the receiver. Using slang or abbreviations may be all right for your friends. But business letters should use full names and complete sentences.
(2) Be direct. Readers of e-mail have little patience. Say what you want to say directly.
(3) Use short sentences.
E-mail is quicker and more convenient than snail mail. It's also much easier to throw away. Don't use long sentences. Make your sentences short and clear.
(4) Give enough details .
A terrible e-mail message reads like this: "Did you get my e-mail?" Someone reading this will wonder, "Which e-mail? Sent when? About what?" Today's e-mail users sometimes get many messages every day, so be sure your messages have enough details to be understood.
(5) Use the subject line well
Readers see what's in the subject line of your message before anything else. Don't say "Hi, from Wang Peng"------ they can see who sent the message from the address. A short, direct explanation of the content of your message will get you a faster answer.
(6) Don't be too slow to answer.
Remember that in the world of e-mail, things happen fast. If you take longer than a week to answer someone's message, it may be too late. | high24179.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "get away from the farm"
},
"options": [
"earn more money for his family",
"learn something from a salesman",
"get away from the farm",
"get enough to eat."
],
"question": "Frank took a short business course in o... | Frank Woolworth was born in Rodman, New York., in 1852. His family were very poor farmers, and there was never enough to eat. Frank decided he did not want to be farmer. He took a short business course, and went to work as a salesman in a large city.
Woolworth realized he had a natural skill for showing goods to attract people's interest, but he soon learned something more important. One day his boss told him to sell some odds and ends ( ) for as much as he could get. Frank put all these things on one table with a sign which said five cents each. People fought and pushed to buy the things and the table was soon cleared.
Soon afterwards, Woolworth opened his own store., selling goods at five and ten cents. But he had another lesson to learn before he became successful. That is, if you want to make money by selling low-price goods, you have to buy them in large quantities directly from the factories. Once, for example, Woolworth went to Germany and placed an order for knives. The order was so large that the factory had to keep running 24 hours a day for a whole year. In this way, the price of the knives was cut down by half.
By 1919, Woolworth had over 1000 stores in the US and Canada, and opened his first store in London. He made many millions and his name became famous throughout the world. He always run his business according to strict rules, of which the most important was: " The customer is always right." | high1292.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "offering advice to their owners' friends or relatives"
},
"options": [
"giving responses to the moods of the owners",
"giving proposals like assistants or companions",
"offering advice to their owners' friends or relatives",
... | Smart phones that react to your moods and televisions that can tell it's you who's watching are in your future as Intel Corporation's top technology expert sets his sights on context-aware computing.
Chief technology officer Justin Rattner showed how personal devices will one day offer advice. "How can we change the relationship so we think of these devices not as devices but as assistants or even companions?" he asked.
Handheld devices could combine already common geographic location technology with data from microphones, cameras, heart and body monitors and even brain scans to offer their owners advice that today only a friend or relative could give.
"Imagine a device that uses a variety of sensors to determine what you are doing at an instant, from being asleep in your bed to being out for a run with a friend, " Rattner said, "Future devices will constantly learn about who you are, how you live, work and play.''
Rattner also demonstrated a television remote control that figures out who is holding it based on how it is held, and then learns the viewer's entertainment preferences.
As the world leader for decades in microchips for servers and desktop computers, Intel is hurrying to catch up in the profitable market for smart phones like Apple's iPhone and Research in Motion's Blackberry.
Telephones with e-mail, global positioning and media players are pointing the way to a future where ever more functions are packed into ever smaller mobile devices.
The smart phone industry, including technology giants like LG and Samsung, is likely to sell 270 million phones this year and grow 25 percent in 2011, according to market research company IDC.
"I think you can expect to see features that support context-aware computing starting to appear in Intel products in the near future," Rattner said.
But analysts say Intel faces an uphill battle getting its microchips into new phones as Nvidia, Marvell and Qualcomm have already made headway with cheap, lower-power processors based on designs by ARM Holdings.
Rattner recognized that questions about privacy and people's willingness to be intimate with their computers will have to be settled before the future generation of smart phones he described takes off.
"If you think identity threat is a problem today, imagine when your whole context is readily available on the Net.", he said. | high706.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Keep them company."
},
"options": [
"Look at them sadly.",
"Keep them company.",
"Play games with them.",
"Touch them gently."
],
"question": "What would Brownie do when someone was ill in the family?",
"que... | When I was six, dad brought home a dog one day, who was called "Brownie". My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games. Brownie, in return, loved each other and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. We always felt better when she was around.
One day , as I was getting her food, she chewed up one of dad's shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, "Bad girl," she looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes.
Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet. She went everywhere with us. People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she'd let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we'd be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair. She never barked or tried to get away. Funny thing is she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loved everyone. | high23616.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the benefits of manageable stress"
},
"options": [
"how to avoid stress",
"how to deal with stress effectively",
"the benefits of manageable stress",
"the effect of stress hormones on memory"
],
"question": "The... | "Humans should not try to avoid stress any more just as they would not _ food, love or exercise," said Dr. Hans Selye, the first physician to record the effects of stress on the body. While here's one question that continuous stress is harmful, several studies suggest that challenging unexpected and difficult situations can be good for you.
In a 2001 study of 158 hospital nurses, those who faced considerable work demands but dealt with the challenge were more likely to say they were in good health. In a study at theprefix = st1 /AcademicCenter, researchers put volunteers through a stressful experience: a timed task that required memorizing a list followed by a short test. Those who did well on the memory test had an increase in levels of immunoglobulin A, which is the body's first line of defense against germs .
Stress makes the body produce certain stress hormones. In short bursts these hormones have a positive effect including improved memory function. "They can help nerve cells deal with information and put it into storage," says Dr. Bruce McEwen of Rockefeller University inNew York. But in the long run these hormones can have a harmful effect on the body and brain.
"Continued stress is not good for you," says Dr. Bruce," it's the short burst of stress that could be protective." | high22508.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To obtain the chance of teaching art to children."
},
"options": [
"To advertise for herself in New York Times.",
"To show her great enthusiasm for CityArts.",
"To obtain the chance of teaching art to children.",
"To pr... | Dear Ms.Smith,
It is with great interest and enthusiasm that I am applying for the arts education internship advertised in Sunday's New York Times.This position is exactly what I am looking for and an ideal opportunity for me to use my knowledge,educational background,and experience.
My arts education at Pratt Institute has helped me develop a firm foundation in the arts.The courses I have completed at Pratt,along with my study abroad in Paris,has prepared me well for a position in arts education.I have always enjoyed a passion for the arts but my undergraduate education has taken my interest to a whole new level.I not only enjoy doing art but I find myself even more enthusiastic when I have the opportunity to teach what I have learned.
For the past two summers I have worked directly with children at CityArts.These experiences were amazing since my responsibilities included planning and directing major projects that were planned for the summer program that goes on each year for local children interested in the arts.I was given a concept at the beginning of each summer and I had complete control of how the projects were to be completed.The children were the creative force and often were the inspiration for the artwork that was eventually presented to the public.
I am very excited about the summer opportunity with the Children's Museum of the Arts since I know that I can definitely make a positive contribution while doing what I love,teaching art to children.I will contact you in one week to discuss my candidacy and see if you have any questions about my education or experience.Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Samantha R.Gray | high9816.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "troublesome"
},
"options": [
"unpopular",
"troublesome",
"convenient",
"forgettable"
],
"question": "According to the passage, many lonely singles don't appreciate the regular dating scene because it is _ .",... | Nowadays, millions of lonely singles are now going online instead. The World Wide Web is quickly becoming the world's most popular matchmaker .
Singles are flocking to the Internet mainly because their busy lifestyles leave them little time to look for a _ . Using dating sites is quick and convenient. Many singles say the regular dating scene has just led them from one bad experience to another and are ready to try something else. Dating sites also make it easy to avoid someone you are not interested in. In the real world, however, ignoring someone you don't like can be difficult.
Despite all the advantages, online dating also presents its own set of problems. People aren't always those who they declare to be in their online description. Safety is another concern. You are just likely to find a criminal online as you are Mr. or Miss Right.
Online dating experts recommend following a few safety tips:
Guard your personal information. Never give out your personal information online. This includes your last name, phone number, home address and place of work.
Watch for red flags. Do any of the people you are chatting with make disrespectful comments? Do they try to control you? Do they give false information about themselves? If so, forget them!
Meet in a safe place. When meeting someone in person, choose a public location with other people around.
Following these tips and you might be able to find the person of your dreams. | high1286.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they need this skill to find a good job ."
},
"options": [
"they like to drive cars",
"they need this skill to find a good job .",
"most of them will be able to buy cars in the future",
"they want to become full-time dr... | One sixth of undergraduates in Beijing this year have registered at a driving school . The students , mostly from majors such as business management or international trade , will finish there driving courses within 20 days or so .Training costs have dropped to ,2,600yuan for students , according to the Haidian Driving School in Beijing . The price is not really low , but students will accept it , seeing it as an investment in their future . Familiarity with the operation of computers and fluent English are the basic skills graduating students need to find a job . But a driver's permit has become another factor.
"In the job market , owning a driver's permit sometimes strengthens a graduating student's competitiveness for a good position ," says Zhou Yang , an undergraduate at the China University of Political Science and Law .
Cars will become a necessary part of many people's lives in the coming years , and it's difficult to get a permit out of campus because of the pressures on working people's time . "Having a full-time job after graduation offers limited time to learn to drive . We senior students have plenty of spare time , plenty of opportunities to learn."
Xu Jian , an official at the driving school, said undergraduates were very able and serious , and could grasp in an hour what it took ordinary people four hours to learn . In this driving school, middle-aged people , young women and college students are the main customers .
To get a driver's permit , a beginner is now required to have at least 86 hours' practice before the final road test . | high23602.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "His taxi almost ran into another car."
},
"options": [
"He was caught in a traffic jam.",
"He had a fight with his taxi driver.",
"His taxi suddenly got a flat tire.",
"His taxi almost ran into another car."
],
... | How often do you let other people like a bad driver, a rude waiter, or an angry boss, change your mood ?
Sixteen years ago I learned a lesson. I got in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver used his brakes , the tires made a loud noise, and at the very last moment our car stopped just 3cm from the back of the other car.
I couldn't believe it. But then I couldn't believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, turned his head around and he started shouting at us. I couldn't believe it!
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy could have killed us!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck". He said, "Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of anger and disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.
So I started thinking how often I let Garbage Trucks run right over me and how often I take their garbage and spread it to other people.
I began to see Garbage Trucks. I see _ people are carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don't take it personally. I just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. | high9802.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Campaign started for disabled children"
},
"options": [
"Awareness of legal rights among parents",
"Campaign started for disabled children",
"Problems of disabled children",
"Steve -- Olympic gold medalist"
],
"... | The education of thousands of children with reading and sight trouble is being held back because of a lack of awareness of their legal rights, say campaigners.
They are calling for greater efforts to increase awareness of the rights of such children to have text books in design other than standard print. The campaign is being supported by five times Olympic gold medalist, Sir Steve Redgrave, who has reading trouble.
Pupils have the right to receive text in another way, and parents can take action under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) if they feel their children are being treated in a different way through a lack of support. But new research suggests 89 per cent of print disabled pupils and their parents are unaware of software which changes standard print into other substitutes like combined text and audio files which can be read or listened to.
Sir Steve has teamed up with software company Dolphin Computer Access to raise awareness of software turning tools. He said: "I recognize that schools have competing priorities for their resources , but I would like to see a much greater effort on the part of the government and schools to raise awareness among parents that these additional solutions exist and that their children have a right to use them."
Mike Foster, Dolphin's local MP in Worcester, is _ the campaign. "There is clearly an issue to solve concerning software for special needs. I'll be asking ministers what steps can be taken to improve the situation", he said. | high3491.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "New evidence appeared which led officials to the basement of a building."
},
"options": [
"Local lawyers strongly demanded the reopening of the case.",
"The Associated Press reported the result of the review of the case.",
"N... | NEW YORK (AP) -- The investigation into the disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz has gone through decades and countries, from basements to rooftops and seemingly everywhere in between.
No one has ever been charged criminally -- and the little boy with sandy brown hair and a toothy grin was declared dead in 2001.
This week, the six-year-old boy who went missing from the Soho area of New York City in 1979 is back in the news. Police and the FBI are investigating a possible lead into the 33-year-old case of Etan Patz, the first missing child to appear on the side of a milk box.
The child disappeared on the way to school on the morning of May 25, 1979. It was the first time he was allowed to walk the two blocks to the bus stop alone.
A tip seemed to have led officials to the basement of a building on the corner of Prince and Wooster streets, about a block and a half from where Etan had lived with his family.
The name Etan Patz has become a hot topic on Twitter as people _ . Shirley Brady noted: "As mom to a 6 years old in Soho, it's still held out by locals as cautionary tale ." Another wrote, "Boy who disappeared on his way to school in 1979 has been REOPENED! Crazy." One wondered, "Why is FBI and NYPD searching for a kid that disappeared in 1979?"
Good question. This is a case that Stuart Gra Bois, as an assistant U.S. lawyer under Rudolph Giuliani, followed for years. It became the most famous missing-person case in New York City, turned a nationwide spotlight on missing children, and created headlines around the globe. No one was ever stated guilty of the crime.
The case led to the creation of National Missing Children's Day, marked on May 25, the day the blond-haired, blue-eyed child went missing.
The case has even pointed to a suspect, charged with child molester Julio Antonio Ramos, who is currently in prison. Patz's babysitter had been dating the man, and Ramos did know the kid, but has denied taking him away.
New evidence in the case suggests another suspect who lived in the apartment at the time: a local handyman named Othniel Miller, who gave Etan $1 for helping him the night before the disappearance.
The man's name had come up in an earlier investigation, but he was a friend of the Patz family, and the NYPD did not follow the lead.
Investigators plan to be at the site, 127 B Prince St., which is now a Lucky Brand jeans store, for the next two to three days to search for human remains. The Associated Press reports that the excavation has been the result of a recently ordered review of the case by Manhattan's police. | high2957.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "76"
},
"options": [
"30",
"75",
"76",
"1001"
],
"question": "According to the passage, we can infer that there were contestants in all to take part in the race up the stairs of the world's tallest building,Taipe... | An Australian man has beaten 75 other contestants from around the world to win a race up the stairs of the world's tallest building, Taipei 101.
Paul Crake,30, ran up 91 floors containing 2,046 steps in 10 minutes, 29 seconds.
Mr. Crake, who has won a similar race up the Empire State Building five times, won $5,920 in prize
money.
The women's race was won by Austrian Andrea Mayr, who finished in 12 minutes,38 seconds and also
won a $5,920 prize.
Austrian Rudolf Reitheiger, who beat Mr. Crake in this year's Empire State Building Race, came
second in the men's competition.
Mr. Crake and Ms. Mayr missed out on the offer of $30,000 for completing the grueling race in under
10 or 12 minutes respectively.
A further 1,001 people took part in a so-called "self-challenging" race up the skyscraper.
Taipei 101 is 508 meters tall and was finished in 2003, although Chinese developers have said
Shanghai's World Financial Center will be taller when completed in 2007.
"Tower-running" races take place up the tallest buildings and structures across the world.
The Sears Tower in Chicago, the CN Tower in Toronto and the Azrieli Tower in Tel Aviv have all held
recent events.
Runners also race up the longest staircase in the world-the service staircase for the Niesenbahn railway
near Spiez, Switzerland, which has 11,674 steps.
At event for the long--distance stairway runners also takes place in Radebeul, Germany, where
competitors run up 397 stairs 100 times to equal the height of Mt everest. | high16861.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Public Awareness on Youngsters' Mental Disease Expected"
},
"options": [
"Efforts to Mark World Mental Health Day",
"Seriousness of Youngsters' Mental Health Problems",
"How to Maintain Mental Well-being",
"Public Aware... | China Daily Oct. 11----The ministry of Health has called for more awareness from the public on the mental health of the young, as part of efforts to make World Mental Health Day which fell on Friday.
More than 15 percent of Chinese youths have been found with mental problems, and about 30 million young people under 17 are suffering from depression, the Shang-based Wenhui Daily reported. The World Health Organization estimates that before 2020, the rate of children with mental problems will increase to 50 percent, and mental problems will become a major factor behind deaths and illness in the young worldwide.
Deng Xiaohong, the spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, said rapid changes are one of the reasons behind the rising number of youngsters with psychological problems. If these mental diseases are not addressed on time, occurrence of crimes, drug-taking and other dangerous behavior are expected to rise. Experts said mental diseases could be caused by many factors, such as the inability to handle interpersonal relations well, unstable emotions and pressures from an overload of studies. A number of experts have also said the one-child policy is another reason leading to poor mental health in the young. Children are said to be too " spoiled" and "selfish" in a one-child family.
It's reported schools in many cities are rolling out measures to help students maintain their mental well-being. Yin Jingmiao, a teacher of the Beijing No.105 Middle School, told China Daily that the school invites psychologists to provide counseling to students three times a month." Students can be arranged to have 40-minute counseling sessions," Yin said. The school also gives lectures on mental health to senior grade students before they take the national college entrance exams to help ease any anxiety arising from the tests. | high11868.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "sign up on the website of Virgin Galactic"
},
"options": [
"go to any travel agency",
"telephone Virgin Galactic",
"pay a visit to Allianz",
"sign up on the website of Virgin Galactic"
],
"question": "If you wan... | The first flights of the new airlines that will take tourists into space are ready to take off in 2012, and getting a seat on one is not all that different from booking a trip someplace on Earth. You can sign up on the website of, say, Virgin Galactic,the most wellknown of the new space tourism companies, or go to an approved travel agency and put down a large deposit. Soon you will be able to buy travel insurance,just as you can for any other vacation.
Until now,space tourism has been limited to the ultrawealthy. Just seven people have paid tens of millions of dollars each for a trip to the International Space Station aboard a Russian rocket.
But that could change this year, when Virgin Galactic intends to start offering flights just beyond the space barrier on a rocket ship it has built, featuring five minutes of weightlessness during a twoandahalfhour tour. At $ 200,000 a seat, this will open the final frontier to far more people.
At least two other specialty airlines have jumped in as well, taking reservations and deposits for future space flights.Allianz, the big insurer, will introduce an insurance product in 2012, lending space tourism the _ of the regular travel industry.
"Just to be able to sell space travel as a regular part of your business, really, just how cool is that?" said Lynda Turley Garrett, president of Alpine Travel of Saratoga, Calif.,who is one of 58 accredited space agents for Virgin Galactic in the United States.
In five years,Ms.Garrett has sold three seats. But she expects that to change once passengers start going up and coming down to tell their friends. "By 2017,it'll be just like scheduling a flight to L.A.," Ms.Garrett predicted. | high5786.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to attract people to attend these concerts"
},
"options": [
"to attract people to attend these concerts",
"enrich your knowledge of some famous musicians",
"rouse your interest in music",
"call on young people to learn ... | Vitas 2008 Beijing Concert
Venue: Capital Gymnasium
Time: 2008-01-24 19:30
Price: TBD(Booking)
Tel.: 86-10-64177845
God Blessed Boy
Extremely Beautiful Voice
Unforgettable Hot Live
First appeared on the Russian stage in December 2000, this show became an extreme classic in Vitas' music history.Since then, moreover, more fans from other countries were caught by him from this video especially in China.The lack of Russian language was not in the way for dozen thousands of admirers from China, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan first to pay attention and then to love Vitas' creative work, his voice and songs.Undoubtedly his 2008 concert will also be considered as the yearly expectable concert in Chinese music scene and the most important event among his fans.Let's expect it!
Lang Lang Piano Solo Concert
Venue: National Grand Theater-Concert Hall
Time: 2008-01-03 19:30:00/2008-01-04 19:30:00
Price: TBD(Booking)
Tel: 800-810-1887
Acclaimed in the major concert halls of North America, Europe and Asia, Lang Lang - at the age of 20s - has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level and has established himself as one of the most exciting pianists of our time.Lang Lang's talent and personality make him an ideal ambassador for classical music and a role model for young people.He is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic and all "Big Five" American orchestras.
Li Yun Di Piano Recital
Venue: National Grand Theater-Concert Hall
Time: 2008-3-27 19:30:00
Price: TBD(Booking)
Tel: 010-64177845
Remarks: The tickets for Li Yun Di Piano Recital will be available soon!
Called "extravagantly gifted and highly accomplished" by the Los Angeles Times, China pianist Li Yundi was born in 1982 in Chongqing and first gained worldwide attention after winning first prize at the 2000 Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw.He was the first person in 15 years to be awarded a first prize.
Soprano Te Kanawa Solo Concert
Venue: National Grand Theater-Concert Hall
Time: 2008-01-02 19:30:00
Price: 180(Out)280(Selling)480(Selling)680(Selling)880(Selling)1680(Out)
Tel: 400-810-1887
Dame Kiri Janette Te Kanawa is an internationally famous New Zealand opera singer.In 1981, she was seen and heard around the world by an estimated 600 million people when she sang Handel's "Let the Bright Seraphim" at the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. | high21773.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The youth self-respect"
},
"options": [
"Love",
"Morals",
"Social order",
"The youth self-respect"
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT mentioned about South Korean TV series in the passage?",
"ques... | Last year more than 13 Korean TV series were introduced in China. Turn on the TV, and Korean beauties are appearing during peak viewing times . Some of the dramas are being _ , but audiences continue to watch them. Why are the South Korean TV series loved by so many Chinese people? Cheng Yiting, a student from East China Normal University, gives us her reasons. She thinks that the good-looking actors with cool clothes and the beautiful sight in the dramas are the selling points for South Korean TV dramas. But what attracted the young audiences most is the pure and moving love stories.
And it seems that South Korean TV series has also won the hearts of middle-aged people. They are touched by the morals in the shows. These include the importance of respecting elders and social order. Though some people think South Korean TV series are too slow and too long, most of the Chinese audiences like them. Maybe we are really tired of Western TV series. Compared with that, South Korean TV series are not bad. | high4498.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He saved a girl by lifting a car."
},
"options": [
"He saved a girl by lifting a car.",
"He won in a Christmas competition.",
"He pushed off the car on his daughter.",
"He was always ready to help his neighbors."
],... | A young girl is calling a neighbor a superhero because of what he did when she was trapped beneath a car. Nick Harris said he didn't know where he found the strength, but somehow he managed to lift a car off the 6yearold girl last week,earning himself the title of superman. "I just think it' s a Christmas miracle,"Harris said.
Harris said he has tried time and again to recreate the surprising show of strength because instinct sent him running to the 6yearold' s aid. "I just ran over there,saw the tire on her,and lifted the car up to get her out from underneath the car,"Harris said. "I don't know how I did it. I've tried three or four times since then."
Harris was dropping off his daughter at Eugene Field Elementary Friday morning when he saw a car back out of a driveway,pinning the girl under its tire. That girl turned out to be his daughter's best friend.
"I was expecting her to have bad injuries,"Harris said. "I've had broken toes, because a car just backed over my foot. And here this whole car was on top of her. I wasn't expecting it to turn out as wonderful as it did." The first grader was flown to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City by an air ambulance ,but didn't have to stay long.
"They all call me superman now,"Harris said. "I'm just a dad. I'm just a dad that was in the right place at the right time. And I was finally able to help and I did something good." | high7191.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the public"
},
"options": [
"scientists",
"parents",
"the public",
"teachers"
],
"question": "Who is the passage mainly written for?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
... | This booklet is designed to help you and your family plan for and survive a major earthquake. By taking action to be prepared, you can lessen the impact of an earthquake on your family. Set aside some emergency supplies, and teach your family what to do at home during and after a disaster. You could be without help for up to 72 hours, so learn to cope for at least that long.
Movement of the ground is seldom the actual cause of death or injury. Most casualties result from partial building collapse and falling objects and debris, like toppling chimneys, falling bricks, ceiling plaster, and light fixtures. Many of these conditions are easily preventable.
Because earthquakes occur without warning, it's important to take steps now to prepare, so that you know what you can do and how to respond--constructive, protective action is possible.
Have on hand for Any Emergency- Ideas for Home, Workplace, and Car.
Because you don't know where you will be when an earthquake occurs, prepare disaster supplies. | high21983.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he intends to improve his scores"
},
"options": [
"he intends to improve his scores",
"Polish kids are better at learning",
"sports are not supported at schools in Gettysburg",
"he wants to be the smartest kid in the wo... | In her new book, "The Smartest Kidsin the World", Amanda Ripley, an investigative journalist, tells the story of Tom, a high-school student from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, who decides to spend his senior year in Wroclaw, Poland. Poland is a surprising educational success story: in the past decade, the country raised students' test scores from significantly below average to well above it. Polish kids have now outscored American kids in math and science, even though Poland spends, on average, less than half as much per student as the United States does. One of the most striking differences between the high school Tom attended in Gettysburg and the one he ends up at in Wroclaw is that the latter has no football team or teams of any kind.
That American high schools spend more time and money on sports than on math is an old complaint. In December, when the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results are announced, it's safe to predict that American high-school students will once again show their limited skills in math and reading, outscored not just by students in Poland but also by students in places like China, Finland, Singapore, and Japan. Meanwhile, they will have played some very exciting football games, which will have been breathlessly written up in their hometown papers.
Why does this situation continue? Well, for one thing, kids like it. And for another, according to Ripley, parents seem to like the arrangement, too. She describes a tour she took of a school in Washington D.C., which costs thirty thousand dollars a year. The tour leader -- a mother with three children in the school -- was asked about the school's flaws . When she said that the math program was weak, none of the parents taking the tour reacted. When she said that the football program was weak, theu mean?"
One of the ironies of the situation is that sports show what is possible. American kids' performance on the field shows just how well they can do when expectations are high. It's too bad that their test scores show the same thing. | high11840.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the forming of new habits can be guided"
},
"options": [
"the forming of new habits can be guided",
"the development of habits can be predicted",
"the regulation of old habits can be transformed",
"the track of new habi... | Habits are a funny thing. We reach for them mindlessly, setting our brains on auto-pilot and relaxing into the unconscious comfort of familiar routine. "Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting creatures," William Wordsworth said in the 19th century. In the ever-changing 21st century, even the word "habit" carries a negative meaning.
So it seems contradictory to talk about habits in the same context as innovation . But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.
Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try, the more creative we become.
But don't bother trying to kill off old habits; once those _ of procedure are worn into the brain, they're there to stay. Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.
"The first thing needed for innovation is attraction to wonder," says Dawna Markova, author of The Open Mind. "But we are taught instead to 'decide', just as our president calls himself 'the Decider'." She adds, however, that "to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities."
"All of us work through problems in ways of which we're unaware," she says. Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the ability to approach challenges in four primary ways: analytically, procedurally , collaboratively and innovatively. At the end of adolescence, however, the brain shuts down half of that ability, preserving only those ways of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life.
The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us use our innovative and collaborative ways of thought. "This breaks the major rule in the American belief system--that anyone can do anything," explains M. J. Ryan, author of the 2006 book This Year I Will ... and Ms. Markova's business partner. "That's a lie that we have preserved, and it fosters commonness. Knowing what you're good at and doing even more of it creates excellence." This is where developing new habits comes in. | high20445.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "were closely related to the curriculum"
},
"options": [
"were written for the students to relax themselves",
"made most parents and teachers angry",
"were specially written for hardworking students",
"were closely relat... | Most parents and teachers would get angry when they hear that teenagers listen to their iPods while preparing for exams. But pupils who listen to music when doing their homework may be, in fact, working hard.
Thirty three schools have downloaded specially written pop and rock songs for their 10,000 pupils who are studying for GCSE . The professionally recorded music, based on texts in English literature, teaches teenagers about themes in the GCSE curriculum . Two young men set up "Revise", the company that produced the songs, and worked with teachers to make sure the lyrics reflected the curriculum. Some of the songs were written by Geraint Brown, a director, and they are performed by professional singers and musicians.
Songs for the GCSE science and maths lessons are also being developed in 36 schools. They have also started using the program, called, "LearnThruMusic".
Dave Matthews, the head of Hawthorn High School in the South Wales valleys, said the program aimed at helping teenagers who are unwilling to study. He said, "There are lots of pupils who don't have a high level of home support. It's almost cool to say you have no need to find a support and we have got to change that. With this, they don't have to be sitting at their desk at home. They can be outside, walking around or even listening to it on the bus, which is very convenient for them." Everyone has a phone, MP3 or CD player, and they're more likely to listen to these than pick up a book. "I think everyone would agree that music had an important influence on us when growing up. Both boys and girls are very good at remembering the words and dancing to the music in the charts. There's no one thing that will successfully engage (...) every child, and some of them will make little or no use of this. But the fact that they don't have to do any extra work makes this a very good deal for a kid," Dave Matthews added. | high5976.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to different cities in Greece"
},
"options": [
"to different cities in Greece",
"from Greece to other countries",
"to tourist attractions in Greece",
"from Greece to its bordering countries"
],
"question": "The ... | Greece is one of the most beautiful countries of the world.Millions of tourist visit this place every year.In Greece the bus is the most convenient and preferred means of traveling.There are intercity buses operated by KTEL that interconnect various cities of Greece,!! and there are international buses operated by OSE that connect Greece to other European cities.
Every tourist must visit Greece at least once in life.This country is really a vacation heaven.It is the perfect blend of history and art with adventure and romance.You car| dive into deep[
blue waters, climb up the mountains or enjoy ancient architecture and history.
Buses in Greece are cheap and very comfortable.All bus stations display schedules of buses on every route.Conductors and drivers are very polite and helpful.Travelers never face any rouble locating and boarding buses to their destinations.Tourists can always ask the conductor to inform them about their stop, so that they can get down at the right stop.Everyone here is more than happy to help tourists.
Athens, me capital of Greece, has three bus terminals .Buses to different parts of Greece leave from different terminals.Air-conditioned express buses also operate between major cities.They are faster and more comfortable than other buses.Tourists can choose guided Greece bus ^our.These tours are the perfect way of exploring this great country. |
Buses in Greece are also a great way of saving _ on the journey.The long-distance bus system is very cheap.Buses save a lot of money to cover long distances, cheaper than taxis or cars. They are also the best means of interacting with local people.You can sit next to a native of Greece and get some information about the place. | high11698.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Under the sea."
},
"options": [
"At the British Museum.",
"In New York.",
"In Egypt.",
"Under the sea."
],
"question": "According to the passage, where is the Egyptian mummy now?",
"question_type": null
},... | Is it possible that the sinking of the Titanic was caused by a ghost? A lot of the story below is true... but did it really happen quite like this?
Our story begins not in the icy cold waters of the North Atlantic, but rather thousands of miles away in Egypt. It is here, perhaps, that we can find the start of the mystery of the Titanic, in the year 1910, in the great city of Cairo. One day, a famous professor of Egyptian history called Douglas Murray was staying in Cairo, when he was contacted by an American adventurer.
The American had something unusual to offer Murray, something that was certain to thrill him: a beautiful ancient Egyptian mummy case, containing the mummy of an Egyptian queen. It was over 3000 years old, but in beautiful condition -- gold, with bright paintings on it. Murray was delighted with both the object and the asking price. He gave the man a cheque immediately.
The cheque was never cashed. That evening the American adventurer died. For his part, Murray arranged to have the treasure sent back to Britain. However, it was not long before he learnt more about the beautiful mummy case: On the walls of the tomb in which it had been discovered, there were messages which warned of terrible consequences to anyone who broke into the tomb. Murray was disbelieving of these warnings until a few days later, when a gun he was holding exploded in his hand, shattering his arm. The arm had to be cut off.
After the accident, Murray decided to return to his homeland. On the return journey, two of his companions died mysteriously, and two servants who had handled the mummy also passed away. The now-terrified Murray decided he would get rid of the _ case as soon as he arrived in London. A lady he knew named Janet Jones said she would like it, so he gave it to her. Shortly afterwards, Jones' mother died, and she herself caught a strange disease. She tried returning the mummy, but naturally Murray refused it. In the end, it was presented to the British Museum.
Even in the museum, the mummy apparently continued to cause strange events. A museum photographer died shortly after taking pictures of the new exhibit; and a manager also died for no apparent reason. In the end, the British Museum decided to get rid of the mummy too. They sold it to a collector in New York.
At the start of April 1912, arrangements for the transfer were complete, and the mummy began the journey to its new home. But the New Yorker never received the mummy or its case. For when the Titanic sank, one of the objects in its strong room was the mummy case. Or so they say. | high14938.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they feel it easier to get along with animals"
},
"options": [
"they consider animals their best friends",
"they are curious about animal kingdom",
"they feel it easier to get along with animals",
"they are more familia... | I have been teaching animal behavior at the Boulder County Prison in Colorado for 10 years. The course is one of the most popular in the prison. Prisoners have to earn the right to attend the course and they work hard to get in.
One reason why the course is so popular is that many prisoners find it easier to connect with animals than with people, because animals don't judge them. They trust animals in ways they don't with humans.
Yet, they hold a misunderstanding of how animals treat one another. Many admit that their own "animal behavior" is what got them into trouble in the first place. I teach that though there is competition and aggression in the animal kingdom, there is also a lot of cooperation and sympathy.
Many of the students want to build healthy relationships, and they find that the class helps them. I use examples of the social behavior of group-living animals such as wolves as a model for developing and maintaining friendships among people who must work together for their own good and also for the good of the group.
It's clear that science inspires the students here and it also gives them hope. I know some students have gone back into education after their being set free while others have gone to work for humane societies or contributed time and money to conservation organizations. One went on to receive a master's degree in nature writing.
Science and humane education help the prisoners connect with values that they otherwise would not have done. It opens the door to understanding, trust, cooperation and hope. There's a large population of people to whom science could mean a lot, if only they could have access to it. The class helps me, too. I get as much out of it as the students and it has made me a better teacher. | high12391.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To help the environment."
},
"options": [
"To reduce the number of the planes and cars",
"To make more money",
"To encourage people to travel by bus or by rail.",
"To help the environment."
],
"question": "What ... | The Government should raise taxes on air travel and high-polluting cars in order to help the environment, an important committee of MPs has said. It also said that the 70 mph speed limit on motorways should be reduced or enforced to bring down the amount of carbon dioxide given off by cars The House of Common Enviromental Audit committee's latest report said that transport was the only sector of the UK where carbon _ have continued to rise since 1990.
It said it was time for the Government to make demand for cheap air impossible by raising air passenger tax. Emissions from air traffic have risen by 5 times as much since 1900 and are continuing to rise.
The committee welcomed the recent introduction of changed car tax, which means that the lowest-carbon cars pay no road tax, while gas-guzzling 4x4s pay an increased rate of PS210. However, the MPs say it doesn't go far enough and are calling for a top limit of PS1,800 with lower limit of PS200.
Committee chairman Tim Yeo said : "Air travel in particular is the fastest growing source of CO2, with emissions more than five times since 1900. The Government should take much more decisive action to reduce the difference of income favor of trains, buses, and lower carbon cars and lorries."
Friends of the Earth's senior organizer Tony Bosworth said: "Emissions from transport are still rising and forecasts suggest they will carry on rising for years to come."
"Tinkering around the edges is no longer enough to deal with the greatest threat the world faces." A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "Dealing with carbon emissions in transport is a key problem." | high22252.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the severe air pollution in China"
},
"options": [
"the smoggy weather in Beijing",
"the severe air pollution in China",
"China's economic growth and pollution",
"Chinese government media's attitudes toward air pollutio... | Air pollution levels were literally off the charts in Beijing over the weekend, reportedly reducing visibility to about 100 yards in some areas. The air has been classified hazardous to human health for many days, at its worst hitting pollution levels 25 times that considered safe in the U. S. The entire city is blanketed in a thick grey smog, leading to official warnings to stay inside. At least four deaths have been blamed on what Chinese media calls the "smoggy weather"--including two high school students who were hit by a train due to low visibility. The smog has affected more than 30 cities in China.
The air quality is so bad--some foreigners in China have been referring to it on social media as the "Airpocalypse "--that government media have been joining Internet users in questioning China's rapid path to economic growth. Unusually, the pollution is getting headline treatment on local news bulletins and in the domestic media. Since the beginning of the year, the government has been releasing hourly pollution readings for 74 Chinese cities, almost half of which are now showing severe pollution.
In the Chinese media, there's been some soul-searching about why the problem has been so serious. The China Daily took the country's rapid urbanization process to task , commenting in an editorial, "The air quality in big cities could have been better had more attention been paid to the density of high rises, had more trees been planted in proportion to the number of residential areas, and had the number of cars been strictly controlled." Meanwhile, the Global Tunes has been pointing out China's role as the global factory and the "biggest construction site in the world." The Los Angeles Times reports fuel, standards in China allow for three times the amount of poisonous sulfur as in the United States, and five times as much compared to European standards. | high24145.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Cigarette ads are prohibited on television in America."
},
"options": [
"Cigarette ads were prohibited in America.",
"Cigarette ads are prohibited on television in America.",
"Marlboro commercial was prohibited on television.... | A film was at the Circle Five Ranch to film a Marlboro commercial. This is in 1868, before they prohibited cigarette ads from American television. Darrell Winfield was watching the crew set up the equipment. The scene included an actor crossing a river on horseback, but when the time came to shoot, the man was too drunk to ride. Someone from the crews saw Winfield and asked him if he would ride the horse for 50. "Hell, " said Winfield, "for 50 bucks, I'll jump that damn horse over the moon!"
To people in many countries, Winfield is just a familiar but nameless face, a simple cowboy with an advertising message about a connection between the West and a brand of cigarettes. Few people know that he is advertising message about a connection between the West and a brand of cigarettes. Few people know that he is 55, a family man who's been married to the same woman for 37 years and has 5 children and 7 grandchildren. Most surprisingly, he's a real, working cowboy who raises horses in his ranch in Wyoming.
One of the most striking things about the Marlboro Man is that success hasn't changed him much. He says that complete strangers sometimes come up to him and say, "I've met you. know you from somewhere. "Whenever it happens, he says that he gets embarrassed. | high7807.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Their fur color depends on their living range."
},
"options": [
"Most of them have black fur.",
"Their fur color depends on their living range.",
"They change their fur color throughout their life.",
"They are always of... | American black bears appear in a variety of colors despite their name. In the eastern part of their range , most of these bears have shiny black fur, but in the west they grow brown, red or even yellow coats. To the north, the black bear is actually gray or white. Even in the same litter , both brown and black furred bears may be born.
Black bears are the smallest of all American bears, ranging in length from 5 to 6 feet, weighing from 300 to 500 pounds. Their eyes and ears are small and their eyesight and hearing are not as good as their sense of smell. Like all bears, the black bear is shy, clumsy and rarely dangerous. However, if cornered, the black bear can become a fearful enemy.
Black bears feed on leaves, roots, fruit, insects, fish and even larger animals. One of the most interesting characteristics of bears, including the black bear, is their winter sleep. Unlike many other animals, bears do not actually hibernate . Although the bear does not eat during the winter months, its temperature remains almost normal, and it breathes regularly four or five times per minute.
Most black bears live alone, except during the mating season . A litter of one to four cubs is born in January or February and they remain with their mother until they are fully grown or about one and a half years old. Black bears can live as long as thirty years in the wild, and even longer in game preserves set aside for them. | high14086.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "preschool children's performance can reflect their future."
},
"options": [
"preschool children can focus on things for a long time.",
"preschool children's performance can reflect their future.",
"the more preschoolers play ... | Preschool-aged children who can focus on a particular task for an extended period of time have a 50 percent greater chance of graduating from college, according to a new study from Oregon State University.
Observing 430 preschoolers, researchers asked parents to rate their children based on social and behavioral skills, such as "plays with a single toy for long periods of time" or "child gives up easily when difficulties are encountered." Additionally, in order to find out the changes happening on them, the children's reading and math skills were assessed at age 7 and again at age 21.
What researchers discovered was that the ability to pay attention and follow directions may be more critical than academic abilities to overall academic success.
"There is a big push now to teach children early academic skills at the preschool level," said Megan McClelland, an early child development researcher at Oregon State and lead author of the study, in a news release. "Our study shows that the biggest predictor of college completion wasn't math or reading skills, but whether or not they were able to pay attention and finish tasks at age 4."
Parents whose children rated higher on attention span and persistence at the age of 4 had a nearly 50 percent greater chance of completing their college degree by age 25, according to the study. Fortunately, as McClelland noted in the news release, these social and behavioral skills can be taught, and the earlier adults step in to guide the student, the greater chances a child has to succeed academically.
"Academic ability carries you a long way, but these other skills are also important," McClelland said. "Increasingly, we see that the ability to listen, pay attention, and complete important tasks is _ for success later in life." | high22534.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Downloading material can be illegal."
},
"options": [
"Downloading material can be illegal.",
"Music on the Internet is of better quality.",
"It's good to get free music on the Internet.",
"Baidu is a popular web compan... | Protecting Copyright
Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs' copyright bursts onto the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing.
"Baidu's defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying. Down loaders may face lawsuits or fines," said an official.
Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in Guangdong Province, doesn't think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others' work without paying.
However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a Senior 2 girl from Jinan, Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. "If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD," she said. "So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music, rather than
file-sharers." | high15398.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He went around the country on a five-day tour."
},
"options": [
"He named Gaylord Nelson senator.",
"He went around the country on a five-day tour.",
"He cleaned his office every day.",
"He decided to put one day aside ... | Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd.Take some time to find out about how one man,who was determined to change the way we treated our planet,didn't stop until he had made a difference.
In 1963,Senator Gaylord Nelson wasn't happy with the earth's condition.He wanted to clean up the planet,solve pollution and environmental problems.A senator is someone US citizens choose to help make laws,so Gaylord had a lot of power.He went to John F.Kennedy,the President at the time,with his ideas.The President agreed that the planet's environment was a serious issue,so President Kennedy went around the country on a five-day tour to promote the idea of cleaning up the planet.People began making small changes but it wasn't enough.
A few years later,Senator Nelson decided to put one day aside every year for the cause of saving the planet.On April 22,1970,the first Earth Day was celebrated.More than 20 million people took part in Earth Day activities in 1970.Since then,Earth Day has become an international holiday.People all over the world are doing something to make the earth a cleaner,better place.
A rock band named Dramarama wrote a song about Earth Day in 1993 called What Are We Gonna Do.Encouraging your family to recycle on a regular basis is a good way to help the earth. | high13931.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A look at beauty contests"
},
"options": [
"The origin of beauty contests",
"A look at beauty contests",
"Famous international beauty contests",
"The success of beautiful women"
],
"question": "What would be the... | The 1800s saw many firsts, including the invention of the bicycle and ready-to-eat cereal. Another interesting event also debuted in the 1800s. In 1888, the world's first beauty contest was held in Spa, Belgium. Though little is known about that first competition, the idea caught on. Today, beauty contests can be found in countries from Argentina to Zambia.
Most people agree that the business of beauty contests began in America. In 1921, local businessmen in Atlantic City, New Jersey, wanted summer tourists to stay longer. So they came up with the idea of beauty pageant. The pageant was successful, and 100,000 tourists stayed to see the first "Miss America" crowned.
After a few years, the annual event no longer focused only on girl's beauty. A talent competition was added in 1938. And not long after that, college scholarships became the official contest prize. These were just the beginning of the changes for the beauty contest industry. www.ks5u.com
From the mid-to late-20th century, beauty contests began popping up everywhere. In 1951, the Miss World Pageant got its start in London. Over time, this contest has changed its focus from beauty alone to beauty and intelligence. Miss Universe began in 1952,Miss International in 1960 and Miss Earth in 2001. Today, these still are considered the four most famous international beauty contests.
Through the years, controversy has surrounded beauty contests. Many people have objected to women competing in swimsuits as it only calls attention to one's looks. Outside pressure and changes in society, therefore, brought about changes in the beauty contest world. Today, women are judged on areas other than just appearance. These include intelligence, speaking ability, poise and talent.
The women who compete in the pageants are often asked why they do it. Many say it's because the contests build their confidence and public speaking skills and offer scholarships. Today, millions of women worldwide compete for these very reasons. | high16691.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "human activity"
},
"options": [
"solar activity",
"volcanic activity",
"the Earth's going around the sun",
"human activity"
],
"question": "In most scientists' opinion, the global warming is mainly caused by _... | Just as the world's most respected scientific bodies have confirmed that the world is getting hotter, they have also stated that there is strong evidence that humans are driving the warming. Countless recent reports from the world's leading scientific bodies have said the same thing. For example, a 2010 summary of climate science by the Royal Society stated that: "There is strong evidence that the warming of the Earth over the last half-century has been caused largely by human activity."
The idea that humans could change the planet's climate may be counter-intuitive , but the basic science is well understood. Each year, human activity causes billions of tons of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere. As scientists have known for years, these gases hold heat that would otherwise escape to space, wrapping the planet in an invisible blanket.
Of course, the planet's climate has always been changing thanks to "natural" factors such as changes in solar or volcanic activity, or cycles relating the Earth's going around the sun. According to the scientific literature, however, the warming recorded to date matches the pattern of warming we would expect from a build-up of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere - not the warming we would expect from other possible causes.
Even if scientists did discover another reasonable explanation for the warming observed so far, that would beg a difficult question. As Robert Henson puts it in The Rough Guide to Climate Change: "If some newly discovered factor can account for the climate change, then why aren't carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases producing the warming that basic physics tells us they should be?"
The only way to prove with 100% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming would be to run an experiment with two _ Earths - one with human influence and one without. That obviously isn't possible, and so most scientists are careful not to state human influence as an certainty. | high20323.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "kept writing letters and making speeches for people to support her idea"
},
"options": [
"kept writing letters to persuade people to love and respect their mother",
"kept writing letters and making speeches for people to support he... | An American woman Anna Jervis was the first person to decide that mothers should have a holiday in their honor each year. Miss Jarvis started her campaign in 1906 in her home city Philadelphia. She wrote thousands of letters to congressmen ,city officials, teachers and newspaper publishers, proposing an official holiday for mothers. She traveled all over America, trying to get support for the idea. Her battle went on for years.
In 1914 the Congress declared the second Sunday in May each year as Mother's Day. Anna Jarvis wanted Mother's Day to be a simple event. She thought children could honor their mothers by spending some time with them as an act of love and respect. However, the holiday turned out to be a major event for department stores, flower shops and greeting card industry, which Miss Jarvis didn't like.
Americans spend millions of dollars on gifts for their mothers on this day. Younger children often try to prepare and serve breakfast for their mothers. Fathers may offer to take care of children so that mothers can enjoy themselves. The holiday becomes an important time for family fathering. | high16849.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "developed her southern-style accent rapping"
},
"options": [
"went to an art school for her dream",
"worked as a cleaner in the first year",
"never returned to her hometown in Australia",
"developed her southern-style a... | Iggy Azalea doesn't look like a rapper . On May 17, she attended the 2015 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, US, with pink hair and a blue coat. She looked like a model, but won big as a rapper. The 24-year-old Australian beat out big names like Nicki Minaj and Drake to win the award for Top Rap Artist.
It's a great achievement in many people's eyes, but Azalea knew what she wanted from the beginning. At 15 she dropped out of high school because she was only interested in art class. She worked as a house cleaner to save money for her dream the following year. Before her 16th birthday, Azalea left her home, a tiny town in Australia, for the US, making up her mind to become a rapper. Moving from Miami to Houston to Atlanta, she started rapping in the Southern-style accent of her surroundings and her single "Ignorant Art" came out in 2011. From then on, she has never looked back.
However, her style has caused lots of discussions. She might be one of the most polarizing artists. She raps with a southern American accent, even though she speaks with an Australian one. Many people comment that she overuses black culture in her music.
Her supporters are against it. Female American rapper MC Lyte defended Azalea in an interview, saying she should not be judged because of where she's from. "Hip hop is universal, no color1 lines." MC Lyte said. Azalea herself is proud of her music. "I really want to be focused on what I'm doing," she said in an interview."That's really dangerous when you're trying to figure out ways to entertain people and make them happy. I don't want to be a part of that." | high18870.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Talking with people"
},
"options": [
"Telling stories to strangers.",
"Setting up street signs.",
"Talking with people",
"Organizing a speaker's party."
],
"question": "What did Liz and Bill determine to do afte... | Rome had the Forum . London has Speaker's Corner. Now always-on-the-go New Yorkers have Liz and Bill.
Liz and Bill, two college graduates in their early 20s, have spent a whole year trying to have thousands of people talk to them in subway stations and on busy street corners. And just talk.
Using a 2-foot-tall sign that says, " Talk to Me," they attract conversationalists, who one evening included a mental patient, and men in business suits.
They don't collect money. They don't push religion . So what's the point?
" To see what happens," said Liz. " We simply enjoy life with open talk."
Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, they decided to walk from New York City to Washington, a 270-mile trip. They found they loved talking to people along the way and wanted to continue talking with strangers after their return.
" It started as a crazy idea." Liz said. " We were so curious about all the strangers walking by with their life stories. People will talk to us about anything: their job, their clothes, their childhood experiences, anything."
Denise wanted to talk about an exam she was about to take. She had stopped by for the second time in two days, to let the two listeners know how it went.
Marcia had led her husband to a serious disease. "That was very heavy on my mind." Marcia said. " To be able to talk about it to total strangers was very good," she explained.
To celebrate a year of talking, the two held a get-together in a city park for all the people they had met over the past year. A few hundred people appeared, as well as some television cameramen and reporters.
They may plan more parties or try to attract more people to join their informal talks. Some publishers have expressed interest in a book, something the two say they'll consider before making a decision. | high16685.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "searching for information on the net"
},
"options": [
"listening to music",
"watching animations and videos",
"playing three-dimensioned games",
"searching for information on the net"
],
"question": "Plug-ins ca... | Life on-line can be a much richer experience when you aren't restricted to just written words and still pictures.Even if you're new to the Net,you've probably heard about multimedia on-line--listening to audio,watching animations and videos,even playing in three-dimensional space.Sound and movement make information come alive.
To experience it,you'll need special pieces of software called plug-ins.The term "plug-in" refers to a small,add-on piece of software which extends the capabilities of your web browser,like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer,turning your computer into a radio or TV.
When you arrive at a web page which contains a file requiring a plug-in which you don't have,you will usually receive a message asking if you want to get it by downloading it and installing it into your computer.Most of the time,the installation will be automatic.
Occasionally,you'll run into a downloaded file which needs to be decompressed or un-zipped before installation.Once installed,plug-ins run automatically,without you having to do anything.
Many multimedia controls still need to be obtained from the developer but are installed automatically.
Shockwave is a good example of this.All you need to do is go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the ActiveX control.The rest happens automatically.The next time you go to a "Shocked" website,the Shockwave control loads and plays the movie.
Most plug-ins and controls can be downloaded for free on the Internet,although not all will work with every system.Some of them,for instance,only work with Windows 95. | high7813.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Hillary Clinton travelled most among all Secretaries of State in USA"
},
"options": [
"Park Chung-hee defeated Moon Jae-in by about 3.5%",
"Merkel is the first person to have become Chancellor of Germany",
"Hillary Clinton tr... | Here are some introductions to four strong women in the world.
Park Geun-hye, President of South Korea
On Wednesday, South Koreans chose the daughter of South Korea's Cold War strongman Park Chung-hee as the country's next President. Park, the 60-year-old leader of the conservative Saenuri Party, defeated 59-year-old liberal challenger Moon Jae-in by about 3.5%. She will be the first female president of South Korea.
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
Angela Merkel is the Chancellor of Germany and party leader of the Christian Democratic Union(CDU). Merkel is the first woman to have become Chancellor of Germany. Angela Merkel has been described as "the de facto leader of the European Union" and her cautious response to the euro crisis is backed by most Germans and her party.
Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She has put into place institutional changes seeking to make the most of departmental effectiveness and giving women worldwide power and status, and has set records for most-traveled secretary in office. Hillary Clinton is believed to be preparing to step down from her position as Secretary of State, causing widespread rumors about her possibly making her own run for the White House in 2016.
Aung San Suu Kyi, Chairperson of Burmese National League for Democracy
Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese opposition politician. As a pro-democracy leader, she remained under house arrest in Burma for almost 15 years from 20 July 1989 following her fight for democracy until she gained her freedom on 13 November 2010. Like the South African leader Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi has become an international symbol of peaceful resistance in the face of oppression .
The Nobel Peace Prize 1991 was awarded to Aung San Suu Kyi "for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights". She finally delivered her Nobel Lecture on 16 June, 2012, in the Oslo City Hall, Norway. | high24151.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because he is angry with his brothers, sisters and cousins."
},
"options": [
"Because his family are busy preparing for the holiday.",
"Because he is angry with his brothers, sisters and cousins.",
"Because his family wakes h... | Home Alone is a very funny 1990 American film. It tells us a story about a boy who is accidentally left alone at home.
One night before Christmas, the McAlister family meets at their house. They are planning to fly to Paris for the holiday and are busy getting ready. Eight-year-old Kevin is the youngest child and is fighting with his brothers, sisters and cousins. When he goes to bed, he is so angry that he wishes all his family would go away. In the morning, everyone wakes up very late. They are all in a hurry to get to the airport, so they forget Kevin and he is left alone at home by accident.
Although Kevin is alone, he is very happy at first. His terrible family has gone--- his wish has come true. He watches TV, eats lots of fast food and plays games. He has a good time. But later on, he goes out and hears two bad men called Harry and Marv planning to steal from his house. He goes home and plans some very funny ways to catch Harry and Marv. Many things in the house gets broken as Kevin tries to stop them. Finally, the police come and the men are taken away.
The house is now in a mess, so Kevin tidies it up and waits for his parents. They get back from Paris and are very happy to find that Kevin is safe. | high14092.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "help the poor to reduce poverty"
},
"options": [
"improve people's reading ability",
"solve the problems facing the whole world",
"help the poor to reduce poverty",
"cause poverty in developing countries"
],
"qu... | Two billion children in the developing world can't receive good education--the key to human development.However,technology offers an answer which allows the poor in developing countries to learn.It is a tool which holds the ability to change the lives of the poor,as it provides a means of learning and communicating.
Educational programmes must break away from old systems.New companies such as One Laptop Per Child(OLPC),an organisation founded by MIT Professor Nicholas Negroponte have been active in solving the world's education problem.
The Internet has changed the world,allowing educational services to help with the global fight against poverty.Khan Academy is one such service.Like OLPC,it is an organisation founded by Harvard Business School graduate Salman Khan with the task of "providing a world-class education to anyone,anywhere".The education offered includes a large number of math-related topics.
The GMAT Pill Review is another company that trains MBA candidates worldwide to prepare for the GMAT exam on both the Quant and Verbal section.Founded by Stanford graduate Zeke Lee,the company offers services which are priced at about 75% less than other similar programmes.It allows students from developing countries who might not be able to afford similar courses to have access to these services.
Whether paid or free these services provide educational opportunities to those who would never have had the chance in the past.As a result of the technology revolution ,business schools may see more students from different corners of the world.Because of the Internet,people in developing nations have access to better and more affordable educational opportunities.More and more people will try to improve their lives through educational opportunities outside of their homeland--an idea usually uncommon in developing countries. | high13925.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Sleepwalking itself is not dangerous."
},
"options": [
"Sleepwalking itself is not dangerous.",
"Children who sleepwalk may answer when you talk to them.",
"If your child sleepwalks regularly, you can just leave him alone.",
... | Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder. Your child will rise from bed and walk or engage in other activities that they would normally do when they are awake. Their eyes will be open but they will appear to be in a dream-like state, and will probably not answer when you talk to them, although they may carry out conversations. Sleepwalking can last a few seconds , a few minutes, or more.
Sleepwalking can be an indication that certain parts of the brain may not be relaxing properly at bedtime. It can be caused by illness or fever, tiredness, stress or anxiety. It is thought to occur in the beginning, slow-wave stages of non-rapid eye movement sleep before dream sleep. It may be related to the lack of magnesium , and it is very possible that hormonal changes in body could cause it. Certainly a child is more likely to be a sleepwalker if one of his parents suffered, too .
Sleepwalking itself is not dangerous and is generally not a sign of any more worrying problems. But if your child sleepwalks regularly, you have to take safety measures to make sure that he doesn't hurt himself while sleepwalking. Makes sure that any doors can't be opened by a child, and lock doors to the cellar, kitchen and other dangerous places. Check each night before lights go out for sharp objects or, indeed , anything on the floor which your child could trip over or hurt himself on.
A child may sleepwalk once and never sleepwalk again. Others may sleepwalk once a month or so. Still others may sleepwalk almost nightly. If you are worried you should consult your doctor. | high12385.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "will be popular again"
},
"options": [
"will be popular again",
"will be more popular than TV",
"started inWales",
"are in the hands of some old people"
],
"question": "Ambrose believes that the art of storytell... | CARDIFF, Wales Poets, singers and musicians from across the globe gathered in prefix = st1 /Walesto celebrate the tradition of storytelling.
"It might seem strange that people still want to listen in the age of watching television, but this is an unusual art form whose time has come again," said David Ambrose, director of Beyond the Border, an international storytelling festival in Wales.
"Some of the tales, like those Inuit from Canada, are thousands of years old. So our storytellers have come from distant lands to connect us with the distance of time," he said early this month.
Two Inuit women, both in their mid 60s, are among the few remaining who can do Kntadjait, or throat singing, which has few words and much sound. Their art is governed by the cold of their surroundings, forcing them to say little but listen attentively.
Ambrose started the festival in 1993, after several years of working with those reviving (coming back into use or existence) storytelling in Wales.
"It came out of a group of people who wanted to reconnect with traditions, and as all the Welsh are storytellers, it was _ here." Ambrose said. | high22246.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "on a school day"
},
"options": [
"on the weekend",
"on a school day",
"during a school holiday",
"around Christmas"
],
"question": "The best time for an adult to visit the Magic Kingdom is _ .",
"question... | The Magic Kingdom was the first theme park at Walt Disney World, opening in 1971. All Disney World theme parks are open 365 days a year, although opening and closing times for each park are different. If you are traveling without kids, try to visit on a school day to avoid the largest crowds. If you need to visit during a school vacation, try to avoid the week between Christmas and New Year's and the Fourth of July.
If you are not staying at a Disney World hotel, avoid visiting the Magic Kingdom on its Extra Magic Hours days, as Disney's hotel guests get into the park early on those days, _ wait times for visitors who arrive at the Magic Kingdom's normal opening time.
Buy your Walt Disney World tickets online at Disney World's website. For advice on picking the right ticket, see our guide to Disney World tickets.
You will also need to call in advance to make lunch and/or dinner reservations . Disney accepts reservations, through 1-407-WDW-DINE, up to 180 days in advance. Times do go quickly, so you should call six months before your trip to get a lunch reservation in the castle. We recommend you should have your lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table for your tour.
Plan to arrive at the Magic Kingdom's front gate before the park opens in the morning. You can check the Magic Kingdom's opening time through Disney World's website.
Keep in mind that to reach the Magic Kingdom, you must park at Disney World's Transportation and Ticket Center parking lot, ride at tram to the TTC, then take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. It will take you extra time to get there. Give yourself an extra hour in the summer and half-hour during the school year. | high21997.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It was really a piece of good luck."
},
"options": [
"It was really a piece of good luck.",
"She was the only qualified person for it.",
"Virginia Woolf was very familiar to her.",
"She was a member of the Translation B... | For years I have been asked by several people how and why I came to translate a novel by Virginia Woolf in 1945. I graduated from the University of Ankara in 1941 and my four teachers, including Orphan Burian, are members of the Translation Bureau who prepared a list of works to be translated into Turkish and set themselves to translating some of these, besides shouldering the heavy work of correcting or editing the translations submitted to the Bureau. Orphan Burian, now mostly known for his translations of Shakespeare, had started to translate To the Lighthouse for the Translation Bureau, but at the same time he wanted to do something from Shakespeare. So he transferred it to me.
For me, To the Lighthouse was love at first sight or rather at first reading. To translate a book, I first read it from the beginning to the end. Then I started writing each sentence by hand. When I finished the whole book I read my translation from the beginning to the end, checking it with the original, and making corrections. Then I typed it, and read the typed copy, making changes again. All in all that added up to five readings. I started translating the novel in 1943 and submitted it to the Bureau in 1944. It was published in 1945 under the general title of "New English Literature" in the series called "Translations from World Literature" known as the "Classical Series".
So, the first book by Virginia Woolf in Turkish appeared in 1945, and it was To the Lighthouse. This was eighteen years after its publication in England in 1927. To me the book itself was pure poetry; I read it as if in a dream. Not trying to dive very deeply into it, I sort of swam on it or over it. Now, years later, _ . Even after so many years, in each reading I become conscious of new layers of which I haven't been aware before. It keeps pace with my experiences in life as years go by, and each reading is a new reading for me.
In 1982 and again in 1989 I revised it for two new editions and I again did it sentence by sentence checking it with the original. In those years I had thought it was necessary to revise my translations every ten years, but now I think I must do it every three or four years. In a country like Turkey, where we work very hard to clear our language from old and new foreign words, we should try to be up to date as to the words we are using, and of the same importance are the studies being made on the methods or techniques of translation, and new approaches in translation.
While translating, I usually have both the writer and the reader in mind. The novels she wrote after 1920 were especially new for most of the readers. She usually uses very short sentences, followed by rather long ones. I remember sentences of more than ten lines which weren't easy for me to translate as they were. And in Turkish our having only one word, the word "O", for "he", "she", "it" in English, made me repeat the names of the characters more often than Woolf did. And I changed some long indirect sentences in the original into direct sentences in my translation, thinking it would make an easier reading in Turkish.
When translating, I make use of all kinds of dictionaries. A difficult English word for me is the word "vision". In To the Lighthouse, the artist Lily Briscoe is trying to finish the picture she has been drawing for some time and the novel ends with the following sentences: "Yes, she thought, laying down her brush extremely tired, I've had my vision." And I'm still thinking about how to translate this remark into Turkish. | high11854.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Yosemite National Park"
},
"options": [
"San Francisco Bay Area",
"Yosemite National Park",
"Los Angeles",
"Napa Valley"
],
"question": "According to the passage, if you want to breathe the fresh air, you'll go ... | Explore the State of California
California is one of the most interesting states of America that offers a lot of wonderful sceneries and fun attractions. It is also the most populated state and the third largest in land area. Anyone who has been to California would agree that it is indeed a place that offers a lot to tourists of all ages. Here are some top picks of the best places to visit in California State.
San Francisco Bay Area - Witness the famous San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge which is one of the city's landmarks; and enjoy the beauty of Fisherman's Wharf that offers a lot of seafood restaurants. You should not miss the city's world-famous Cable Car System which is by far the only manually operated cable car system in the whole world.
Yosemite National Park - This is one of the very first wilderness parks in the whole of America. It is known for its natural beauty and breathtaking sceneries. It offers a breath of fresh air away from the city life. Major places to visit include the Yosemite Falls, Sentinel Dome, El Capitan, Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point among many others.
Los Angeles - Explore the home of the L.A. Lakers and do not fail to visit the Disneyland which is one of the major attractions of the city. The warm weather in Los Angeles makes it possible to do a lot of outdoor activities especially during the summer months. It is a family-friendly place that offers a wonderful shopping and dining experience. For those who particularly love the city and night life, L.A. can offer the best of almost everything.
Napa Valley - With over a million visitors every year, Napa Valley is indeed a place you should not miss if you are in California. It is California's most popular wine growing _ . You can also experience the Wine Train and hot air balloon ride over the valley. | high20451.txt |
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