questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "There are a lot of Baobab trees in it."
},
"options": [
"It covers an area of about 2,580 square kilometers",
"It is the largest park of its kind in the country",
"Their population in the park was around 2,000",
"There ... | Tanzania Tarangire is a national Park which lies in Tanzania. The park itself covers an area of around 2,850 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest park of its kind in the country. I recently visited Tarangire to see what it was like....
One of the first sightings upon entering the park which I found was a huge herd of elephants. Our guide told us that Tagrangire was probably the best place in Tanzania to find large herds of elephants, and that their population in the park was around 2,500. We continued to watch the elephants as they stood under trees and scratched themselves against the trees to hit the spot of an itch .
To the right of the elephant herd, we noticed a big tree! Our guide informed us that this was a Baobab tree and that they could live for hundreds of years. Compared with this tree, the elephant just looked like dwarfs ! We were informed that Tarangire was one of the best National Parks in Africa to see so many Baobab trees.
As we continued our drive through the park, we finally reached a watering hole. Our guide warned us that there were lions all around us. It took us all a while to find them, but there they were! Most of them are resting in the shade under brushes, but there was one that was drinking from the watering hole directly in front of us. We then noticed just to our right, there were a couple of fresh zebra corpses -- it seemed as if the lions which were resting had killed them! We were unlucky not to have seen the actual kill, as our guide had mentioned that the zebra corpses were fresh and the kill had occurred within the last hour.
Our final big sighting was one that none of us were expecting to see, even our guide! We pulled over to where there was a large gathering of cars, with a sleeping leopard there! We took photos happily and excitedly and observed its surprising body before returning to our hotel as it was getting late.
So, I hope you enjoyed my description of Tarangire, and that I have inspired you to add this amazing park to your very own Tanzania travel route. | high20281.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you can draw your money from cash machines conveniently"
},
"options": [
"you can use it to guarantee things as you wish",
"you can draw your money from cash machines conveniently",
"you can spend as much money as you like wi... | We have designed all our bank cards to make your life easier.
How to use your NatWest Servicecard .
As a Switch card, it lets you pay for all sorts of goods and services, wherever you see the Switch logo. The money comes straight out of your account, so you can spend as much as you like as long as you have enough money ( or an agreed overdraft to cover it. It is also a cheque guarantee for up to the amount shown on the card. And it gives you free access to your money from over 31,000 cash machines across the UK.
How to use your NatWest Cashcard
You can use your Cashcard as a Solo card to pay for goods and services wherever you see the Solo logo. It can also give you access to your account and your cash from over 31,000 cash machines nationwide. You can spend or withdraw what you have in your account, or as much as your agreed overdraft limit.
Using your cards abroad
You can also use your Servicecard and Cashcard when you're abroad. You can withdraw cash at cash machines and pay for goods and services wherever you see the Cirrus or Maestro logo displayed.
We take a commission charge of 2.25% of each cash withdrawal you make. . We also apply a foreign-exchange transaction fee of 2.65%.
How to use your Nat West Credit Card
With your credit card you can do the following:
* Pay for goods and services and enjoy up to 56 days interest-free credit.
* Pay in over 24 million shops worldwide that display the Mastercard or Visa logos.
* Collect one AIR MILE for everyPS20 of spending that appears on your statement .
(This does not include foreign currency or traveller's cheques bought,interest and other charges.) | high2605.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The reason isn't given in the passage."
},
"options": [
"The goals are too high to achieve.",
"We have a large amount of work to do.",
"We are naturally lazy and never do exercise.",
"The reason isn't given in the passa... | At the beginning of every year we promise ourselves we will live a healthier life, and exercise more. The year tarts with the best of intentions, but many times we are unable to keep up with very high goals. Good news is that a healthy lifestyle is achievable and it's all about making small changes that make a difference.
News on healthy lifestyles says that the key is moderation and consistency. There are so many health and well-being products out there in the market promising many things. And although many may be true, select carefully.
The basics of a healthy lifestyle is maintaining a balanced diet and doing regular exercise. By eating well, it means really to make sure you include plenty of vegetables and fruit preferably in season in your diet, avoid fried and junk foods and foods high in sugar as well as processed foods. Eating fresh homemade meals rather than ready-made meals which are high in salt and sugar is always the better option. Reducing alcohol intake, drinking plenty of water and supplementing your diet with healthy snacks like nuts and seeds.
For external care choose natural skin care products and hair care oil. Natural beauty care involves using natural moisturizers like Argan oil, Coconut oil and Sweet Almond oil. These nourish the skin far more than counter creams full of chemicals. Skin reflects what we put inside of us, so a healthy diet with plenty of greens and healthy protein will make your skin brighter.
Of course exercise is essential but the key is regular and consistent exercise. So walking three times a week for 45 minutes is much more beneficial than a binge workout once a week. | high10342.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "what makes Latin music develop fast in American market"
},
"options": [
"that more and more Americans like Latin music",
"what makes Latin music develop fast in American market",
"why Latin music becomes Americans' favorite m... | Forget Miami, Los Angeles and prefix = st1 /New York. The next big Latin music explosion is on its way in secondary markets across theUnited States, and the numbers are there to back it up. Among all genres ,Latin music was the only one registering growth in 2005. From tiny Vero Beach in northern Florida to Des Moines, Iowa, in the heart of the Midwest, from Charlotte, N. C. to Salt Lake City, Latin music sales are _
Wilson says there are two major reasons for the increase. One is simply the Hispanic population's increase in specific areas, which encourages stores to carry Latin product for the first time. Second, and perhaps more important, is the fact that major companies--whether dealing in music or not--are addressing the Latin consumer at a corporate level, creating Latin departments and hiring Latin ad agencies. One of Handleman's suburban Detroitstores, for example, has expanded its Latin section four times in the last two years. Cities like Milwaukee andDes Moinesare now stocking Latin product.
Besides, it also results from economic development. It goes something like this: More often than not, a city or country with a seeming important Hispanic population will suddenly expand its construction or offer affordable housing to those working in larger, neighboring cities. This attracts lower-income workers, many of whom are Latin. Small shops and groceries begin to stock a small selection of music. When the Latin population numbers reach a critical mass, the local mass merchant, if there is one, begins stocking the product. Sooner or later, a local radio station follows; first AM, then FM. Sometimes it's a cable TV show or a small TV station.
Of course, there are other driving forces that should not be forgotten, for example, regional Mexican music. | high16733.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a cold condition"
},
"options": [
"dry weather",
"a cold condition",
"proper protection",
"a high cave"
],
"question": "La BranaI remains as it was due to_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Blue-eyed people have been living in Europe for at least 7,000 years, scientists have discovered.
A man who lived on the Iberian Peninsula before Europeans became farmers probably had blue eyes but dark hair and skin, according to scientists who have sequenced his DNA. This surprising combination of eye, hair and skin color1ing may not have been unusual during his lifetime, but it is no longer seen among modern Europeans, reported by the journal Nature.
The man, a Neolithic hunter-gatherer known to scientists as La BranaI, is of great interest to scientists because he offers a snapshot of what was in Europeans' DNA before agriculture spread through the continent. Experts have theorized that certain genetic feature spread quickly among humans after they adopted the farming lifestyle. La BranaI shows that at least some of their predictions were correct.
The man's skeleton, along with that of a male companion, was discovered in 2006 in a cave in what is now northeastern Spain. The site, known as La Brana-Arintero, sits about 5,000 feet above sea level, and the cave provided a cold, refrigerator-like environment that preserved his DNA.
In the lab, scientists were able to remove enough DNA from a single tooth to reconstruct La BranaI's entire genome . They compared it to the DNA of other ancient Europeans (including Otzi, the 5, 300-year-old mummy found in an Alpine glacier) and determined that he was a closer match with hunter-gatherers than with farmers.
When it came to genes that would influence La BranaI's appearance, the researchers found that their 7,OOO-year-old subject had versions of two skin pigment genes that are either very rare or nonexistent among Europeans today. Then they looked at other places in the genome that influence pigmentation and found a mix of ancient and modern gene variants . Taken together, La BranaI's DNA "is likely to have resulted in dark skin pigmentation and dark or brown hair," they wrote.
However, his DNA indicates that his eyes were most likely blue, the scientists found.This suggests that gene variants for light-color1ed eyes and skin did not spread together, they wrote, adding that La BranaI's combination "of dark skin and non-brown eyes is unique and no longer present in contemporary European populations. " Today, a blue-eyed person would typically have fair skin.
To get some idea of whether La BranaI's color1ing was unusual for his day, the researchers will try to sequence the DNA of his companion, who has been named La BranaII. | high19400.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "How clever is a fish?"
},
"options": [
"Fish can hear and see",
"How clever is a fish?",
"Fish can play tricks",
"How scientists help fishermen."
],
"question": "What's the best title of the passage?",
"ques... | Can a fish hear fishermen moving along the stream? What are the facts about the ability of a fish to see? Can they tell the difference between colors?
The sharp hearing of a fish has been proved by two scientists, who trained a fish to expect its food when it heard the sound of a whistle. And a slight sound two hundred feet away could drive fishes away. That should make fishermen start thinking.
One scientist had made experiments to prove fish can recognize different colors such as red, brown, yellow and green.
Fish also have an eye for different shapes. One scientist proved this by teaching fish to connect certain patterns with food. He used a small circle and a square. If the fish swam towards the circle, they received food as a reward. If they swam towards the square, they received nothing. The fish learned in time to go to the circle but not to the square. Does this mean that in time fish might learn to leave alone all food on hooks that they have seen often before? Here is something for all fishermen to think about!
These facts help to make more believable some of the "believe it or not" stories that have been told about fish. It is clear that fish have sometimes shown their ability to gain knowledge as man does. A good example of what we might call "thinking" by a fish is given by an experience of Dr. Andrew Gage. Fishing over a bridge, he hooked a fish. It struggled and dragged the line two hundred feet away before he stopped it. Then it swam back to the bridge. The clever fish then swam round a pile and, with a sudden push, broke the line. If the story ended there, one could say that the fish had freed itself by chance. However, Gage went on fishing. Below him he could see the fish that had broken loose. After another twenty minutes the fish again seized the food on the hook. This time it did not swim out but swam round one of the piles and again broke the line.
Many stories are told of the fish that get away and the clever "old hand" ones that can't be caught. The more often a fish is nearly caught, the more difficult it will be to interest it next time. | high4274.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "their appearance"
},
"options": [
"their appearance",
"their singing",
"their behavior",
"their living environment"
],
"question": "People get interested in parakeets mainly because of _ .",
"question_typ... | For 40 years, people in London have been happy to see parakeets in their parks. The shocking green body and long tail have brought a bright color to the parks, which have attracted a lot of people.
However, the parakeets are no longer welcome. They will push out local birds from trees to build their own nests, and will also take most of the food in the parks, such as seeds, fruit and nuts.
Sometimes by accident, plants and animals are carried to new places. They are transported by trains, ships or even planes. Often, animals like fishes get transported in the water containers of ships. When these ships reach new places and pump out the water from their tanks, these animals will start a new life in a new place.
Sometimes people take plants and animals from one part of the world to the other to solve a problem. But it will create a bigger problem. Years ago, the farmers of northern Australia brought the toads from South America to their farms. They thought they would kill the beetles that harm the sugarcane crops. But the toad has done much more. It is now killing Australia's native animals, such as snakes, water birds and so on. | high13893.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "it was a reminder of care and love"
},
"options": [
"it was specially made of pure gold",
"it was a reminder of care and love",
"it was passed down from her parents",
"it was a magic coin which can protect her ."
],... | When my father married my mother in 1943,he gave my mother a 1937 crown coin and told her to keep it in the back of her purse and not spend it.This would mean that she always felt that she was protected and would always have money if she really needed it.
When I was married in 1970, my husband who had heard this story,obtained a 1937 crown for me and I have always kept it in my wallet,and I have always had enough for my needs.
A friend recently fell on hard times,partly through external circumstances and partly through poor planning.Friends and I have loaned her money,paid her bills,even given her food.tried to teach her budget techniques,and none of them has been a solution.She has just slipped deeper and deeper into financial trouble and depression.
Last week she looked pale and unwell,very depressed and hopeless.I then thought about how the crown, a reminder of another care and love,had protected me,so 1 went to the bank for a $100 dollar bill.I told my friend the story and asked her to keep the $100 in the back of her wallet.It turned out that she didn't have a wallet,so she put the money in a little pencil case where she kept her coins.She immediately felt better."I feel rich,and thank you for being a good friend",she said,and we were both a bit teary.
The reason for passing this on is not to praise any generosity on my part,but to show the power of "random acts of kindness".I went home and remembered a little wallet I had that I'd never used,and thought,"I'II give that to my friend".I opened it,and inside,found $100.
The universe is very just and if your heart is open the reward always comes. | high22496.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is not used to the life there now"
},
"options": [
"is not used to the life there now",
"has lived there for seventeen years",
"prefers to live in an old-fashioned house",
"has to be polite to everyone she meets there"
... | I fell in love with England because it was quaint --all those little houses, looking terribly old-fashioned but nice, like dolls' houses. I loved the countryside and the pubs, and I loved London. I've slightly changed my mind after seventeen years because I think it's an ugly town now.
Things have changed. For everybody, England meant gentlemen, fair play, and good manners. The fair play is going, unfortunately, and so are the gentlemanly attitudes and good manners--people shut doors heavily in your face and politeness is disappearing.
I regret that there are so few comfortable meeting places. You're forced to live indoors. In Paris I go out much more, to restaurants and nightclubs. To meet friends here it usually has to be in a pub, and it can be difficult to go there alone as a woman. The cafes are not terribly nice.
As a woman, I feel unsafe here. I spend a bomb on taxis because I will not take public transport after 10 p. m. I used to use _ , but now I'm afraid.
The idea of family seems to be more or less non-existent in England. My family is well united and that's typically French. In Middlesex I had a neighbour who is 82 now. His family only lived two miles away, but I took him to France for Christmas once because he was always alone. | high840.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a parade of 70,000 people dancing and singing"
},
"options": [
"a type of Brazilian music",
"a parade of 70,000 people dancing and singing",
"a parade of millions of people on television",
"the name of a samba school"
... | On the coast of Brazil lies its most famous city Rio de Janeiro. Rio is a beautiful place to visit. It is full of exciting parades, historical architecture and natural beauty.
The most famous time of year in Rio is the spring when the samba schools organize a giant parade of dance, music and costumes. Samba is a type of fast Brazilian music, which is perfect for dancing. The carnival lasts two days and over 20 samba schools perform, a total of 70,000 people in brightly coloured costumes, all dancing and singing! It is a magnificent spectacle and millions of people watch the carnival on television around the world.
Rio de Janeiro is a religious city and it is full of churches. Some, like the former Imperial Church, were built over 400 years ago while others, like the Metropolitan Cathedral, are very modern. The Metropolitan Cathedral was built in 1976 and is so large that 20,000 people can stand inside at one time!
Another important religious site in Rio is the Corcovado hill. On the top of the hill, along with a small church, stands a 30-metre high statue of Jesus with his arms stretched out. From this point you can see every part of the city. | high12555.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "have made a great breakthrough in networking technology"
},
"options": [
"can help people gain a lot of knowledge easily",
"can help people use networks to make many friends",
"have made a great breakthrough in networking tec... | Since the development of the Internet, men and women have frequented the information superhighway for the purposes of research and social networking. Recently, developments in fourth-generation networks and associated communication devices such as smart phones and smart tablets such as the BlackBerry PlayBook have allowed social networking technology to take a giant leap forward.
In this fast-paced world it is often difficult to stay in contact with friends, family, and coworkers, due to the fact that work and education often cause people to move to a number of different locations after spending only a short time in each place. Many people have accepted the fact that family members may only see each other a few times a year. Smart phones are equipped with their own wireless fidelity connections, which allow them to connect to Internet-based social networking sites. The BlackBerry PlayBook allows users to make hands-free telephone calls while on the go, and it has a host of other interesting functions. At the same time, PlayBook users can still surf the same old websites, and check e-mail through the Internet connection. However, instant messaging and e-mail are quickly becoming outdated because of the PlayBook's video chat capabilities.
This particular feature makes the PlayBook an excellent choice for those families who find themselves separated over long distances. Someone once said that a picture was worth a thousand words. Thanks to the PlayBook's video chat capabilities, users of 4G devices can gain a measure of the physical contact that all human beings hope for, because of the device's ability to deliver the streaming real-time video to their users. Therefore, people can see the person they are speaking to, and read their facial expressions as well as their body language, while also hearing their actual voices in stereo sound .
Based on this information, choosing to buy the BlackBerry PlayBook is one of the best choices that one can make. Use the benefits of this newest BlackBerry tablet to stay in touch with those closest to you. With the PlayBook, you will never be far from friends or family no matter where life's journeys might take you. | high23950.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "keep himself occupied and happy"
},
"options": [
"realize his childhood dream",
"ease his serious heart condition",
"earn money to pay for treatment",
"keep himself occupied and happy"
],
"question": "The author... | Many years ago,my dad was facing a serious heart condition.He was unable to do a steady job.He fell suddenly ill and had to be admitted to the hospital
He wanted to do something to keep himself busy, so he decided to volunteer at the local children's hospital.My dad loved kids.It was the perfect job for him.He ended up working with the seriously ill children.He would talk,play, and do arts with them.
One of his kids was a girl with a rare disease that paralyzed her from the neck down.She couldn't do anything,and she was very depressed.My dad decided to try to help her.He started visiting her in her room,bringing paints,brushes and paper.He stood the paper up,put the paintbrush in his mouth and began to paint.He didn't use his hands at a11.All the while he would tell her, "See,you can do anything you set your mind to.''
At the end of the day, she began to paint using her mouth,and she and my dad became friends.Soon after, the little girl was sent home because the doctors felt there was nothing else they could do for her.My dad also left the children's hospital for a little while because he became i11.Some time later after my dad had recovered and returned to work,in came the little girl who had been paralyzed and only this time she was walking.She ran straight over to my dad and hugged him really tight.She gave him a picture she had done using her hands.At the bottom it read:"Thank you for helping me walk.''
My dad would cry every time he told US this story and SO would we.He would say sometimes love is more powerful than doctor, and my dad--who died just a few months after the little girl gave the picture--loved every single child in that hospital. | high9988.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he wanted to please his father"
},
"options": [
"he wanted to be expected",
"he had written some storied",
"he wanted to please his father",
"he had dreamed of being a teacher"
],
"question": "The author took th... | A year after graduation, I was offered a position teaching a writing class. Teaching was a profession I had never seriously considered, though several of my stories had been published. I accepted the job without hesitation, as it would allow me to wear a tie and go by the name of Mr. Davis. My father went by the same name, and I liked to imagine people getting the two of us confused. "Wait a minute," someone might say, "are you talking about Mr. Davis the retired man, or Mr. Davis the respectable scholar?"
The position was offered at the last minute, and I was given two weeks to prepare, a period I spent searching for briefcase and standing before my full-length mirror, repeating the words, "Hello, class. I'm Mr. Davis." Sometimes I would give myself an aggressive voice. Sometimes I would sound experienced. But when the day eventually came, my nerves kicked in and the true Mr. Davis was there. I sounded not like a thoughtful professor, but rather a 12-year-old boy.
I arrived in the classroom with paper cards designed in the shape of maple leaves. I had cut them myself out of orange construction paper. I saw nine students along a long table. I handed out the cards, and the students wrote down their names and fastened them to their breast pockets as I required.
"All right then," I said. "Okay, here we go." Then I opened my briefcase and realized that I had never thought beyond this moment. I had been thinking that the students would be the first to talk, offering their thoughts and opinions on the events of the day. I had imagined that I would sit at the edge of the desk, overlooking a forests of hands. Every student would yell. "Calm down, you'll all get your turn. One at a time, one at a time!"
A terrible silence ruled the room, and seeing no other opinions, I inspected the students to pull out their notebooks and write a brief essay related to the theme of deep disappointment. | high698.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "benefit from physical work"
},
"options": [
"become weak and hopeless",
"are too old to work in the fields",
"benefit from physical work",
"are still working in the fields"
],
"question": "The example of Mr. and... | In the Caucasus region of Russia, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, and many don't stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Russian old people aren't alone. The Pakistanis, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Ecuadorans of the Andes Mountains seem to share the secret of long life, too.
These people remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians aged 100 to 140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked "at what age does youth end?"most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, "Well, perhaps at age 80."
What accounts for this ability to survive to such old age, and to survive so well?First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr . Rustam Mamedov is 142 years of age. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Mamedov has no intention of retiring from his life as a farmer. "Why?What else would I do?"he asks. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations of 1,660 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced-oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel system stronger.
Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived people had parents and grandparents who also reached very old ages. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer. | high6463.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Milk helps build students' strong bones."
},
"options": [
"They have been told many times.",
"They have taken the PCRM' s advice.",
"Fat - free or low - fat milk is less expensive.",
"Milk helps build students' strong b... | " Drink your milk.It is good for you! " You've probably heard that many times, and it is true.Milk contains calcium, which is a necessary nutrient for keeping bones and teeth healthy and strong.The US government even requires milk as part of the National School: Lunch Program, saying that students should drink one cup of fat - free milk at each meal.
Last Thursday, however, a group of doctors asked the government to remove the lunch program.The Physical Committee for Responsible Medicine says, "Milk is high in sugar, high in fat and high in animal? protein," all of which have negative effects on health.The PCRM says there were better and healthier ways to get calcium such as eating beans, broccoli, cereals and tofu.Orange juice and soymilk that have calcium added to them also supply the nutrient."One of the only reasons people talk about dairy, or promote it at all, is because it is going to help build strong hones." says Dr.Neal Barnard, president of the PCRM.But milk may not be the best way to get calcium your body needs.
Of course, calcium is important for health bones and teeth, but there are other things that affect your bone strength, such as genes, how much vitamin D you take in and getting an hour' s worth of exercise every day.
Some nutritionists disagree with the idea that milk isn' t important.Keri Gans, a dietitian, says, " I think it is irresponsible to take this beverage that children enjoy, especially among those who are unable to meet their nutrient needs for the day, and remove it from lunch time."
The US government is studying the request of the PCRM, but a decision may be a one way to take off.Meanwhile, Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University, put it best: " Milk demonstrably has nutrients.Other foods have the same nutrients.It' s just a food.Like other foods, too much might be a problem." | high23788.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he is forced to do thing"
},
"options": [
"he is forced to do thing",
"he cannot work at his best",
"he feels his brain shut down",
"he thinks of his work as too heavy"
],
"question": "An employee may have a fee... | When we think of leadership, we often think of strength and power. But what are these really, and how do they operate?
Leadership today is not about forcing others to do things. If this is even possible, it is short-term, and tends to backfire. If you order someone to do something against their will, they may do it because they feel they must, but the anger they feel will do more harm in the long-term, They will also experience fear.
Fear causes the thinking brain to shut down, making the person unable to function at his or her best. If they associate you with this emotion of fear. They will become less functional around you, and you will have succeeded in not only shooting yourself in the foot, but possibly making a very good employee or partner unable to perform effectively. Fear has no place in leadership.
The way we influence people in a lasting way is by our own character, and our understanding and use of emotion. We can order someone to do something, which may be part of the work day; or we can employ them at the emotional level, so they became fully devoted to the projects and provide some of their own motivation . Today's work place is all about relationships.
Anyone works harder in a positive environment in which they are recognized and valued as a human being as well as a worker. Everyone produces just a bit more for someone they like. Leaders understand the way things work. They know the pay check is not the single most motivating factor in the work life of most people.
The true strength of leadership is an inner strength that comes from the confidence of emotional intelligence--knowing your own emotions, and how to handle them, and those of others. Developing your emotional intelligence is the single best thing you can do if you want to develop your relationships with people around you, which is the key to the leadership skills. | high14124.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "nearly all of Kano Jiguro's students were dead."
},
"options": [
"Fukuda achieved the tenth-degree black belt at 97.",
"four people earned the tenth-degree black belt in history.",
"nearly all of Kano Jiguro's students were d... | Just two years before her 100thbirthday, Sensei Keiko Fukuda has become the first woman to achieve a tenth-degree black belt --- the highest rank in the martial art and combat sport judo . Fukuda is now one of only four living people who've earned the tenth-degree (or dan) black belt. Throughout history, only sixteen people have ever achieved this honor.
Fukuda began practicing judo in 1935 and is the only surviving student of its founder, Kano Jiguro. Urged by her teacher, she learned English to help spread judo internationally.
During a time when getting married, building a family, and becoming a housewife was the standard, Fukuda went against tradition, _ marriage to pursue the martial art.
"All I did was judo ... this was my marriage," Fukuda reflected tearfully to the San Francisco Chronicle. "This is when my life destiny was set. I just never imagined how long this road would be."
She described the Jiguro's school, known as the Kodokan, as "old-fashioned and sexist about belts and ranks". In fact, an order that prevented women from achieving any higher than a fifth-degree black belt kept Fukuda at that level for thirty years. She was finally promoted to sixth dan in 1972 when a woman's division was created.
Fukuda said she approached judo and her life with the intention to "be gentle, kind and beautiful, yet firm and strong, both mentally and physically". Fukuda said this kind of beauty is decidedly not external . " A kind soul is inner beauty," she explained to the paper. "I believe this is true beauty ... All my life this has been my dream."
Dream realized, the 98-year-old Sensei Keiko Fukuda continues to teach judo three times a week at a woman's judo. | high6305.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He thinks highly of the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers."
},
"options": [
"He is a graduate from Dalian Marinetime University.",
"He is the president of Dalian Marinetime University.",
"He thinks highly of the ... | Norway -- Ten Chinese college students arrived at the country's Arctic research base, the Yellow River Station, on Friday.
On Saturday, the students are expected to witness the end of four months of darkness in the area, as the sun makes a rare appearance.
During their four-day stay at the station, the students will meet and learn from some of China's leading polar researchers. They were welcomed at the station yesterday by its director, He Jianfeng, who is an expert on marine micro-ecosystems.
The students will also visit the German and Norwegian stations and meet researchers there.
As for entertainment, the visitors will get the chance to play ice hockey at the world's most northerly stadium.
Among the visitors is Zheng Li, a student majoring in telecommunications at Dalian Marinetime University.
"It is so exciting to see how the Chinese researchers work in the world's most northerly laboratory," she said.
"This opportunity is precious. Most people will never get the chance to travel so far from home and visit such an amazing place. _
Wu Jinyou, head of the Polar Research Institute of China, and the group's leader, said, "I hope the students have not only a field trip to the Yellow River station, but are also touched by the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers here. I also expect in the future, some of them will choose to devote themselves to polar research and maybe even work with us."
The students have been in Norway since February 28, and were given Arctic training before moving to the station.
The Arctic expedition is one of the several international cooperation and exchange activities forming the China Program for International Polar Year (2007- 2008). It was launched last March.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency, March 8, 2008) | high14642.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He realized the loss in waiting for beers."
},
"options": [
"His friends advised him to do so.",
"He realized the loss in waiting for beers.",
"He set up Pour My Beer in Chicago.",
"His company started to make profits."... | How much do you hate waiting for another beer in a crowded bar? Josh Goodman invented a pretty obvious solution --self-service beer taps. Goodman, 36, recalled the exact moment in late 2008 when his frustration _ "I was hanging out with my friends at a Baltimore sports bar before an Orioles game," he said. "We just couldn't get another beer served to us quickly."
Even more than annoyed, Goodman was struck by how much money the bar must be losing. Almost immediately, he got to work on a self-service beer concept. Within a few months, Goodman had launched Pour My Beer in Chicago (where he'd relocated to be with his wife).
He invested $20,000 of his own funds and partnered with a U.S. manufacturer to make beer tables with two to four self-service taps. In February 2009, Goodman landed his first client : A Baltimore tavern. He spent the next two years growing the business and adding more bars and restaurants. In 2011, Pour My Beer introduced self-service "beer walls," which let people pour their own beer from taps on a wall.
Pour My Beer has expanded to over 200 restaurants and bars in 28 states and Canada. The concept will roll out in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport this week and in Italy and Brazil later this year. The tables start at $4,000 and the beer walls cost as much as $16,000. It generated more than $400,000 in sales in 2013 and doubled that in 2014. Goodman expects to take in close to $2 million in revenue this year(2015) --which would make it the company's first profitable year. "Our business customers tell us that they've cut down on waste and they're selling twice as much beer on average," said Goodman. | high12233.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Better City, Better Life."
},
"options": [
"Better City, Better Future.",
"Better City, Better World.",
"Better City, Better Life.",
"Better City, Better Future."
],
"question": "What is the theme of the EXPO 20... | (Xinhua)The Expo 2010 Shanghai China formally opened its door to the highly
public this morning.
Top Chinese political advisor Jia Qinglin and International Exhibitions Bureau President Jean-Pierre Lafon activated the opening device together at a commencement ceremony.
The Expo, carrying a theme of "Better City, Better Life", reflects the crystallization of wisdom about urban construction and vision of a better future life, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said while addressing the ceremony.
BIE Secretary Teneral Vicente Gonzalea Loscertales said the Shanghai World Expo would be "the most splendid and unforgettable" and would help the world better understand the present, have a glimpse into the future and strengthen cooperation between countries and organizations.
Visitors, from home and abroad, are thronging to the gates of the Expo site, waiting for security checks in long queues.Around 300,000 tickets have been sold or distributed for the opening day, organizers said.
The Expo is expected to attract 70 million visitors from China and abroad.The Expo site covers an area of 5.28 square kilometers along both sides of the Huangpu River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. | high16055.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "admiring the beauty of plants"
},
"options": [
"meddling with the flowers",
"pulling some fruit",
"admiring the beauty of plants",
"shaking the door hard"
],
"question": "Tom did everything EXCEPT _ .",
... | One day Frank was walking with his mother when they came to a pretty garden. Frank looked in, and saw that it had clean gravel walks and beautiful flowers.
He called to his mother and said, "Mum, come and look at this pretty garden. I wish I might open the gate, and walk in."
The gardener heard what Frank said, and kindly invited him and his mother to come into the garden.
Frank's mother thanked the man. Then she said to her son, "Frank, if I take you to walk in this garden, you must take care not to meddle with anything in it."
Frank walked along the tidy gravel walks, and looked at everything, but touched nothing that he saw.
He did not step on any of the borders , and was careful that his clothes should not brush the tops of the flowers so that he might not break them.
The gardener was much pleased with Frank, because he was so careful to behave well. He showed him the seeds, and told him the name of many of the flowers and plants.
While Frank was admiring the beauty of a flower, a little boy came to the gate, and finding it locked. He shook it hard, but it would not open. Then he said, "Let me in. Let me in. Will you not let me in this garden?"
"No," said the gardener, "1 will not let you in, Tom. When I let you in yesterday, you meddled with my flowers, and pulled some of my fruit. I do not choose to let a boy into my garden who meddles with the plants."
Tom looked ashamed, and when he found that the gardener would not let him in, he went slowly away.
Frank saw and felt how much happier a boy may be by not meddling with what does not belong to him.
He and his mother then continued their walk in the garden, and enjoyed the day very much. Before they left, the gardener gave each of them some pretty flowers. | high19366.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "using the video room, you have to pay extra 200 yuan per hour"
},
"options": [
"the video room service has been open for a long time",
"the video room service has been open in many provinces in China",
"using the video room, ... | The video rooms have been open since Jan. 2. If successful, the chain hopes to expand the service to other provinces, or even other countries. In addition to the food, customers pay 200 yuan per hour for using the room.
''The video rooms have been fully booked in February,'' said Chen Yu, manager of the Wangfujing branch. The Video room in Beijing is about 30 square meters and large enough for six customers.
''Many customers prefer to use the room for dinners rather than lunch,'' Chen said, adding the average age of customers who booked the video hotpot is about 30.
''The whole process is very smooth. The image and the voice transmission are as good as those of video conferencing at work, ''said one of Chen's colleagues surnamed Luo.
''I have a lot of friends in Beijing, whom I haven't met for a long time because of being busy at work,'' said a woman surnamed Yu who is having dinner with her husband at Haidilao.''The new service gives us a chance to have a dinner together without traveling. I would like to give it a try.''
The video hotpot also helped establish a friendship between waitresses in the two cities.
Zhao Huanhuan, in her 20s, who is specially trained for serving in the video room in Shanghai, developed a friendship with a waitress named Lu Ke in the Beijing branch.
Zhao said excitedly: ''It was too amazing to believe. I'm so interested in using the special room and enjoy serving people there. I also talk about some interesting interactive games with Lu before guests come for dinner''.
Although Lu felt a little bit nervous when she first served in front of the screens, she said the new mode of communication also encouraged her to supply better services for customers.
''It's like a service competition. We saw each other through video and I could learn from Zhao's serving,'' Lu said, adding she will visit Zhao if she goes to Shanghai.
It seems that video hotpot doesn't satisfy everyone's taste, however. | high4512.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They have different habits and practices than fans in other sports."
},
"options": [
"They are more violent than other fans.",
"They all enjoy American culture.",
"They have different habits and practices than fans in other s... | Football is America's most popular sport, and by football I don't mean soccer. American football is a unique sport with its own rules, regulations, and fans. Being a football fan means something different than being a fan in other sports; football fans have their own culture and customs. Since football is a violent, contact sport, its games are played infrequently. Usually fans have to wait an entire week before they can see their favorite team play again. This means that football fans take advantage of the days they can cheer for their teams.
One custom that football fans have is called tailgating. Tailgating describes when a big group of people gets together before a game and has a small party. Tailgating usually lasts a few hours and involves lots of good food and beverages. It is most common to grill food at a tailgate, especially hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, and any other type of meat. It is not unusual to see people drinking lots of beer, throwing footballs around, talking to (or arguing with) other fans, etc. Tailgating happens for other sports too, but it is much more important to football fans.
Sports fans in every country have unique and strange ways to celebrate their favorite teams and players. Football in America is no different. | high21821.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "to encourage her students to help those in need"
},
"options": [
"to set up a nonprofit organization about water",
"to help discover where clean drinking water is",
"to find access to using the public donations",
"to en... | Fort Scott High School English teacher Emily Rountree has been working this semester to raise money for Charity Water, a nonprofit organization , which uses 100 percent of public donations to help fund water projects in places without access to clean drinking water. Her goal was to motivate her students to use their writing in class to make a real world difference. Twelve students got top grades on the project and their articles will be published in the Tribune and online. The money from their writing is of great help.
"Did you know that there are many countries around the world that don't have access to safe drinking water? Just think, that could be your someone in your family. in my English three classes, we are trying to .raise money for Charity Water. Charity 'Water is 3n organization that helps people get water in countries where there is no safe drinking water" , said Tanner Johnson, a student attending Fort Scott High School. clean drinking water. In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hour every year just walking for water .Women and children are the ones that mainly do the walking. They could he attacked, or get hurt. Whenever they get home the water that they have brought home is unsafe water that. 'has been in swamps, ponds, or rivers .if they had safe drinking water they wouldn't have that to worry about and they wouldn't be wasting hours of their day. Unsafe drinking water causes many different kinds of diseases that could lead to death.
You could help save someone's life by donating $ 20 so you could help get them some safe drinking water. You can easily donate online at, mycharitywater. org/fshsenglish, or you can send a check payable to Fort Scott High School to Emily Rountree .if you don't help these people then who will? | high10424.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "four"
},
"options": [
"two",
"three",
"four",
"five"
],
"question": "According to the passage, plants need_things to grow well.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_ind... | Why do plants grow in some places and not in others? Why does some land have so much growing on it, while other land has almost no plants growing on it at all?
To grow, plants need several things. One is warmth. In very cold places almost nothing grows. Plants also need water. In very dry parts of the Earth only a few unusual plants can grow. That's why dry deserts everywhere are almost not covered by trees or grass.
Plants must also have a place in which to put down their roots and grow. They find it difficult to grow on hard land. The town is built on hard land. The plants here have only the soil found between the _ cracks of the stones to grow in.
Another thing plants must have before they can grow is food.
What will happen if we try to make things grow on the sandy beach? A few plants, such as beach grass, will grow in sand, but most plants won't. Even if the weather is warm enough and we water the plants each day, many of them will die because the sand on this beach has almost no food for plants. | high18078.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Ambitious."
},
"options": [
"Optimistic.",
"Imaginative.",
"Ambitious.",
"Proud."
],
"question": "What does the writer think of the reporter?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Open Letter to an Editor
I had an interesting conversation with a reporter recently -- one who works for you. In fact, he's one of your best reporters. He wants to leave.
Your reporter gave me a copy of his resume and photocopies of six stories that he wrote for you. The headlines showed you played them proudly. With great enthusiasm, he talked about how he finds issues, approaches them, and writes about them, which tells me he is one of your best. I'm sure you would hate to lose him. Surprisingly, your reporter is not unhappy. In fact, he told me he really likes his job. He has a great assignment , and said you run a great paper. It would be easy for you to keep him, he said. He knows that the paper values him. He appreciates the responsibility you've given
him, takes ownership of his profession, and enjoys his freedom.
So why is he looking for a way out?
He talked to me because he wants his editors to demand so much more of him. He wants to be
pushed, challenged, coached to new heights.
The reporter believes that good stories spring from good questions, but his editors usually ask how
long the story will be, when it will be in, where it can play, and what the budget is.
He longs for conversations with an editor who will help him turn his good ideas into great ones. He wants someone to get excited about what he's doing and to help him
, exploring the best ways to report it. He wants to be more valuable for your paper. That's what you want for him, too, isn't it?
So your reporter has set me thinking.
Our best hope in keeping our best reporters, copy editors, photographers, artists -- everyone -- is to work harder to make sure they get the help they are demanding to reach their potential. If we can't do it,
they'll find someone who can. | high16041.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "to produce lightweight bottles with recycled materials"
},
"options": [
"to fill tap water into the plastic bottles directly",
"to replace the plastic bottles with metal containers",
"to produce lightweight bottles with recyc... | In a recent study, researchers have estimated the energy required to produce bottled water, including the energy required to manufacture plastic, make the plastic into bottles, process the water, fill and seal the bottles, transport the bottles, and chill the bottles for use. Combining all the energy input totals for treatment and distribution, researchers found that producing bottled water requires between 5.6 and 10.2 million joules of energy per liter, depending on transportation factors. That's up to 2, 000 times the energy required to produce tap water.
To break down the energy requirements, researchers found that producing the plastic bottles and transporting the bottles greatly dominated the energy input. Although some companies are experimenting with producing lightweight bottles or using recycled materials, the researchers calculated that the manufacturing cost is about 4 million joules of energy per plastic bottle weighing 38 grams, and the cap weighing 2 grams.
"Our previous work had suggested that bottled water production was an energy intensive process, but we were surprised to see the results, " the researchers said.
Transportation costs vary depending on the distance and mode of transport and both factors depend on the type of bottled water. There are two main kinds of bottled water in the US:"spring water" which comes from an underground spring and "purified water",which is city tap water that has received further treatment. For purified water distributed locally by truck within Los Angeles, the total transportation energy is about 1.4 million joules per liter. In the second situation, spring water shipped from Fiji (such as Fiji Spring Water) across the Pacific to Los Angeles, and then delivered locally by truck requires about 4 million joules per liter for transportation. For the spring water, the transportation energy equaled (in the case of Fiji) the energy required to produce the bottle.
With this data, the researchers hope that future studies will have the ability to make specific estimates for different situations, and possibly find ways to cut energy costs. | high4506.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "he walked in a strange way"
},
"options": [
"he didn't do well in his lessons",
"he walked in a strange way",
"he was from a poor family",
"he often burst into tears"
],
"question": "The author's son was laughed... | My son has poliomyelitis and he suffered from it a lot. When he was young, my wife and I took him to see so many doctors and got different kinds of treatments. But still, he couldn't walk like a normal kid.
So he was laughed at by his peers for his walking style. His tears burnt our eyes like sulphuric acid . Then, he became afraid of going to school. He wouldn't go anymore.
One night, my wife had a breakdown and shouted at him, "I tell you, my kid, you might be like this forever. You are a freak in other people's eyes, and perhaps it would never change. But in my eyes, in your dad's eyes, you are not a freak! You are not! Even if you are, we love you and we will love you forever!" My son spoke nothing for two days. He didn't eat or sleep. We could read he was hurt. We hoped something wonderful would fall in our family. On the third morning, he struggled to walk to my car, with his school bag in his hand of course. He raised his head high and hugged me, saying "I want to go to school. Nothing will beat me."
You know, from then on, he was never afraid of being mocked or despised anymore. If he couldn't avoid these looks, he chose to look at them in the eyes. Later, something nice really happened and my son went to MIT. When he was asked how he managed to bear the pressure, he said, "Because of my parents."
My dear fellows, if you care too much about how other people look at you or what their opinions are, you will never become what you want to be. | high19372.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Feeling anxious and excited."
},
"options": [
"Extremely frightened.",
"Feeling anxious and excited.",
"Very worried.",
"Trembling with fear."
],
"question": "Which of the following can best describe the author'... | The life of an actor appears attractive and many young people dream about becoming one. But the truth is, it is very hard work. If you're successful, there are deadlines to be met, appointments to keep and the press to deal with. If you're not successful, then life is extremely tough.
I remember when I started out, I had to search the advertisement board at my drama school every day to look for acting jobs. Drama school was expensive and I needed extra cash to help pay the fees. I welcomed every small job. I played extras in many crowd scenes and became a confident participant in a lot of TV commercials for hair shampoo, soap and washing powder.
I had been working for about two years before I got my lucky break. One day, as I was passing the drama school, I decided to go in to check the notice board. There was nothing on it and I was just leaving when the secretary came along the corridor with a piece of paper. She asked me how I was and I told her life was hard and work was difficult to find. The next moment, she put the paper in my hand and walked away. My hands were shaking as I unfolded the paper, full of expectation. To my surprise, it was an audition for a clown for the Canadian circus. I couldn't stop myself from laughing. I had expected an audition with a famous director for a new film!
When I was at drama school, there had been a course in acrobatics and clown tricks. I had gained top marks in this course for originality and daring. Later I went to the audition feeling very strange. This was not what I'd had in mind when I enrolled in drama school. To my surprise, the job as a clown turned out to be exactly what I wanted. I loved every moment of getting dressed up and putting on the make-up. I had the opportunity to travel the world and I was more than an actor, I was an entertainer as well. I had visited over 32 different countries and entertained millions of people. | high3269.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He saw it in the woman's bag."
},
"options": [
"He found it in his food.",
"He dug it out in a valley.",
"He saw it in the woman's bag.",
"He noticed it shining in the stream."
],
"question": "How did the young ... | One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip.
The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, "The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?"
"Sure. Why not?" the woman said, and handed the stone to him.
The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him _ for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman.
"I've been thinking," he said. "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag."
The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, "I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious -- the joy of giving!"
The young man felt ashamed and left silently. | high2177.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "virtual offices in the future"
},
"options": [
"the importance of working in the future",
"how to escape your office",
"how to work with a computer",
"virtual offices in the future"
],
"question": "The passage i... | Working from home is more and more popular as a means of escaping the ninetofive office life. Why do you work under the eye of your boss when you can work in front of the TV in your slippers?Armed with all the necessary things--telephone, computer, email and fax,many workers believe they can work as effectively as their colleagues in the office. Being able to work wherever you like:from a busy city to a village, and not having to stand the daily things, make working from home an attractive choice. If you wish,you can even work on a river boat.
So what will become of the office tomorrow?It is possible that many could go into computer space creating a new wave of virtual offices. To minimize office in innercity areas, companies will have a work force made up of a network of home workers linked by an advanced communication and information system. A central processing computer would be controlled by the manager who sends out work schedules and oversees the activity of each employee.
A video screen would be created,as the need for email or telephone becomes greater. Seeing the mood and expressions of work colleagues, managers would have the ability to view several employees at once on their screen. Employees would be encouraged to feed any information that may be useful to fellow workers into the computer to make the company work more effectively. As the company's lifeblood, the computer would contain a record of all conversations and communication for future reference and hold secret information such as accounts in password protected areas. | high21835.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because he wanted to play a part in a play in order to make a living."
},
"options": [
"Because he had no money to buy a ticket.",
"Because he wanted to get a returned ticket.",
"Because he wanted to play a part in a play in ... | About the year 1900,a small,darkhaired hot boy named Charlie Chaplin was often seen waiting outside the back entrance of London Theatre.He looked thin and hungry.He was hoping to get work in show business.He could sing and dance;above all,he knew how to make people laugh.But he couldn't get work and so he wandered about the city streets.Sometimes he was sent away to a home for children who had no parents.
But twenty years later this name Chaplin became the greatest,bestknown,and bestloved comedian in the world.Any visitor to the cinema must have seen some of Chaplin's filmstrips .People everywhere have sat and laughed at them until the tears ran down their faces.Even people who don't understand English can enjoy Chaplin's films though most of them are silent.It isn't what he says that makes people laugh.His comedy doesn't depend upon words and languages.It depends upon little actions which mean the same thing to people all over the world.Acting out,without words,common human situations play an important part in the dances and plays of many countries.It's a kind of world language.
Chaplin lived most of his life in America and died in Switzerland on Christmas Day,1977,at the age of eightyeight.The world was astonished at the news of the death and burst into sadness. | high10430.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "In 1937."
},
"options": [
"In 1937.",
"In 1940.",
"In 1954.",
"In 2003."
],
"question": "When was Marie Claire Magazine created?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_... | Marie Claire Magazine is one of the top women's health, beauty and fashion magazines in the world It has over 14 million readers all over the world.Maire Magazine is published in 32 countries including France, the Untied States ,Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Russia ,Spain Italy and many other nations.
Marie Claire Magazine has stood by its motto"More than a Pretty Face" since Jean Prouvost created it in France in1937. It was soon released every Wednesday and was an immediate success. Unfortunately, because of World War n, it stopped printing in 1940. But it b began in again in 1954 as a monthly publication instead of a weekly one.
The magazine has provided women throughout the world with information on health ,struggles and life stories of women. The magazine also focuses on current affairs all women would be interested in .It also has a part that specifically answers readers' questions.
The magazine discusses all of the latest and hottest things in clothing and accessories .It also provides its readers with shopping information to help find the best deals for the latest fashions.
The cover of Marie Claire Magazine has been graced by many famous faces ,Although it is aimed at women, it broke new ground in 2003. The US publication featured a manTom Cruise on its cover for the first time.Marie Claire Magazine has continued to be a pioneer in the magazine industry. | high5618.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Corona, Prius, Lexus, Corolla"
},
"options": [
"Toyopet, Volkswagen, Lexus, Prius",
"Camry, Prius, Lexus, Georgetown",
"Corona, Prius, Lexus, Corolla",
"General Motors, Lexus, Camry, Corolla"
],
"question": "Whi... | Toyota is the world's largest automaker, but its road to success has been long and filled with speed bumps .
1958:The company's first foray into the American market was the Toyopet in 1958. It was a flop.
1964:Toyota introduced their Corona line of automobiles and sales hit 6,400 in 1965, marking an increase in popularity.
1969:Toyota began importing the Corolla and in 1985 it would become the first Toyota built in the U.S.
1975:Toyota surpassed the popular German brand Volkswagen to become the top import sold in the U.S.
1986:The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ordered its first _ of Toyota cars due to "speed control" problems.
1988:The First North American Toyota plant opened in Georgetown, Ky.
1989:Toyota introduced the Lexus LS 400, the company's first U.S. luxury car. It was a major hit.
1997:Toyota debuted their Prius gas-electric hybrid car.
2002:The first consumer complaints emerged of the Camry's engine surging under braking.
2004:The NHTSA opened a defect investigation into 2002-2003 Camry, Camry Solara and Lexus ES models.
2006:Toyota "Americanizes" and opened a new plant in Texas to build full-size pickups
2007:Toyota surpassed General Motors to become the world's largest automaker.
2007:The NHTSA investigated pedal entrapment in some Toyota vehicles, which led recalls of floor mats on Camry and Lexus models.
2007:The NHTSA investigated pedal entrapment in some Toyota vehicles, which led recalls of floor mats on Camry and Lexus models.
Aug. 2009:An off-duty California Highway Patrol officer and three family members were killed when their rental 2009 Lexus ES speeds out of control.
Nov. 2009:Toyota recalled 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota models to remove floor mats that can trap pedals.
Jan. 2010:Toyota recalled approximately 2.3 million more vehicles with potential sticking pedal problems. On Jan. 26, Toyota stopped selling eight models involved in the recall.
Feb. 2010:Prius and Lexus hybrids are now being recalled for brake problems in 2010 models. | high6311.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because she wanted to leave a note for the boy."
},
"options": [
"Because it was required by the boy.",
"Because the shop owner told her to do so.",
"Because she felt sympathy for the dying boy.",
"Because she wanted to... | There was once a guy who suffered from cancer, a cancer that can't be cured. One day he was sick of staying home and wanted to go out. He passed a CD store and looked through the front door for a second. He saw a beautiful girl about his age and he knew it was love at first sight. He opened the door and walked in, not looking at anything else but her. He walked closer and closer until he was finally at the front desk where she sat.
She looked up and asked, "Can I help you?" She smiled and he thought it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen before. He said, "UH...Yeah...Umm... I would like to buy a CD." He picked one out and gave her money for it. "Would you like me to pack it for you?" she asked, smiling her cute smile again. He nodded and she went to the back. She came back with the packed CD and gave it to him.
From then on, he went to that store every day and bought a CD. He took the CD home and put it in his closet. He was still too shy to ask her out. His mother found out about this and encouraged him. So the next day, he took all his courage and left his phone number on the desk before he ran out.
Several weeks later the phone rang, and the mother picked it up. It was the girl!!! The mother started to cry and said, "You don't know? He passed away yesterday..." Later that day, the mother went into the boy's room and opened the closet. Inside were piles and piles of unopened CDs. She picked one up and opened it. Out fell a piece of paper, saying: "Do you want to go out with me? Love, Jocelyn." The mother was deeply moved and opened another CD... Again, there was a piece of paper with the same words. | high14656.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He got it from his father."
},
"options": [
"He got it from his father.",
"He bought it from a toy shop.",
"He made it by himself.",
"He cut it down in a forest."
],
"question": "Where did Douglas Hewitt get the... | A great-grandfather has put up his Christmas tree for the 85thtime after his father first bought it from a toy shop.
Douglas Hewitt, 85, has celebrated every Christmas with the artificial tree since he was born. His father bought the tree from a toy shop in Sheffield just months after Douglas was born. The four-foot tree remains the centre point of the Hewitt family household during every festive season.
Mr. Hewitt, of South Anston, South Yorkshire, said, "It reminds us of my childhood, our children's childhood and our grandchildren and great-grandchildren's after that. They all come and look at it and smile; it's become part of the furniture. If we didn't put that Christmas tree up, it wouldn't feel like Christmas."
The tree was passed down to Mr. Hewitt when he married Mavis. Mrs. Hewitt said, "Year after year we have just carried on using that one. You have to be a bit more careful with it now, as it's _ ."
Their daughter, June Murphy, also has fond memories of the Christmas tree. She said, "It was in my grandparents' home and then it was given to us. It looks a little thin now, as each time you get it out something else falls off. It's become a bit of a family joke. Each year someone has to comment 'not again!' But it's a Christmas tradition of getting the tree out that we all love. We'd all be sad to see it go, as I think it would be hard to find such a loved replacement."
Mr. Hewitt said, "There were a lot more branches on it, and it's lost its feathers that were all along the edge. There were little candle holders on the ends and little legs on it, but unfortunately they've been lost over the years." | high9022.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "An accompanying app."
},
"options": [
"An accompanying app.",
"A necklace",
"Computer keyboard.",
"A remote control"
],
"question": "What helps the Fineck device to deal with neck pain?",
"question_type": "f... | The vast majority of fitness trackers count your steps and are worn around the wrist, but now there's a device that's designed to be worn like a necklace and monitors tiny movements to improve your posture.
The Fineck device aims to address neck pain by tracking tiny movement, spotting bad habits and suggesting exercises via an accompanying app. Made from silicone and titanium , Fineck monitors a wearer's movement, balance, posture and movement thanks to sensors inside. The Mountain View California-based firm says that a high percentage of people suffer from neck pain and associated problems, probably caused by more individuals doing office jobs, which generally involve leaning over computer keyboard.
The device contains sensors, several different types of instruments to monitor movement, plus a monitor to shake. It connects to an IOS app via Bluetooth so that wearers can see their bad habits and play "neck training" games. The app warns of health risks and records a user's activity to build up a customer personal health description. The necklace shakes to give smart advice, such as reminding wearers to sit up straight. The app also allows users to set goals, like many other wearables do. "Fineck is the first wearable device for your neck that tracks your neck activity and warn you when you are in a bad posture for too long. You can also exercise your neck with Fineck's interactive games." The company writes on Kickstarter. "No matter where you are and what you are doing at office, on the go, or simply just feeling bored, Fineck will bring you enriched exercise experience through motion sensing games and therapies."
It also claims that it is "the world's first titanium wearable device". The metal is widely used in fashion stuff that you can wear or carry to match your clothes because it is lightweight, durable and does not tend to cause allergic reactions. It also offers additional features such as shaking to indicate alerts on a user's smartphone, but it is not currently clear whether it can also be used like bands, to count steps, and so on.
The Fineck has a battery life of around seven days and takes one hour to charge. It is available to pre-order via Kickstarter from $69(PS44)and is due to ship in March next year. | high12227.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Indoor air pollution may cause diseases including cancer."
},
"options": [
"Outside air pollution is more harmful than the air inside.",
"Scientists have discovered how plants control air pollution",
"Indoor air pollution may... | The effects of air pollution on natural conditions have been a disturbing problem for many years. Some scientists hold the view that the air inside houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may even be one hundred times worse.
Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution, which can cause a person to feel tired, to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems. Believe it or not, some pollutants can cause breathing diseases of blood and even cancer.
What made us feel relieved is that there's growing concern about the problem now. It is true that when builders began constructing houses and offices they did not want to waste energy.
they built buildings that prevented or limited the flow of air between inside and outside. For the same purpose, man-made building materials were employed to build houses, which are now known to let out some harmful gases.
Facing the serious challenge, scientists have been searching for a way to handle the problem. To everyone's delight, they discovered a natural pollution control system for building--green plants, though they do not really know how plants control air pollution. Scientists suppose that a plant's leaves absorb or take in the pollutants and in exchange gives out oxygen through its leaves and tiny organizations on its roots. Therefore they recommend that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square meters of space. Because studies indicate that different plants absorb different chemicals, the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants. In conclusion, having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and healthier place. Why not try? | high15548.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "land a satellite with Venus astronauts on Earth"
},
"options": [
"land a satellite with Venus astronauts on Earth",
"make a firstrate flying saucer",
"get a Earth Being to Venus",
"direct a flying saucer into Manhattan"... | There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.
The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20 000 light years ago).Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth.A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.
"We have come to the conclusion,based on last week's satellite landing," Pro. Zog said,"that there is no life on the Earth."
"How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.
"For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive."
"What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?"
"We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned. "
"Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studies?"
"Take a look at this photo. You see this dark cloud floating over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there."
"If what you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?"
"Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds."
"Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?"
"Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere." | high7769.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It may injure the heart and arteries."
},
"options": [
"It may injure the heart and arteries.",
"It can make the body tired out.",
"It will bring much pressure.",
"It consumes too much energy."
],
"question": "A... | If you think that running marathons will help you live a long and healthy life,new research may come as a shock.According to a recent scientific study,people who do a very _ workout are as likely to die as people who do no exercise at all.
Scientists in Denmark have been studying over 1,000 joggers and non-joggers for 12 years.The death rates from the sample group suggest that people who jog at a moderate pace two or three times a week for less than two and a half hours in total are least likely to die.
The best speed to jog at was found to be about 5 miles per hour.The research suggests that people who jog more than three times a week or at higher speeds of over 7 mph die at the same rate as non-joggers.The scientists think that this is because strenuous exercise causes structural changes to the heart and arteries .Over time,this can cause serious injuries.
Peter Schnohr,a researcher in Copenhagen,said,"If your goal is to decrease risk of death and improve life expectancy,jogging a few times a week at a moderate pace is a good strategy .Anything more is not just unnecessary,and it may be harmful."
The implications of this are that moderate forms of exercise such as tai chi,yoga and brisk walking may be better for us than "iron man" events,triathlons and long-distance running and cycling.According to Jacob Louis Marott,another researcher in the study,"You don't actually have to do that much to have a good impact on your health.And perhaps you shouldn't actually do too much". | high13887.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "his jack-knife had been taken away by some boys"
},
"options": [
"he was not satisfied with his present",
"his back was badly injured in a fight",
"he had waited for his father for too long",
"his jack-knife had been ta... | Grandfather was an elder Cherokee Native American who had a wrinkled, nut brown face and kind dark eyes.His grandson often came in the evening to sit on his knee and asked the many questions that children asked.
One day the grandson came to his grandfather with a look of anger on his face and the following story."Father and I went to the store today and because I helped him, he bought me a present, a jack-knife.I went outside to wait for father and to admire my new knife in the sunlight.Some town boys came by and saw me.They surrounded me and started saying bad things.They called me dirty and stupid and said that I should not have such a fine knife.The largest of these boys pushed me back and I fell over one of the other boys.I dropped my knife and one of them picked it up and they all ran away laughing.I hate them.I hate them all."
The elder Cherokee, with eyes that had seen too much, lifted his grandson's face so his eyes looked into the boy's face.Grandfather said, " Let me tell you a story.I, too, at times, have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much with no sorrow for what they do.But hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy.It is like drinking poison and wishing your enemy would die.I have struggled with these feelings many times.It is as if two wolves are inside me...It is a terrible fight.
One wolf is good and does no harm.He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense is intended.It will only fight when it is right to do so and in the right way.This wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, modesty, kindness, friendship, sympathy, generosity, truth and faith.
The other wolf is full of anger.The smallest thing will set off his fiercest temper.He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason.He cannot think because his anger and hate are so much.
It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.This wolf represents fear, envy, greed, self-pity, guilt, lies, false pride and superiority.
Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me for both of them try to control my mind.This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person too."
The boy looked into his grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which wolf will win?" The old Cherokee simply replied ...
"The one you feed." | high854.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "They can't enjoy physical activities."
},
"options": [
"They can't really enjoy their lives.",
"They can't enjoy physical activities.",
"They have to stay indoors to protect themselves.",
"They are more likely to become... | Living with physical disabilities can be challenging in all kinds of ways.But different from what most parents think, physical disabilities are no barrier to a child enjoying all the benefits that healthy exercise and outdoor play can bring.The importance of exercise has been stressed in recent years as the problems connected with being too fat and poor mental health become ever more widespread.Being physically disabled does not mean that a child cannot be affected by these problems.And being active is a natural and fun way of preventing problems like these from having a bad influence.
A swimming pool is one of the best places possible for physically disabled children to enjoy themselves.With proper support,whether from parents or from correctly trained professionals,children can get great benefits from being in the pool.The water provides both support and resistance ,giving a cardiovascular workout as well as making muscles strong.Being able to feel free in a way that is not possible on land is another benefit of swimming.
It is possible to play most ball games with a group of children in wheelchairs.Moving and dancing to music is a great social activity for physically disabled children as well as something parents call enjoy with children.A parent or carer can help the child move in time to music or show movements to the child.Playing a modified form of volleyball with a lowered net means that children in wheelchairs can take part and healthy people can sit on chairs to play with them.
With some imagination,enjoying activities with a child who is disabled is not a problem.With access to some special equipment,children with physical disabilities do not have to be limited in how they play. | high23944.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Denmark"
},
"options": [
"America",
"Australia",
"England",
"Denmark"
],
"question": "The designer of the Sydney Opera House was from _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | The Sydney Opera House is a very famous building in the world. It has become Sydney's best-known landmark and international symbol. The Opera House with a " sailing roof" was designed by a famous Danish architect ,Utzon. The base for the building was started in 1959, years before the designs were finished. Utzon spent four years designing the Opera House. In 1962, the designs were finalized and the construction began. In 1967, they started the decoration inside. It took 14 years in total to build the Opera House. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened it on October 20th, 1973.
The Sydney Opera House cost around $100 million and was paid for by the public 6,225 square meters of glass was used to build it. The Opera House includes 1,000 rooms. It is 185 meters long and 120 meters wide. The building's roof sections weigh about 15 tons. Each year, this fantastic building attracts 200,000 tourists to come for a visit or enjoy events in it.
The Opera House reaches out into the harbour . It is amazing and unforgettable, offering people a strong sense of beauty. | high1318.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to explain when people will act in emergencies"
},
"options": [
"to explain why people fail to act in emergencies",
"to explain when people will act in emergencies",
"to explain what people will do in emergencies",
"to ... | Thirty-two people watched kitty Genovese being killed right beneath their windows. She was their neighbor. Yet none of the 32 helped her. Not one even called the police. Was this in gunman cruelty? Was it lack of feeling about one's fellow man?
Not so, say scientists John Barley and Bib Fatane. These men went beyond the headlines to probe the reasons why people didn't act. They found that a person has to go through two steps before he can help. First he has to notice that is an emergency .
Suppose you see a middle-aged man fall to the side-walk. Is he having a heart attack? Is he in a coma from diabetes ? Or is he about to sleep off a drunk?
Is the smoke coming into the room from a leak in the air conditioning? Is it steam pipes? Or is it really smoke from a fire? It's not always easy to tell if you are faced with a real emergency.
Second, and more important, the person faced with an emergency must feel personally responsible. He must feel that he must help, or the person won't get the help he needs.
The researchers found that a lot depends on how many people are around. They had college students in to be tested. Some came alone. Some came with one or two others. And some came in large groups. The receptionist started them off on the tests. Then she went into the next room. A curtain divided the testing room and the room into which she went. Soon the students heard a scream, the noise of file cabinets falling and a cry for help. All of this had been pre-recorded on a tape-recorder.
Eight out of ten of the students taking the test alone acted to help. Of the students in pairs, only two out of ten helped. Of the students in groups, none helped.
In other words, in a group, Americans often fail to act. They feel that others will act. They, themselves, needn't. They do not feel any direct responsibility.
Are people bothered by situations where people are in trouble? Yes. Scientists found that the people were emotional, they sweated, they had trembling hands. They felt the other person's trouble. But they did not act. They were in a group. Their actions were shaped by the actions of those they were with. | high14.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "there are more trees on farmlands than expected"
},
"options": [
"there are more trees on farmlands than expected",
"fewer trees are being cut in developing countries",
"most farmers still don't realize the value of trees",
... | Farmers, especially in developing countries, are often criticized for cutting down forests. But a new study suggests that many farmers recognize the value of keeping trees.
Researchers using satellite images found at least ten percent tree cover on more than one billion hectares of farmland. That is almost half the farmland in the world. Earlier estimates were much lower but incomplete. The authors of the new study say it may still underestimate the true extent worldwide.
The study found the most tree cover in South America. Next comes Africa south of the Sahara, followed by Southeast Asia. North Africa and West Asia have the least.
The study found that climate conditions alone could not explain the amount of tree cover in different areas. Nor could the size of nearby populations, meaning people and trees can live together. There are areas with few trees but also few people, and areas with many trees and many people. The findings suggest that things like land rights, markets or government policies can influence tree planting and protection.
Dennis Garrity, who heads the World Agroforestry Center, says farmers are acting on their own to protect and plant trees. The problem, he says, is that policy makers and planners have been slow to recognize this and to support such efforts.
The satellite images may not show what the farmers are using the trees for, but trees provide nuts, fruit, wood and other products. They also help prevent soil loss and protect water supplies. Even under drought conditions, trees can often provide food and a way to earn money until the next growing season.
Some trees act as natural fertilizers. They take nitrogen out of the air and put it in the soil. Scientists at the Center say the use of fertilizer trees can re-duce the need for chemical nitrogen by up to three-fourths. Trees also capture carbon dioxide, a gas linked to climate change. | high6477.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Chinese and Japanese have different music preferences"
},
"options": [
"people's music preference is a universal phenomenon",
"Chinese and Japanese have different music preferences",
"the way people respond to music is biolog... | Some people like to listen to the Beatles.while others prefer Gregorian chants.When it comes to music , scientists find that nurture can overpower nature.
A study shows musical preferences seem to be mainly shaped by a person's cultural upbringing and experiences rather than biological factors."Our results show that there is a profound cultural difference in the way people respond to consonant and dissonant sounds,and this suggests that other cultures hear the world differently," says Josh McDermott.a scientist in Cambridge.
Some scientists believe that the way people respond to music has a biological basis and that this would overpower any cultural shaping of musical preferences , effectively making them a universal phenomenon.Some musicians.by contrast , think that such preferences are more a product of one's culture.If a person's upbringing shapes their preferences,then they are not a universal phenomenon.
The trick to working out where musical preferences come from was to find and test people who hadn't had much contact with Western music.McDermott and his team travelled by aeroplane,car and canoe to reach the remote villages of the Tsimane' people,who are largely isolated from Western culture.
In their experiments,McDermott and his colleagues investigated responses to Western music by playing combinations of notes to three groups of people:the Tsimane' and two other groups of Bolivians that had experienced increasing levels of exposure to Western music.The researchers recorded whether each group regarded the notes as pleasant or unpleasant.
The Tsimane' are just as good at making acoustic distinctions as the groups with more experience of other types of music,the scientists find.Most people prefer consonant tones,but the Tsimane' have no preference between them."This pretty convincingly rules out that the preferences are things we're born with,'' McDermott argues.
"Culture plays a role.We like the music we grew up with,"agrees Dale Purves,a scientist at Duke University."Nature versus nurture is always _ .''It's almost always a combination,he adds. | high14130.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Different attitudes towards children's education."
},
"options": [
"Financial trouble in the family.",
"Women's liberation movement.",
"Different attitudes towards children's education.",
"Lack of democratic atmosphere ... | In many homes, divorce is caused by the "battle between the sexes." To understand the problem, one must remember that the modern American woman is freed. During childhood and adolescence , the American girl is given freedom and education which is equal to a boy's. After completing school, she is able to get a job and support herself. She doesn't have to marry for financial security. She considers herself an independent, self-sufficient person. She wants a husband whom she can respect, but she doesn't want to be dominated by him. She wants a democratic household in which she has a voice in making decisions. When a husband and wife are able to share decisionmaking, their marriage is probably closer, stronger, and more satisfying. Otherwise, the couple is likely to wind up in the divorce court.
When a couple gets divorced, the court usually requires the man to pay his former wife a monthly sum of money. If the couple has children, they usually remain with the mother, and the father is expected to pay for their support.
Although divorce is quite common in the United States, 80 percent of those who get divorced remarry. The remarriages allow thousands of people, especially children, to enjoy family life again, but at the same time many troubles have arisen. A well-known American joke tells of a wife calling to her second husband, "Quick, John! Come here and help me! Your children are beating up our chidlren!" | high9744.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Emma Daniels once stayed in Montreal for some time."
},
"options": [
"Emma Daniels stayed in Israel in 1974 for half a year.",
"The book \"Markings\" was completed by Lord Benedik in a very short time.",
"Emma Daniels once st... | Call it what you will--coincidence,fortune,luck or even fate--sometimes events combine together to show us that this is indeed a very small world.We've probably all had at least one experience where we've said "What a coincidence!" because there's no logical explanation for what has happened.Take the following stories from writer Lorri Benedik as examples:
My friend,Emma Daniels,spent the summer of 1974 travelling in Israel.During her month-long stay in Jerusalem she frequented a cafe called Chocolate Soup.It was run by two men,one of whom,Alex,was a former Montrealer .One morning when Emma went in for coffee,while chatting with her new friend Alex,she mentioned that she had just finished the book she was reading and had nothing else to read.Alex said he had a fabulous book she might like,and that he'd be happy to lend it to her.As he lived just above the cafe,he quickly ran up to get it.The book he handed to Emma just minutes later was Markings,a book of spiritual writings by former Secretary-General of the United Nations Dag Hammarskjld.
Emma had never read it,nor had she ever purchased a copy.But when she opened it up,she was _ to see her own name and address inside the cover,in her own handwriting.It turned out that the summer before,at a concert back in Montreal,Emma had met a Californian who was in town visiting friends.They decided to exchange addresses,but neither of them had any paper.The man had opened up a book he was carrying in his backpack and asked Emma to write her name and address inside.When he returned to California,he left the book behind in Montreal,and his friend Alex kept it.When Alex later relocated to Jerusalem,he took the now-treasured book along.
Then there was the time that my husband voluntarily answered the phone at my parents' house,something he has never done in more than a dozen years of visiting them almost every weekend.But this time he got up from the dinner table,without being asked,when the phone rang.He was gone for quite a while and was quite pale when he returned to the dining room.It was a wrong number,he told us,but he had recognized the voice.It was his estranged sister,with whom he hadn't spoken in years. | high20295.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Russia"
},
"options": [
"Russia",
"Australia",
"South China",
"Canada"
],
"question": "Where can you find a wild Siberian tiger probably?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | HARBIN - A wild Siberian tiger was spotted on a forestry farm in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Sunday, forestry officials said Tuesday.
The tiger, believed to have been hunting for a wild boar at the time, came face to face with several workers late in the afternoon on a forestry farm administered by the Dongfanghong Forestry Bureau (DFB) in the eastern part of the province, said an official with the provincial Forestry Industry Bureau. The farm is located on the scarcely populated Wandashan Mountain, where wild Siberian tigers have been spotted many times, but it was the first time for such an animal to come so close to human beings.
"We had just finished work in the forest when the tiger appeared." said Shi Chun, one of the workers who saw the tiger. Upon seeing the animal, the workers rushed to their tractor to avoid possible attacks. The tiger followed the tractor for several hundred meters before going away.
The tiger remained mild throughout the encounter, and the workers even managed to snap a few photos of it. The pictures, though blurry due to the darkened sky, show a Siberian tiger with white hair in its face. Local authorities on Monday checked the site where the big cat was spotted and found plum-shaped paw prints, which they believe belong to a grown wild Siberian tiger.
Yang Lijuan, a wild animal protection official with the DFB, said the forestry farm is a good site for wild animal reproduction. "The farm is in a zone where coniferous and broad-leaved trees grow, which provides much food for the tigers' prey, such as a boar and deer." she said.
Siberian tigers, otherwise known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, mainly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is estimated that only about 500 currently live in the wild, with about twelve in Heilongjiang Province and eight to ten in neighboring Jilin Province. The DFB has stepped efforts to increase food for wild boar, roe deer and red deer in its forestry farms where Siberian tigers have been spotted to ensure enough prey for the endangered species. | high17439.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "people's living conditions are improving"
},
"options": [
"people have all become kind-hearted",
"small animals have no places to live in",
"people's living conditions are improving",
"more and more people are out of wo... | Raising pets is not a new thing in China , but recently it has taken on a new meaning .
As a famous Chinese saying goes, pursuit of petty (,) pleasures weakens one's will to make progress . The saying has been so popular that even today many people still consider raising pets as a hobby of the idle .
Things have changed much recently and now raising pets has become a popular pastime , resulting in a successful pet care industry .
Pet food is sold in almost all supermarkets and many special stores for pet needs have been set up .
Animal hospitals provide various medical services for sick dogs and cats , and pet exchange fairs are held regularly .
At the China International Pet Show which took place recently in Beijing , more than 100 factories from across the country exhibited their products . Thousands of dealers and pet owners went to the show.
"People's swollen pockets make it possible for many to raise pets , a hobby that used to be enjoyed only by the wealthy ," said Wang Wei , who works with the National Kennel Association of China .
Wang Yuyan , vice president of the Small Animals Protection Association , agreed , " In many films and novels , having a pet is used as a symbol of wealth . That's not a complete picture . " Wang added that pets are friends in a real sense of the word , not just playthings . " Anyone with a loving nature can raise pets . "
Still the high cost of keeping a pet is something many people have to think about .
"I like dogs and cats , but I have neither time nor money to raise them , "said Li Jun , in her 40's , a civil servant from Beijing .
The cost of raising a dog is high in Beijing , where registration is a must for all dogs and costs 5,000 yuan for each animal . In addition , pet owners must pay for regular injection of vaccines . Most of all , dog food is quite expensive .
Unlike his mother , Li Jun's 10-year-old son, Li Qiyu, dreams of the day he will have his own pet . "I hope I can have a dog in my house , " he said . | high10356.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he wanted to throw it back into the sea at first"
},
"options": [
"he thought it would bring him good luck",
"he noticed the postcard inside immediately",
"he decided to uncover the secret of the bottle",
"he wanted to ... | In April 2014,the world's oldest known message in a bottle was discovered floating in the Baltic Sea. It had spent 101 years lost in the ocean!The message was finally sent to the author's granddaughter.
A German fisherman named Konrad Fischer found the brown bottle near Kiel,Germany. He said he nearly threw the bottle back into the water after pulling it out of a fishing net. Then he noticed something inside.
The bottle in good condition contained a Danish postcard with two German stamps,dated May 17,1913. Although dampness had made most of the writing illegible ,the readable part of the message asked whoever found it to return it to an address in Berlin. It even contained two stamps to pay for postage.
From the address,researchers found that the postcard was written by a man named Richard Platz,who was 20 years old when he wrote the message. While he was hiking on the Baltic coast with a nature appreciation group,he threw the bottle into the sea. Then the researchers began a search for any living relatives of his. Sure enough,they were able to find his 62-year-old granddaughter,Angela Erdmann,who still lives in Berlin.
"It was almost unbelievable,"Erdmann said upon being presented with her grandfather's bottle and message."That was a pretty moving moment. Tears rolled down my face."
Erdmann never knew her grandfather,who died in 1946,but says that the discovery of the bottle has made her want to learn more about him.
The bottle remained on display at the International Maritime Museum in Hamburg until May 1.After that,the researchers examined the postcard and tried to figure out the meaning of the rest of the message.
Previously,the oldest message found in a bottle spent nearly 98 years at sea and was discovered in April 2012,according to Guinness World Records. | high11048.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a small action sometimes can lead to unexpected result"
},
"options": [
"a small ribbon can mean a lot to teenagers",
"parents should spend more time with their children",
"a simple encouragement can sometimes change one's li... | A teacher honored her students by telling them how they each had made a difference to her and the class. She also presented each of them with a blue ribbon , which read, "Who I Am Makes a Difference."
Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what _ will do to people in general. She gave each student three more ribbons and instructed them to do the same to more people.
One of the boys went to a junior executive in a nearby company and honored him for helping him with his career planning. Later that day the junior executive told his boss he deeply admired him for being a creative genius and asked if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon. The surprised boss accepted the gift delightedly.
That night the boss came home to his 14-year-old son and told him about his day. "One of the junior executives gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody to honor," he said. "I thought about you. My days are busy and when I come home I don't pay much attention to you. Sometimes I scream at you for not getting good grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess, but somehow tonight, I just-wanted to sit here and well, just let you know that you do make a difference to me. You're a great kid and I love you!"
The _ boy couldn't help crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his father and said through his tears, "I was planning on killing myself tomorrow, Dad, because I didn't think you loved me. Now I don't need to." | high16727.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "So many people gave a hand."
},
"options": [
"So many people gave a hand.",
"Many bystanders did nothing.",
"It spread on social media.",
"It didn't catch people's attention."
],
"question": "Why did the author ... | How much empathy do you feel towards other people? If you saw someone fall off their bike in traffic,would you stop and help--or just walk away? Many people would give in to coldness,go about their business and just do nothing.So it was a big surprise when about 100 bystanders got together recently to move a bus in east London to help a cyclist trapped under it.A video of the incident went viral on social media.
According to Zoheb,a driver who stopped his car to take part in the rescue,about five people gathered to move the bus.He says:"There was no chance we could do it,it was more an invitation for other people to help,really."
The initiative paid off.Diners from nearby restaurants joined in.There wasn't much coordination but it didn't take long to develop a collective understanding of what the objective was.
Spontaneous cooperation among strangers doesn't happen often.People in a crowd are not sure what to do--they don't have a plan.It's one of the reasons bystanders often do nothing,according to Dr Mark Levine,professor of social psychology at Exeter University in Britain."The presence of others can prevent you from helping",he says.
The key to positive group behaviour,Levine explains,"is building a sense of shared identity".Action has to be decided quickly,Levine says."The longer you leave it,the harder it is to make a decision.If you don't immediately act then you kind of think'Well,actually I probably couldn't have done anything anyway'."
But the people who took the initiative like Zoheb might make a difference.The cyclist ended up in hospital and the images of the collective effort might inspire others to more acts of unity. | high19414.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "engineers and inventors"
},
"options": [
"those creating music, art and literature",
"novelists",
"those not receiving financial reward for their work",
"engineers and inventors"
],
"question": "According to the... | Intellectual property (IP) is a product of the mind that has commercial value. The concept dates back to 1623, when the first patent law to protect IP rights was passed. IP rights protect an artist from having his/her creative ideas copied by another. For example, if somebody generated an idea for a novel, that idea is protected by IP rights. If someone else wishes to represent the idea or develop it further, he/she must consult the original artists, who will normally be rewarded financially for its use. Back in the 17thcentury, IP rights were primarily carried out to protect newly developed manufacturing processes against stealing, but today intellectual property rights are also enjoyed by those who create music, art and literature.
In recent years, IP rights have been the focus of a great deal of discussion because of a technology which looks set to weaken them altogether: the Internet. Many years ago, if you wanted a recoding of a song, you would have to purchase it from a music store; if a novel, from a book store. In those days, IP rights were easily protected since it was very difficult to obtain intellectual property without paying for it. However, a lot of IP, including songs, films, books and artwork, can be downloaded today free of charge using the internet. This practice has now taken the world by storm, dramatically affecting the way in which we view IP rights. | high15206.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Spanish."
},
"options": [
"American.",
"British.",
"Spanish.",
"German."
],
"question": "What is Ana Luz's nationality?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3... | A university graduate described as a "respectable and intelligent" woman is seeking professional help after being convicted of (......)shoplifting for the second time in six months.
Ana Luz, recently studying for her Phd, has been told she could end up behind bars unless she can control the desire to steal from shops .
Luz ,who lives with her partner in Fitzwilliam Road ,Cambridge ,admitted stealing clothes worth PS9.95 from John Lewis in Oxford Street ,London ,on March 9.
Phillip Lemoyne ,prosecuting ,said Luz selected some clothes from a display and took them to the ladies' toilet in the store .When she came out again she was wearing one of the skirts she had selected ,having taken off the anti-theft security alarms .
She was stopped and caught after leaving the store without paying , Mr. Lemoyne said.
He added that she was upset on her arrest and apologized for her actions.
Luz,28, was said to have been convicted of shoplifting by Cambridge judges last October ,but Morag Duff, defending ,said she had never been in trouble with the police before that .
"She is ashamed and embarrassed but doesn't really have any explanation why she did this ," Miss Duff said . "She didn't intend to steal when she went into the store . _ She is otherwise a very respectable and intelligent young lady .She went to her doctor and asked for advice because she wants to know if there is anything in particular that caused her to do this."
Judge David Azan fined Luz PS 50, and warned : "You've got a criminal record .If you carry on like this ,you will end up in prison ,which will ruin your bright future you may have."
Luz achieved a degree in design at university in her native Spain ,went on to a famous university in Berlin , Germany for her master's degree and is now studying for a PhD at Cambridge University ,UK. | high8472.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Judging cleverness"
},
"options": [
"Judging cleverness",
"Choosing a book",
"A speechless young man",
"Putting up a good front"
],
"question": "The best title for this passage is _",
"question_type": "cloz... | "Have you ever heard the old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover"? This is a good rule to follow when you try to judge the cleverness of others by their looks and performance. Some people have minds that shine only in certain situations. A young man with an unusual gift in novel writing may find himself speechless before a pretty girl. But don't make the mistake of thinking he might not be that clever. With a pen and paper, he can tell what he thought very well.
Other people may fool you into mistakenly thinking they are clever by putting up a good front.
A student who listens carefully and takes notes in class is sure to make a good impression on his teachers. But when it comes to exams, he may get scores much lower than his classmates.
We may conclude that:you can't judge someone by appearances. The only way to tell whether a person is clever or not is to get to know him by observing how he reacts to different situations. The more situations you observe, the more accurate your judgement is likely to be. So take your time. Don't judge the book by its cover. | high7741.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "eating a lot of water mixed with sugar and salt and using antibiotics."
},
"options": [
"replacing the blood in the body.",
"eating a lot of water mixed with sugar and salt and using antibiotics.",
"eating a large amount of s... | Cholera is a water-borne disease that is spread through polluted water and food. Cholera is an illness caused by the bacterium. It produces a poison that causes a painless , watery diarrhea( ) that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not given. Most persons infected with cholera do not become ill, although the bacterium is present in their waste for 7-14 days. When this illness does strike, more than 90% of the time is not severe and is difficult to tell from other types of diarrhea. Less than 10% of sick persons develop cholera with signs of moderate or severe dehydration.
A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food polluted with the cholera bacterium. The disease can spread rapidly in areas without the proper treatment of drinking water. The cholera bacterium may also live in the environment in dirty rivers and coastal waters. Shellfish eaten raw have been a source of cholera. Therefore, the disease is not likely to spread directly from one person to another.
Cholera can be simply and successfully treated by immediate replacement of the fluid and salts lost through diarrhea. Patients can be treated by being given a mixture of sugar and salt to be mixed with water and drunk in large amount. Antibiotics shorten the course and decrease the severity of the illness. To avoid cholera, we should eat well-cooked food instead of raw food. | high1330.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The Sendai meeting was held one day after a cyclone hit Vanuatu"
},
"options": [
"The Sendai meeting was held one day after a cyclone hit Vanuatu",
"Vanuatu was terribly destroyed by an earthquake",
"The president of Vanuatu ... | Terrible disasters in the last 50 or 100 years have become increasingly common. Over the last 30 years, the number of weather-related disasters has increased quickly, and the disasters have also affected more people and caused more economic loss. However, much of this could be avoided through disaster risk reduction(DRR).
A meeting, held in Sendai, Japan last month, opened one day after Cyclone Pam(Pam)hit Vanuatu, which struck the islands with winds of up to 340km/h and destroyed the island nation. The speech by the President of Vanuatu was given shortly after that. He begged the international community for support and stronger commitment to helping them manage climate and disaster risks. In the face of disasters, it is always the developing countries that suffer most. Damage in these countries is often worse and unluckily, there is limited money and technique to prevent these disasters.
In fact, we have seen Asian countries-especially those that have suffered a lot in disasters can't pay the price. Great loss Asia has suffered comes to a total of almost $ 53 billon yearly over the past 20 years.
At the same time, studies have shown once again that proper prevention saves lives and damage. With this in mind, people at the Sendai meeting were able to come up with new agreements that effective ways of disaster risk reduction will be carried out in the coming years for those who easily get damaged in disasters. | high13677.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Drinking water: bottled or from the tap?"
},
"options": [
"Drinking water: bottled or from the tap?",
"How to save more energy?",
"Why is it good to drink water out of the tap?",
"Stop drinking bottled water from now on... | If your family is like many in the United States, keeping a lot of bottled water at home, it's easy to get a cold one right out of the fridge on your way to a soccer game or activity, right?
But all those plastic bottles use a lot of fossil fuels and pollute the environment. In fact, Americans buy more bottled water than any other nation in the world, and add 29 billion water bottles a year to the problem. In order to make all these bottles, manufacturers use 17 million barrels of crude oil . That's enough oil to keep a million cars going for twelve months.
So why don't more people drink water straight from the kitchen faucet? Some people drink bottled water because they think it is better for them than water out of the tap, but that's not true. In the US, local governments make sure water from the faucet is safe.
People love the convenience of bottled water. But maybe if they realized the problems it causes, they would try drinking from a glass at home or carrying water in a refillable steel container instead of plastic.
Unfortunately, for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes and the ocean. Plastic bottles take many hundreds of years to break down.
Water is good for you, so keep drinking it. But think about how often you use water bottles, and see if you can make a change. And yes, you can make a difference. Remember this: recycling one plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours. No matter who you are, you can do something for the environment. Join us and protect the environment. | high7999.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To introduce the happiness course."
},
"options": [
"To describe all the traditional courses.",
"To introduce the happiness course.",
"To develop the readers' interest in happiness.",
"To help students struggle against ... | Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside other traditional subjects such as math and languages. The class sit in a circle with their eyes shut and they count from one to ten: someone starts, the next voice comes from the far right, a third from the other side.
The aim of the game is to listen for an opportunity to shout out the number without clashing with another voice or leaving a pause. On the first try, most of the young Germans try to be first, while a few are too shy to join in, but by the fifth time round, they develop a rhythm .The message: give other people space but also confidently claim your own. This is a requirement for social well-being.
The Willy Hellpach School in Heidelberg is the first in the nation to develop a happiness course.
It is intended for students preparing for university entrance exams.
"The course isn't there to make you happy," Ernst Fritz-Schubert, the school principal, warned pupils, "but rather to help you discover the ways to become happy."
Cooking a meal together is one of the class exercises. Improving body language under the guidance of two professional actresses is another.
The course is taught for three periods a week. Although it's the happy subject, the pupils themselves insist it is no laughing matter.
"In the first period, we had to each say something positive about another member of the class and about ourselves. No laughing at people," said Fanny, 17.
Research by the school shows it is not the first to start happiness classes: they also exist at some US universities, mainly based on positive thinking, using findings from studies of depression. | high14118.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the New Madrid fault in Missouri"
},
"options": [
"current scientific knowledge about faults",
"the San Andreas and the New Madrid faults",
"the causes of faults",
"the New Madrid fault in Missouri"
],
"question... | Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault , which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?
Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings in the area were almost destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks opened in the ground, releasing some strong smell chemicals.
The Mississippi River itself completely changed character, developing sudden rapids and whirlpools . Several times it changed its course, and once, according to some observers, it actually appeared to run backwards. Few people were killed in the New Marid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811; but the severity of the earthquakes are shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks were stopped in Washington, D.C.
Scientists now know that America's two major faults are essentially different. The San Andreas is a horizontal boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the two masses make a sudden move.
The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical fault; at some points, possibly hundreds of millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes under the surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions cause earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern Illinois.
Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming, but the scientists say they have no method of predicting when a large earthquake will occur. | high5156.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "robot caregivers for the elderly to lilt market"
},
"options": [
"the problems of Chinese elderly population",
"the advantages of the Robot caregivers",
"robot caregivers for the elderly to lilt market",
"the government... | A 1. 6-meter tall robot may soon become the best friend for lonely elderly people,as Chinese scientists are making the final sprint toward its market launch ,said a senior researcher on the robot project on Saturday.
"We are working on testing the exact functions and ways to reduce the cost in preparations for an expected market launch of the robot in two to three years,"said Li Ruifeng,a member of the project.
He said the team hoped to reduce the cost so that the robot can be priced at 30,000 to 50,000 yuan,which is expected to be an affordable price for most of China's better-off families.
The robot has been developed with the functions of fetching food,medicine,sounding alarms in case of water or gas leakage,sending texts or video images via wireless communications,and even singing a song or playing chess to entertain its masters.
Li said that the robot,developed independently in China, has technology at the same level as those in western labs.
China set about the research of the robot in 2007,when it was listed as a national key project. It is _ by government funding . China has the world's largest elderly population with 159 million people over 60,accounting for 12 percent of its total population. According to a survey by the Ministry of Civil Affairs,more than 10 million caregivers and nurses are needed to attend the elderly population,as most of Chinese elderly prefer to live their retired lives at home. | high18722.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "machines'super intelligence should be a concern"
},
"options": [
"he is embarrassed that he is afraid of robots",
"he doesn't think machines are intelligent",
"machines should be fully employed",
"machines'super intelli... | Robots make me nervous-especially the ones which seem to think for themselves.I was embarrassed to admit this till I heard that Bill Gates,the founder of Microsoft,felt the same way.Gates said in an interview with the website Reddit:"I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence.First the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent.That should be positive if we manage well.A few decades after that though the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern."
Well,maybe I don't have to worry about my laptop and kitchen appliances yet.After I use them I can always pull the plug.But in the future,machines might find a way to prevent us from switching them off.There's a scary thought!
Professor Stephen Hawking warned a few months ago about the possibility that artificial intelligence could evolve and end up beyond human contro1.He suggested that machines could" _ the end of the human race".
Maybe the problem with computers too clever for us is not that they are evil or rebellious.What could put us in danger is that they might be too efficient.That's what philosopher Nick Bostrom from the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University believes.He says that machines are indifferent to humans and in pursuit of their own goals,the destruction of people might be just collateral damage.A machine would not take pity on you.
I'm glad my machines at home are"dumb".All my vacuum cleaner wants to take over is the carpet in my living room.Let's hope they don't create an appliance which wants to take over the world! | high11060.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Baba Budan's story."
},
"options": [
"Kaldi's story.",
"The monk's story.",
"Omar's story.",
"Baba Budan's story."
],
"question": "Which of the following involves political tricks?",
"question_type": null
... | Legends about the development of coffee are varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political tricks, and the pursuit of wealth and power.
According to one story, a sheepherder named Kaldi, as he tended his sheep, noticed the effect of coffee beans. He noticed that the sheep became excited after eating the red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures . He tried it himself, and was soon as overactive as his sheep. Another story relates that a monk happened to discover that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help him stay awake.
Another legend gives us the name for coffee, "mocha". Omar, an Arabian was thrown to the desert with his followers to die of starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit from an unknown plant. Not only did the soup save the group, but the residents of the nearest town, Mocha, took their survival as a religious sign. The plant and its beverage were named Mocha to honor this event.
Coffee was introduced much later to countries beyond Arabia, whose inhabitants believed it to be a tasty thing and guarded its secret as if they were top secret military plans. The government forbade transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations. The actual spread of coffee was started illegally. One Arab named Baba Budan smuggled beans to some mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Early in this century, some of those original plants were found still growing fruitfully in the region.
Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export. | high4248.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Bernice unexpectedly became the owner of the rare-baseball card"
},
"options": [
"Bernice is a baseball fan",
"Bernice is the last person to purchase the rare-baseball card",
"Bernice unexpectedly became the owner of the rare... | Bernice Gallego sat down one day this summer, as she does pretty much every day,and began listing items on eBay. She dug into a box and pulled out a baseball card. She stopped for a moment and admired the picture. "Red Stocking B. B. Club of Cincinnatti," the card read, under the reddish brown color photo of ten men with their socks pulled up to their knees.
As a collector and seller, it's her job to spot old items that might have value today. It's what Bernice,72, and her husband, Al Gallego, 80, have been doing since 1974 at their California antique store.
This card, she figured, was worth selling on eBay. She took a picture, wrote a description and put it up for auction.She put a $10 price tag on it, deciding against $15 because it would have cost her an extra 20 cents. Later that night she got a few odd inquiries---someone wanting to know whether the card was real, someone wanting her to end the caution and sell him the card immediately.
The card is actually 139 years old. Sports card collectors call the find "extremely rare" and estimate the card could
five, or perhaps, six figures at caution.
Just like that, Bernice is the least likely character ever for a rare-baseball card story. "I didn't even know baseball existed that far back," Gallego says, "I don't think that I've ever been to a baseball game." The theory is that the card came out of a storage space they bought a few years back. It is not uncommon in their line of work to buy the entire contents of storage units for around $200.
When she met with card trader Rick Mirigian, she found out what the card was-----an 1869 advertisement with a picture of the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnatti Red Stocking.
"When I came to meet her and she took it out of a sandwich bag and she was smoking a cigarette, I almost fainted," Mirigian says. " They've uncovered a piece of history that few people will ever be able to imagine. That card is history. It's like unearthing a Mona Lisa or a Picasso." | high16069.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a usual natural disaster"
},
"options": [
"scientists who study earthquakes",
"the way of measuring earthquakes",
"a usual natural disaster",
"what people should do in the earthquake"
],
"question": "The passage... | Every year there are hundreds of earthquakes in different parts of the world. In September, 1923, Tokyo and Yokohama were both destroyed by an earthquake and the fires that followed it. They had to be completely rebuilt. One of the most serious earthquakes was in China's Shanxi province in 1556. It killed almost one million people.
We measure an earthquake's strength on the Richter Scale. The Richter Scale was introduced in 1935 in Southern California in the USA. It measures earthquakes on a scale of one to ten. Any earthquake measuring five or more is usually serious.
The Earth's crust is made up of rock called plates. As these plates move, they sometimes crash against each other, causing the crust to quake. In cities such as Tokyo, where small quakes happen quite often, many modern buildings are designed to be flexible so when the Earth moves, they move with it.
Earthquakes can also break up gas and oil pipes. This can cause fires to break out, which can do as much damage as the earthquake itself. Another effect of earthquakes is _ These are huge waves created by earthquakes beneath the sea. They can be many meters high and cause great damage to coastal towns and cities, China, Japan, Russia and the USA have the highest occurrence of earthquakes in the world. | high3241.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "showing the process in different stages"
},
"options": [
"telling an interesting story",
"showing the process in different stages",
"introducing a practical method",
"describing many different activities"
],
"qu... | We grew up with the familiar toy bricks that gave us the imagination to build towers and castles. Generations have been attracted by this toy that lets children and adults alike create anything and everything. But with over 200 millions sets being sold a year in over 100 countries, the question remains -- where did Lego actually come from?
Lego was born from the creative mind of Danish carpenter , Ole Kirk Christiansen, back in the early 1930s. He established a small business in Denmark. He and his team built a variety of household goods like ironing boards along with wooden toys. The Lego name was adopted in 1934, formed from the Danish words "Leg Godt" or "play well", which means "I study" or "I put together" in Latin.
Christiansen's company continued to make wooden toys until 1942 when fire struck -- the entire Lego factory burned to the ground. Unwilling to give in, the factory was rebuilt and the production line restarted soon after. By 1954, Christiansen's son, Godtfred, had become the junior managing director of the Lego Group. It was during his conversation with an overseas buyer that he was struck by the idea of a toy system.
For over 30 years, the Lego Company made only toys and related goods. Then, in 1968, the company opened its first Legoland in Denmark. Combining the Lego building bricks with a computer, the Robotics Invention System 1.5 is now the most advanced toy in the Lego Company, which is targeted at users aged twelve and above, and that includes any parents or grandparents that want to join in.
Now the Lego Company is expanding its production lines to include lights, cameras and so on. Lego Company has done a lot to entertain many children around the world. | high10418.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Miraculous Messages from Heaven"
},
"options": [
"Information from Lisa Williams",
"Miraculous Messages from Heaven",
"Strange Things in the Party.",
"Unforgettable memories"
],
"question": "What's the best titl... | Since I was a child, I called my father my Kong, after King Kong. I believed that he was just as strong as the giant ape . As he faced death, _ .
Two months after he passed away, my sister called to ask if I would like to go see Lisa Williams, a well-known witch . I was familiar with Lisa from her show on Lifetime, and since I was eager to get a sign from my father, I agreed to go.
I took my father's gold watch and listened as Lisa helped audience members communicate with their loved ones. "I have a grandfather-like figure with me and he is speaking about his granddaughter Jilly," she announced. The audience was quiet; no one raised a hand. I nudged my sister and whispered to her that this was Dad ,for my third child and my father had a deep bond(,) and he called her Jilly.
Although I sensed his presence, I wasn't confident enough to raise my hand. I needed something a bit more concrete, something undoubted.
"This man is letting me know he had cancer," she continued. I nudged my sister harder and assured her this was our father. Lisa went on to say that this person died in June (my father had died June 8th). There was swelling of the legs.
"Important information," she called out. My heart beat fast . I jumped up when she asked, "Who is holding his watch?" I waved the watch in the air.
"He wishes you congratulations." My fourth child was born three weeks after my father died. I was in shock and could not believe I was getting a chance to hear from him, yet I knew our bond was strong enough that he could come to the world. She banged on her chest like an ape and apologized, saying, "I don't know why but he wants me to do this like Tarzan." It didn't resonate with me until my sister called out "King Kong!" I was convinced. No way could this woman have ever known a detail unless Dad was communicating through her.
Each bit of information she gave us was just as meaningful. She ended our session by informing us that he would send us coins. The very next day I found six coins in various places; they seemed to have come out of nowhere. Even in death he is my Kong, and he remains important in my life. | high5630.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "will gain a permanent tooth in future"
},
"options": [
"should have a false tooth fixed in its place",
"have to put it under your pillow at once",
"will gain a permanent tooth in future",
"can exchange it for some money... | Losing a baby tooth can be fun for a kid. You can put it under your pillow and look forward to finding some money there in the morning. And then you can watch your new permanent tooth grow in its place.
But if a permanent tooth falls out, that's a problem. There isn't another one under the gum that can replace it. Unfortunately, this happens to some older people. And if permanent teeth fall out-or need to be pulled-an older person might need dentures.
Dentures, known as false teeth, are a set of replacement teeth for any teeth that are missing. There are partial dentures, which take the place of only a few teeth and prevent the others from changing position. If all the teeth are gone, the person would need complete dentures, which replace every tooth in the mouth.
Dentures can cause pains at first and take little time to get adjusted to. They also need special care. They should be brushed daily with a special denture brush and cleanser and soaked in denture solution when not in the mouth.
Dentures are important for older folks because, without teeth, it's hard to smile, talk, and eat properly. But it can be a little _ if you see someone take out his or her dentures. It can also be strange to see someone, like a grandparent, without dentures in because he or she won't have any teeth. Try not to make fun of the person because this could cause hurt feelings.
People usually lose their permanent teeth due to periodontal disease, or gum disease, which is caused by bacteria that attacks the gums. Diseased gums aren't strong and healthy, so teeth can get loose and fall out. Older people often have many cavities that have been filled over the years, and these fillings can weaken over time, leading to more tooth decay. | high18044.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "mainly got income from the ticket prices and donations"
},
"options": [
"was built with the money from the government",
"sold its tickets at a high price",
"was a great success once it was opened",
"mainly got income fr... | Ocean Park Hong Kong is a theme park in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island. The park was built with donations from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (now Hong Kong Jockey Club) and opened on 10 January 1977. Today it offers affordable marine animal education and entertainment and is a private organization for commercial purpose.
In the early operation of the park, the main sources of income for the park were the ticket prices and the funding from the Jockey Club. Since the ticket price was low, most of the time Ocean Park was operating under deficit . In July 1987, the government established a 200 million trust from the funding of Jockey Club, under the Ocean Park Corporation Ordinance. This separated Ocean Park from Jockey Club and became a non-profit organization; it needs to be responsible for its own income and was allowed to use commercial means to operate the park.
Since it was permitted to use commercial means to operate, it gradually raised its ticket price and the deficit turned into profit. In 1992, 3 million visitors visited the park. Since 1998, the East Asian financial crisis , aging attractions, and the passing away of the killer whale, the park recorded a deficit for a couple years. Although it was allowed to host 2 pandas in 1999, the number of visitors did not go up and Ocean Park was forced to close its water attractions and the "Old Village" attraction and turned to bring in more rides in an attempt to capture the youth demand. Together with the opening up of mainland visitors under the Individual Visit Scheme, Ocean Park recorded an astonishing 4 million visitors in the year 2004-2005, the highest since the park opened.
In March 2005, Ocean Park made its redevelopment plan. On 23 November 2006, Ocean Park held a groundbreaking ceremony for its redevelopment. | high6339.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "In the evening."
},
"options": [
"In the morning.",
"In the afternoon.",
"At lunch time.",
"In the evening."
],
"question": "When did Sally do her homework?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | Teenagers in England do much the same as children in America do. They enjoy sending messages by their mobile phones and they also like swimming, listening to the latest music, watching TV and surfing the Internet.
How do teenagers in England spend their free time and holidays? Let's follow Sally, a British teenager, and spend five days with her during her school holiday.
Day One
After breakfast, Sally's mother went out and left her alone at home. She checked her mobile phone during lunch --one of her friends sent her a message early in the morning. Dinner was at 6:30 p.m. After that, she finished her English home-work. Then she surfed the Internet.
Day Two
Sally and her mother paid a visit to their friends and went swimming together. Later, they went shopping for clothes and books, and had dinner in a restaurant.
Day Three
She went to the supermarket with her mother to buy fish and chips for lunch as well as some pens. After she got back home, she spent the next few hours surfing the Internet and watching TV.
Day Four
She surfed the Internet. Her mother took her out for lunch before she went to work. She then read stories after lunch.
Day Five
She woke up at 2 p.m., and so did her mother. They went to a park. Her mother met some friends there. When they got home, it was already time for dinner. Afterwards, she did her homework until 10 p.m. | high1456.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "One of his books enjoyed a lot of success."
},
"options": [
"He fell in love with reading when he was a child.",
"One of his books enjoyed a lot of success.",
"He began to love music recently.",
"He is good at Chinese."... | When I was a kid, I was just like every other kid. As usual, I liked being with friends and having fun. But I didn't like school much. I didn't like the rule of learning, studying, memorizing, etc. Too much work. As I got into high school, things changed for me. I started reading a lot of books. Books taught me about life and helped me learn about the world. I read around 30 books during each senior year. I learned to love reading then.
Little did I know at that time that I would write books by myself. I've written 7 books since then. One book I wrote, Powerful Attitudes, was a huge success within a network marketing company in the USA.
When I was 17 years old, I took about a dozen guitar lessons. I fell in love with guitar music no matter if it is blues, rock, flamenco or classical. I've attended concerts and have heard some great guitarists through the years. Recently, I bought myself a piano and began to learn to play it. I've made great progress. My knowledge of music and playing guitar has helped me a lot in learning the piano.
Last week, I employed a Chinese teacher to teach me Chinese. I've learned about 200 words in my first week. I'm inspired and motivated to learn. In fact, I feel a bit _ , thinking of learning Chinese. It's like a mountain I want to climb and conquer. I'm 56 years old and my love to learn it runs deep in my heart, mind and soul.
What I certainly learned while growing up is to love learning. I never want to stop learning. I never want to stop studying people, life, processes and new things. I think the openness of admitting what you don't know, makes you a good learner. You never lie to yourself or to others about your knowledge and experience. I have the attitude that if I don't know something, I will learn to know it. | high13111.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "both are enjoyable"
},
"options": [
"both are enjoyable",
"both are hard to learn",
"both are necessary to life",
"both take a long time to prepare"
],
"question": "In this passage, good writing is compared to f... | Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, like good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the opposite, just as the cook has to undergo a particular training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at his desk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose is--schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication.
You may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.
There are still some faraway places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for money. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service of that rare kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.
We have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to papers. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put into mails or delivered by hand, but the daily figures must be extremely large. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes whatever he writes will be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some "letters-to-be-read" files or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skills of interesting, effective writing. | high15560.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "an organization to help the poor by offering food"
},
"options": [
"a place to sell food to the poor",
"a store to sell farm produce",
"a bank for people to save and draw money",
"an organization to help the poor by off... | Junelle Lynch knocked on more than 200 doors in the Gayln Manor neighborhood of Brunswick in recent weeks. Her aim is to collect hundreds of pounds of food for the Brunswick Food Bank.
"I like helping people a lot,"said Junelle,who celebrated her 11th birthday in June.
With the support of her parents Isabella and Robert,Junelle walked along the streets with an orange grocery bag .Isabella always accompanies her daughter. Isabella helps her daughter by car,so Junelle can empty her grocery bag when it becomes heavy. Junelle's friend,Destiny Williams,helped the first night,but he didn't turn up the rest of the time.
Neighbor Lynda Mallory donated food to Junelle. Mallory dropped noodles,canned soup,vegetables and fruits into Junelle's bag. After visiting the last house and looking at what she collected,Junelle said she felt good about what she achieved with the help of her neighbors.
Working an hour a night three times per week,she has collected more than 400 pounds of canned and boxed food. This isn't the first year she's collected food. Junelle started nearly three years ago when,at 8 years old,she saw a collection box at a grocery store and decided to become involved. In her first year,she collected 80 pounds of food in the mostly undeveloped neighborhood,and 214 pounds the next year. The food helped feed many families.
When she isn't helping,Junelle is a straightA student who snowboards,plays the trumpet,sings with the Brunswick Chorus,plays basketball and writes poems. She plans on spending her summer vacation attending a basketball camp. | high8314.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He was about to speak but she put a figure on his lips to stop him."
},
"options": [
"This year's sales figures were quite excellent.",
"I couldn't figure out what the teacher was talking about.",
"She was the leading figure ... | Below is adapted from an English dictionary. Use the dictionary to answer the following questions.
figure / fig@ / noun, verb
* noun
1. a number representing a particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade / sales figures
2. a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary
3. (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc. numbers
4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history.
5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly
6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it
7. the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one's figure
8. a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating
* be / become a figure of fun: be / become sb. that others laugh at
* cut a...figure: sb with a particular appearance: He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket.
* put a figure on sth: to say the exact price or number of sth.
* a fine figure of man / woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person
* figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect
* figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority)
* verb
1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning.
2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn't seem to figure at all.
3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth: We figured that attendance at 150,000.
* figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel?
* figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven't figured on his getting home so late.
* figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost?
* It / That figures!: That seems reasonable. | high7027.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "with his wife"
},
"options": [
"with his wife",
"alone",
"with his friend",
"with an Italian"
],
"question": "The Frenchman went to a small Italian town _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | A Frenchman went to a small Italian town and was staying with his wife at the best hotel there. One night, he went out for a walk alone. It was late and the small street was dark and quiet. Suddenly he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man who quickly walked past him. The man was nearly out of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found that his watch was gone. He thought that it must be the Italian who had taken his watch. He decided to follow him and get back the watch.
Soon the Frenchman caught up with the Italian. Neither of them understood the other's language. The Frenchman frightened the Italian with his fist and pointed at the Italian's watch. In the end the Italian gave up his watch to the Frenchman.
When he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife what had happened. He was greatly surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that by mistake he had robbed the watch and it was the Italian's. | high1442.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because the two roads are more or less similar in the poet's view."
},
"options": [
"Because the two roads are more or less similar in the poet's view.",
"Because Americans believe they can decide their future themselves.",
"... | There's a case to be made, from things like Google search figures, that Robert Frost's poem The Road Not Taken - you know, the one about two paths diverging in a wood - is the most popular in modern history. Yet people still can't agree what it means. On the surface, it's a fridge-magnet cliche on the importance of taking risks and choosing the road less travelled. But many argue it slyly mocks that American belief in the individual's power to determine his or her future. After all, the poet admits that both paths look roughly similarly well-travelled. And how could he be sure he took the right one? He'll never know where the other leads. Looking back at our life histories, we tell ourselves we faced important dilemmas and chose wisely. But maybe only because it's too awful to admit we're stumbling mapless among the trees, or that our choices don't make much difference.
Two psychologists, Karalyn Enz and Jennifer Talarico, throw light on these matters in a new study with a title that nods to Frost: Forks In The Road. They sought to clarify how people think about "turning points" versus "transitions" in life. A turning point, by their definition, is a moment that changes your future - deciding to leave a job or marriage, say - but often isn't visible from the outside, at least at first. "Transitions" involve big external changes: going to university, marrying, emigrating . Sometimes the two go together, as when you move to a new place and realize it's where you belong. ("New Yorkers are born all over the country," Delia Ephron said, "and then they come to New York and it hits them: oh, that's who I am.") But it's turning points we remember as most significant, Enz and Talarico conclude, whether or not they also involve transitions.
The distinction is useful: it underlines how the most outwardly obvious life changes aren't always those with the biggest impact. Hence the famous "focusing illusion", which describes how we exaggerate the importance of a single factor on happiness: you switch jobs, or spouses, only to discover you brought the same troublesome old you to the new situation. Before it became a joke, "midlife crisis" referred to a turning point that happens because your circumstances don't change, when your old life stops feeling meaningful. Turning points can be caused by mundane things - the offhand remark that makes you realize you're in the wrong life - or by nothing at all. | high13105.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "parental education"
},
"options": [
"parental rights",
"children's habits",
"parental education",
"parentchildren relationship"
],
"question": "The passage is centered around the topic of _ .",
"question... | Teens are more likely to behave badly if their parents expect them to,a new US study has found.
"Parents who believe they are simply being realistic might actually be having a bad effect on their children," Christy Buchanan,a teacher at Wake Forest University and one of the authors of the study,said. "Bad expectations on the part of both parents and children predict more rebellious behaviors later on."
The finding came from a study of more than 250 sixth and seventhgraders and their mothers. They were examined at the start of the study and again one year later. If kids' mothers expected them to take more risks and be more rebellious,higher chances of risky behavior were seen.
_
_
_
when kids had bad expectations of themselves.
"Sometimes parents expect more negative behavior from their children than they should based on the children's history of behavior," Buchanan said.Parents shouldn't be naive about the possibility of bad behavior,she said,but it's also a mistake to think that children who are wellbehaved will naturally become rebellious at the age of 13.
"By thinking risktaking or rebelliousness is normal for teenagers and showing that to their children,parents might add to other messages from society that make teenagers feel that they are strange if they are not willing to take risks or break laws," she said."This can mean,for example,that when parents expect teens to drink before they turn 21 or to do other risky behaviors,kids are less likely to refuse to do so later in their lives."
On the other hand,parents' expectations that teens can exhibit good behaviors and refuse to behave badly or to take risks could help reduce the possibility of bad behavior,Buchanan said."As a parent,you should put expectations on your children carefully." | high15574.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Lawyers."
},
"options": [
"Lawyers.",
"Farmers.",
"Clerks.",
"Shop assistants."
],
"question": "According to the passage, which people seem to age slower than the others?",
"question_type": null
}
] | If you want to stay young, sit down and have a good think. This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise--and as a result, we are aging unnecessarily soon.
Professor Taiju Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern Japan appeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a relatively early age, and how the process of aging could be slowed down.
With a team of colleagues at Tokyo National University, he set about measuring brain volumes of a thousand people of different ages and varying occupations.
Computer technology enabled the researchers to obtain precise measurements of the volume of the front and side sections of the brain, which relate to intellect and emotion, and determine the human character. (The rear section of the brain, which controls functions like eating and breathing, does not contract with age, and one can continue living without intellectual or emotional faculties.)
Contraction of front and side parts--as cells die off--was observed in some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not evident in some sixty- and seventy-year-olds.
Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple remedy to the contraction normally associated with age--using the head. The findings show in general terms that contraction of the brain begins sooner in people in the country than in the towns. Those least at risk, says Matsuzawa, are lawyers, followed by university professors and doctors. White collar workers doing routine work in government offices are, however, as likely to have shrinking brains as the farm worker, bus driver and shop assistant. Matsuzawa's findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking. Blood must circulate properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need. "The best way to maintain good blood circulation is through using the brain," he says, "Think hard and engage in conversation. Don't rely on pocket calculators." | high7033.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They are not really as rare as they are named."
},
"options": [
"They are actually as abundant as Copper.",
"They can be mined easily as other metals.",
"They can only be found in a few countries.",
"They are not really... | You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements and others known as "rare earth" play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries -- China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded.
Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth's surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term "rare earth" was invented.
Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in "green" technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery!
America has large deposits of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was opened in Southern California in 1940. The element "Europium" was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980's and 1990's, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002.
Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years. | high11712.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "By adding different amounts of milk to each cup of black coffee."
},
"options": [
"By adding different amounts of black coffee to each cup of milk.",
"By adding different amounts of milk to each cup of black coffee.",
"By usi... | The Mona Lisa, one of the world's most famous paintings, has been recreated with 3,604 cups of coffee--and 564 pints of milk. The different colors were created by adding no, little or lots of milk to each cup of black coffee.
The recreated Mona Lisa measured 20 feet long and 13 feet wide. It took a team of eight people three hours to complete the work. It was created for The Rocks Aroma Festival in Sydney, Australia, and seen by 130,000 people who attended the one-day coffee-lovers event.
Elaine Kelly, one of the organizers from the Sydney Harbor Foreshore Authority, was delighted with the result. She said, "Each coffee cup was filled with varying amounts of milk to create the different shades of the painting. We wanted to create an element of surprise and a sense of fun in the way we communicated with the public."
"Once we had the idea of creating an image out of coffee cups we searched for something iconic to reproduce .And after some time we chose the most iconic painting in history. The Mona Lisa has been reproduced so many times in so many different mediums but, as far as we know, never out of coffee," Kelly continued. "Besides, the idea is practical."
"It was fantastic. It really looked like the famous painting--the Mona Lisa. It was wonderful," said one visitor.
After much planning it was great to see it coming together so well and the 130,000 people who attended the event certainly enjoyed it and were deeply attracted by it," said Kelly. | high3255.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because he considers that public speaking is just to say something in plain speech."
},
"options": [
"Because he considers that public speaking is just to say something in plain speech.",
"Because he considers that when someone spe... | Speaking in public is most people's least favorite thing. The reason is that we're all afraid of making fools of ourselves. The more important the speech is the more frightened we become.
But stop biting your finger-nails. Public speaking is easy. It's just plain talking, and you talk all the time. Public speaking is not a "gift" like musical talent or being able to draw. Anybody who can talk can speak in public. Here are some tips:
Keep it simple. Your audience is going to learn one or two from your main ideas by heart. If you can't express, then your speech is not focused well enough. And if you don't have a clear idea of what you want to say, then your audience will have no interest in your speech.
Get organized. No matter how long or short your speech is, you'd better get your materials in order: how you're going to start, what major points you want to make and how you're going to close. You may often write the last sentence first. When you know what your aim is, you can choose any ways to get there. A strong close is powerful. The last thing you say is what your audience will most likely remember.
Keep it short. The standard length of a vaudeville act was 12 minutes. If all those troupers want to sing and dance, they may make the audience bored. So make your speech short. | high21809.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "activities for Halloween"
},
"options": [
"activities for Halloween",
"activities during Christmas",
"Halloween costumes",
"Halloween pumpkins"
],
"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .",
"question_... | Tricks and Treats Pre-school Program
Place: Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Center
Time: For registration by Oct. 9, 9:30-10:30 am or 1:30-2:30 pm
Cost: $5
Children aged 3-6 can show off their Halloween costumes, play games, sing silly songs, and make Halloween crafts . An adult companion must attend.
Halloween Haunt
Place: Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason
Time: Friday Sept. 26th , Saturday Nov. 1st , 7 pm-1 am
Cost: $25.99 Saturdays, $19.99 Fridays
Thirteen frightening attractions and rides, including Urgent Scare, the new 3,666 square-foot maze and ghost in the wild. Not suitable for children.
BooDay Carnival
Place: Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave
Time: Oct. 24th , 11 am to 5 pm
Cost: Free. Games are 25 cents a piece.
The Museum Center will change its Changing Exhibits Hall into a Halloween-themed party featuring(...) a variety of games and other contests. Visitors are encouraged to attend in costume and sign up for a costume contest (held at 2 and 4 pm in the Rotunda).
Lobenstein Farm
Place: 29703 Post Road, St. Leon, Ind.
Time: Oct. 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 10 am to 7 pm daily
Cost: Free.
Home to one of the region's largest pumpkin festivals (30,000 every year during the first three weekends in October), the farm allows visitors to pick their own pumpkins in the main field, enjoy hayrides and visit craft shops and a zoo for pets. | high18050.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Buying used books."
},
"options": [
"Driving your own car.",
"Buying used books.",
"Renting an apartment.",
"Attending activities."
],
"question": "Which of the following ideas can be financially wise?",
"qu... | You put a great deal of effort into reaching the college of your choice. It's time to get started. But what's next? Beginning college can be an exciting but awkward time. Follow these tips to adjust to your new life rapidly and make the most of your college experience.
* To save time and money, use the college's bus system. Taking the bus to school is quick, easy and free in most college towns. You won't have to locate or afford a place to park either. It's also a good way to be environmentally aware.
* Save pennies on books by waiting until class starts. You might not even need all of the recommended books. New textbooks cost an arm and a leg. Try buying used textbooks -- it's a surefire way to save money and serves the purpose as well.
* Do never look at college life as an endless series of parties and social activities. But there is a whole lot more to college if you're serious about graduating. Having a good college experience is all about balancing work and fun.
* Be aware that your living environment can largely affect your academic success. If the dorm doesn't suit you, consider living at home with your family or renting your own apartment. The best location for your studies isn't always your dorm. Find a quiet area, like the library, to do your work. Alternatively, buy some headphones that block out noise.
* Be mindful of your diet. Make healthy food choices and watch what you eat. Avoid foods that are processed or high in sugar. The "freshman 15" is real. Many college students gain at least 15 pounds during their freshmen year.
* While electives can be helpful when figuring out your major, you shouldn't entirely rely on them. Clubs and other organizations exist around. Get involved. Make sure, though, that you still have time to study. _ can hurt your grades. | high5624.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "finely preserved"
},
"options": [
"buried about four thousand years ago",
"cut after they flowered",
"used to keep the dead body fresh",
"finely preserved"
],
"question": "The roses discovered at Hawara in 1888 ... | The ancient Egyptians appeared to be among the first early civilizations to learn how to grow roses. In 1888, at Hawara in the El Faiyum area of Egypt, two-thousand-year-old roses were found in ancient tombs. The discovery suggested roses were an important part of the complex burial ceremony which took place when an important person died. The roses found in the tombs are thought by modern experts to be the oldest preserved flowers ever found in the world. They must have been cut and dried before flowering so that they would remain undamaged. Over the centuries, the roses had shrunk and became tight balls, but on careful examination it was discovered that the petals themselves were hardly damaged.
Egypt's skill in mass-cultivation of roses in early times led to the flowers becoming an important export product. At the height of the Roman Empire, Egypt exported large quantities of roses to the Roman courts. Wealthy Romans loved the beautiful color1s and sweet smells of roses. So the Romans attempted to grow their own roses and they eventually mastered the art of mass cultivation. Egypt then decided to concentrate on growing grain instead of roses, so grain soon took over as the number-one agricultural product of Egypt.
Roses were appreciated in other early civilizations too, including Greece and Persia. They are a decorative feature on coins, sculpture, and vases dating back thousands of years. There is also evidence that roses were highly valued by the Chinese who believed that the flowers could be used to help treat a wide range of illnesses, from toothache to skin and chest diseases.
In the modern world, the rose has not lost its popularity as the "Queen of Flowers" -- the name given to it by the Greek poetess Sappho. Even today more roses are sold than any other flower. Modern techniques have enabled people to create ever more beautiful roses. Transportation by air makes it possible to grow roses in countries with favorable climates and sell them within twenty-four hours in profitable markets all over the world. Tons of roses are transported this way every week. Roses from Ecuador, a country in northern South America, can be bought in Holland, even though that country itself has a huge rose-growing business. | high17363.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience"
},
"options": [
"warn young people of the hardships that a successful writer has to experience",
"advise young people to give up their idea of becoming ... | Many a young person tells me he wants to be a writer. I always encourage such people,but I also explain that there's a big difference between "being a writer" and writing.In most cases these people are dreaming of wealth and fame, not the long hours alone at a typewriter. "You've got to want to write, "I say to them, "not want to be a writer".
The reality is that writing is a lonely, private and poor-paying affair. For every writer kissed by fortune there are thousands more whose longing is never rewarded. When I left a 20-year career in the U.S. Coat Guard to become a freelance writer, I had no hope at all.What I did have was a friend who found me a room in a New York apartment building.It didn't even matter that it was cold and had no bathroom.I immediately bought a used typewriter and felt like a real writer.
After a year or so.However, I still hadn't gotten a break and began to doubt myself.It was so hard to sell a story that I hardly made enough to eat.But I knew I wanted to write,l had dreamed about it for years.I wasn't going to be one _ I would keep putting my dream to the test--even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure.This is the _ of hope,and anyone with a dream must learn to live there. | high5142.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the poor boat and the bad weather"
},
"options": [
"such a 1ong journey on the river",
"the poor boat and the bad weather",
"few people taking part in the journey",
"the seriously polluted river in some parts"
],
... | If, for some reason, you had 2,010 empty plastic bottles, what would you do? You'd probably sell them cheaply, right? But Xia Yu collected 2,010bottles and built a boat with them, As you read this, Xia is, in fact, on a river somewhere in Anhuai, slowly going towards his destination: the Expo Garden in Shanghai.2,010 plastic bottles was to celebrate Expo 2010 Shanghai.On the opening day of the Expo, Xia, together with five friends, went on a 1,500 - km journey from Xiangtan to the Expo Garden, in spite of the doubt whether they'll make it.After all, the boat they are on can hardly be called a boat.It cost only 2,000 yuan to build in a month.
What's keeping Xia going is a major cause behind the trip."We are examining water pollution through our journey and trying to promote a low - carbon lifestyle.Before we started, no one believed we could sail the boat to the Dongting Lake.But we made it." But as they expected, the journey has not always been smooth.Of the six from Xiangtan, four gave up.As of the press time , only Xia and his friend Huang Ying were on the boat.Huang suffered from a disease when they reached Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, Xia said, "There are so many things that can stop up from making it to Shanghai, like the weather, health, and sometimes swift rive water."
"The boat was produced in a factory according to our design, and perhaps it's not in a very good condition.But," Xia said, "we are wearing life jackets"."Some boats passing by offered help." What is more of a reward for Xia and Huang is that the Yangtze Rive truned out much cleaner than they had expected.Although Xia and Huang are uncertain about the journedy ahead, they are "quite happy" with what they have already achieved."After all, it's not the destination that counts.It's always the course that matters the most." | high11074.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A new heating system."
},
"options": [
"A new heating system.",
"A new microwave oven.",
"A popular technique.",
"The magnetron."
],
"question": "Which of the following can tell the main idea of the passage?",
... | Microwaves may be great at warming up food, but what about warming people?
Using microwaves to directly heat owners of a room would save much of the energy wasted by heating walls and furniture. And despite popular ideas about microwaves, this technique would be safe, according to Charles R. Burlier of the Microwave Research Center in Marlborough, New Hampshire. Low-power microwaves only penetrate the skin (low-power microwave penetration in a ham is about 0.2 inches, for example) and with no negative effects.
To test this idea, Buffler subjected himself to microwaves in a special room using a standard 500-watt, 2459 MHz magnetron . He found that a person will start to feel warmth at about 20 milliwatts per square centimeter (mw. / sq. cm. ) ; a satisfactory feeling of warmth occurs between 35 and 50mw. / sq. cm. By comparison, a person standing in noonday summer sun feels the amount of 85 mw. / sq. cm. And a frozen meat pie in your microwave oven receives about 1000 mw. / sq. cm.
In houses of the future, each room could be provided with its own magnetron, says Buffler. When you stepped into the living room, for example, a motion detector would turn on the magnetron, filling the room with low-power microwaves. In the same way that a microwave oven heats up a hamburger, but not the plate it's on, you would feel warmth from the microwaves without changing the temperature of your coffee table. (You could, however, make your favorite easy chair even more comfortable by treating it with a radiation-absorbing chemical.)
While it might be some time before homeowners are comfortable enough with the idea to set up whole-body microwave heaters in houses, Buffler says microwaves may attract livestock farmers. Lambs that are born outdoors in winter, for example, are frequently lost to cold. Microwaves could warm the lambs safely and quickly. | high3533.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "15"
},
"options": [
"17",
"16",
"15",
"14"
],
"question": "Today on an American farm machines do _ times more work than in the past.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | On the old-time farm in America, there were chickens, cows, pigs and horses. But there were very few machines. Most of the work was done by the farm family. Sometimes more workmen were needed in busy seasons. Work done by horses took up 79 percent; by men, 15 percent; and machine work only took up 6 percent.
Today all that has changed. On many modern farms machines now will do 96 percent of the work, while man does 3 percent. As for horses, they do 1 percent of the whole work. The children go to school by bus every morning; the parents work on the farm or in the house and other people's help is hardly needed. Their work has been replaced by a whole army of farm machines. | high19428.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "some old persons with heart attack"
},
"options": [
"some old persons with heart attack",
"some old persons with a fever",
"children over twelve years old",
"neither adults nor heart attack"
],
"question": "Obvi... | There are four forms about medicine. Every must know how to use the medicine. Because it is very important. Never take any by mistake.
1)Take the medicine with water, followed by one tablet every eight hours as required. For further night-time and early morning, take two tablets at bedtime. Do not take more than six tablets in 24 hours. For Children six to twelve years old, go to your doctor for advice. Reduce dosage if nervousness, restlessness or sleeplessness takes place.
2)Each pill of the medicine taken three times every day for fourteen years old. As usual, a pill 6:00 a. m. before breakfast, one before 11:00 and one before sleep. Not for children under six years old and old persons with heart attack.
3)The medicine for a person with a fever. Once two pills a day before sleep for adult. Not take the medicine without fever. Half for Children under 12 years old. Children with a high fever go to see a doctor.
4)The medicine taken three times a day. Once five pills for adult with a cold. Half of the pills for children 10 years old. Take the medicine before breakfast, lunch, supper or before sleep. | high868.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because the girl was wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper."
},
"options": [
"Because the girl had torn his favourite paper.",
"Because the girl was wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper.",
"Because the girl took the box unde... | Some time ago, a friend of mine punished his three-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight , and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier over-reaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty.
He shouted at her loudly, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside of it?"
The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses in the box. I filled it with my love. All for you, Daddy."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her for forgiveness . My friend told me that he kept that gold box by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us as parents has been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold. | high8466.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "causes of the public disappointment about newspapers"
},
"options": [
"needs of the readers all over the world",
"causes of the public disappointment about newspapers",
"origins of the declining newspaper industry",
"ai... | Why do so many Americans distrust what they read in their newspapers? The American Society of Newspaper Editors is trying to answer this painful question. The organization is deep into a long self-analysis known as the journalism credibility project.
Sad to say, this project has turned out to be mostly low-level findings about factual errors and spelling and grammar mistakes, combined with lots of head-scratching puzzlement about what in the world those readers really want.
But the sources of distrust go way deeper. Most journalists learn to see the world through a set of standard patterns into which they plug each day's events. In other words, there is a conventional story line in the newsroom culture that provides a backbone and a ready-made narrative structure for otherwise confusing news.
There exists a social and cultural disconnect between journalists and their readers, which helps explain why the "standard patterns" of the newsroom seem alien to many readers. In a recent survey, questionnaires were sent to reporters in five middle-size cities around the country, plus one large metropolitan area. Then residents in these communities were phoned at random and asked the same questions.
Replies show that compared with other Americans, journalists are more likely to live in upscale neighborhoods, have maids, own Mercedes, and trade stocks, and they're less likely to go to church, do volunteer work, or put down roots in a community.
Reporters tend to be part of a broadly defined social and cultural elite, so their work tends to reflect the conventional values of this elite. The surprising distrust of the news media isn't rooted in inaccuracy or poor reportorial skills but in the daily clash of world views between reporters and their readers.
This is an explosive situation for any industry, particularly a declining one. Here is a troubled business that keeps hiring employees whose attitudes vastly annoy the customers. Then it sponsors lots of symposiums and a credibility project dedicated to wondering why customers are annoyed and fleeing in large numbers. But it never seems to get around to noticing the cultural and class biases that so many former buyers are complaining about. If it did, it would open up its diversity program, now focused narrowly on race and gender, and look for reporters who differ broadly by outlook, values, education, and class. | high15212.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "it can be effective in treating skin cancer"
},
"options": [
"it is no longer used as a dye",
"it is used to cure skin cancer",
"it is a special kind of rose planted in Australia",
"it can be effective in treating skin ... | Australian scientists say an organic compound used by Indian women to paint dots or bindi on their foreheads could hold the key to a breakthrough in cancer treatment. Rose Bengal was first used in the early 1900s as a dye for food, textiles and cosmetics. But now it is proving to be a useful weapon in the fight against skin cancer.
Television advertisements constantly warn of the dangers of overexposure to the fierce sun. Among them is the possibility of the disease melanoma , a type of skin cancer. More than 1,200 Australians die every year from the disease.
Initial trials of a solution of Rose Bengal injected into some melanoma cells have had a 75 percent success rate in controlling the disease. Professor John Thompson, the director of the Melanoma Unit at the University of Sydney, says this organic dye could become a powerful cancer-fighting treatment.
"We believe it works by getting into the tumor cells and causing them to self-destruct. But the exact mechanism by which it works is not totally clear. It's not useful for people who have a primary melanoma. The treatment of primary melanoma is surgical excision ,"he said. "It's useful to inject tumors for people who have recurrences; when the primary treatment has failed and when recurrence in the area, or at more distant sites has occurred."
About 90 percent of Australians who develop melanoma survive thanks to early diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated, however, the disease can be fatal.
Convincing younger people in Australia about the dangers of overexposure to the sun is a battle campaigners are constantly waging.
Veronica Manock, a 21-year-old student, had two major operations to remove a cancerous tumor from her leg.
"I've had a lot of friends who just said 'I thought it was just, you know, I'll get a mole cut out and that's it', whereas I don't think people realize how much danger they're putting themselves into and how easy it is to stop something like this happening to you just from doing little things,"said Marock.
Other researchers in Australia are investigating genetic treatments to skin cancer. There is a pressing need for such research to produce effective treatments. Australians, the majority of whom are fair-skinned , are four times more likely to develop a melanoma than people in Canada, the United States or Great Britain. | high7755.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In autumn or winter."
},
"options": [
"In spring or summer.",
"In autumn or winter.",
"In spring or autumn.",
"In summer or winter."
],
"question": "If enjoy pleasant weather, when can you visit Hong Kong?",
... | FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about visiting Hong Kong:
Q: When is the best time to visit Hong Kong?
A: Hong Kong is an all-year round destination. It enjoys a mild climate from the middle of September to the end of February, while the weather from May to mid-September can be hot. About 80% of Hong Kong's rainfall occurs between May and September, with August usually the wettest month.
Q: Do I need a visa to visit Hong Kong?
A: Visitors from most countries can enter Hong Kong without a visa for periods of seven days to 180 days, depending on nationality. You may check with the Hong Kong Immigration Department for details of visa requirements.
Q: How is the local public transport?
A: Hong Kong has an excellent public transport system, with most transportation air-conditioned. Depending on where you are going, you have a choice of MTR, trains, buses, trams, ferries and taxies. The clean and efficient means of transport cover all areas of Hong Kong, and have signs in English and Chinese.
Q: Is Hong Kong safe for visitors?
A: Yes. Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world even at night, when people may walk alone with confidence. To ensure your stay is a pleasant one always take care of your belongings.
Q: Is English widely spoken?
A: Yes, particularly in places frequently visited by visitors. You should have no problem communicating with people in most hotels, shops, restaurants and even some taxies. | high23978.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Price increase has not helped farmers."
},
"options": [
"Farmers benefit a lot from the price increase.",
"Price increase has not helped farmers.",
"We should be sorry for farmers.",
"Price increase has a bad effect on ... | Nowadays, the increase in the prices of agricultural products is one of the greatest concerns of the people and the government. The government has announced a series of policies to prevent the prices from rising further. Rising housing prices is still a big concern for the people, but since farm products are needed every day, the increase in their prices has made life very difficult for them.
Many people may think the increase will help farmers. But have higher prices of farm products really benefited the farmers?
Take the increase in vegetable prices in the first half of this year for example. Though natural disasters such as droughts and spring frost did not cause the prices of farm products to increase greatly--in fact, prices of some products did not increase at all--vegetables have become dearer by as much as 20 percent compared to that of last year. This means only a small part (or even none) of the extra money that city people have paid to buy farm products has gone to the farmers. The extra cost actually has gone to middlemen.
As the fact shows, just increasing prices of farm products will have negative influence on the entire economy. On one hand, the price increase has created some abnormal phenomena, which hurts farmers' interests. On the other hand, resources will enter the agriculture because of the high price of farm products, which would finally create negative effect on the whole economy.
In such a case, it would be better to leave the market to decide the prices instead of raising farm products' prices to protect the interests of farmers. Actually, such a way will be better for farmers in the long run. | high1324.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the author's hands were his only tool for the cleaning up"
},
"options": [
"the author's hands were severely injured in the cleaning up",
"the author seldom did such hard work as the cleaning up",
"the author was bullied by t... | I still remember--my hands and my fingers still remember--what used to lie in store for us on our return to school from the holidays. The trees in the school yard would be in full leaf again and the old leaves would be lying around like a muddy sea of leaves.
"Get that all swept up!" the headmaster would tell us. "I want the whole place cleaned up, at once!" There was enough work there, to last over a week. Especially since the only tools with which we were provided were our hands, our fingers, and our nails. "Now see that it's done properly, and be quick about it," the headmaster would say to the older pupils, "or you'll have to answer for it!"
So at an order from the older boys we would all line up like peanuts about to cut and gather in crops. If the work was not going as quickly as the headmaster expected, the big boys, instead of giving us a helping hand, used to find it simpler to beat us with branches pulled from the trees. In order to avoid these blows , we used to bribe the older boys with the juicy cakes we used to bring for our midday meals. And if we happened to have any money on us, the coins changed hands at once. If we did not do this, if we were afraid of going home with an empty stomach or an empty purse, the blows were redoubled. They hit us so violently and with such evil enjoyment that even a deaf and dumb person would have realized that we were being whipped not so much to make us work harder, but rather to beat us into a state of obedience in which we would be only too glad to give up our food and money.
Occasionally one of us, worn out by such calculated cruelty, would have the courage to complain to the headmaster. He would of course be very angry, but the punishment he gave the older boys was always very small--nothing compared to what they had done to us. And the fact is that however much we complained, our situation did not improve in the slightest. Perhaps we should have let our parents know what was going on, but somehow we never dreamed of doing so; I don't know whether it was loyalty or pride that kept us silent, but I can see now that we were foolish to keep quiet about it, for such beatings were completely foreign to our nature. | high13663.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because the writer was short of money."
},
"options": [
"Because gas was hardly available.",
"Because the writer was short of money.",
"Because the writer didn't like driving.",
"Because the road was difficult to drive ... | Yesterday was my stepmom's birthday. I hadn't been home for a long time so I wanted to stop by the house to see her on this special day.
I have been struggling financially so I was afraid of the long trip. Gas is so expensive nowadays! Anyway, I filled my tank with gas and set off.
I stopped at the shopping mall and found a present. It was the perfect gift and I knew she
would love it. But when I got to the cashier my card was declined! I did not have enough money in my account to pay for the gift!
So I _ the issue for a few minutes. I could put it back and get something cheaper, but I knew there was nothing else in the store she would like as much. So, I got on my smart-phone and transferred some money from my savings account so I was able to pay for the gift. It took a big chunk of my savings but I wanted her to have something special.
She loved the gift and I felt that even though I had spent almost all my money my stepmom deserved the best and I was glad I gave her the best that I could.
Before leaving my parents' house, my dad took me to one side and, with our secret hand-shake, he gave me some money. I had not said anything to him about my finances but I guess my dad had just known it. When I got to the car, I saw the amount he gave me was three times what I had spent on the gas and the gift!
It goes to show that doing the right thing always comes with great rewards. | high28.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They usually provide tour information."
},
"options": [
"They are often built in popular cities.",
"They are mainly open to young people.",
"They usually provide tour information.",
"They always ask the same price for t... | Backpacking in Europe is a wonderful experience for young people around the world.After high school or university,you can plan a European backpacking trip.
Packing
As you plan the things you will carry,bring warm clothes and a raincoat or umbrella to deal with changing weather in different European countries.Europeans like dressing nicely,and good clothes will make you feel less like a dusty backpacker.It is not worth taking the trouble to bring a hair dryer or shampoo,as you can buy basic necessities in Europe.
Hostels
The cheapest places to sleep when backpacking in Europe are hostels(where people can stay and eat fairly cheaply).Most hostels have a lot of information about low-cost ways to see local attractions,and many offer tours.The cost for hostel beds differs from country to country.In Paris,you might pay 30 euros,but in Bulgaria,you can get a bed for 10 euros.In general,hostels are more expensive in large,popular cities such as Paris,Rome and London.
Many backpackers use rail passes ,which allow unlimited travel within country groups over a period of time.If you have the time to travel by train and will be traveling in a country group,this can be a good deal.Otherwise,you may consider point-to-point tickets,local trains,buses and airlines such as Ryanair,easyJet and Wizz Air,which offer cheap flights.
Food
Eating out in Europe can come with a high cost,and the best way to cut your food budget is to cook meals in the shared kitchens in hostels.You can make several meals into picnics to take advantage of Europe's parks.When shopping for your picnic,try and buy at a local market.You save some euros while supporting the local industry at the same time.When eating out,choose restaurants away from tourist attractions. | high13924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "discuss whether some horses are badly treated"
},
"options": [
"ask how to keep horses in changeable weathers.",
"discuss whether some horses are badly treated",
"express his strong interest in keeping horses",
"describ... | Dear Editors,
On my way to work every morning I drive by a farm where I can see some horses off in the distance in the woods. They are there every single morning no matter how cold or rainy or windy it is. There is a shed on the farm, but it doesn't look to me that the horses are ever taken into the shed. Is this right? I don't think horses should be treated like this.
Sam
Dear Sam,
Thanks for taking an interest in these horses. Problems about the care of horses are different from cats and dogs. Think of wild horses that spend their whole lives outdoors finding whatever food and shelter they can on their own. The point is that horses don't require as much shelter as a lot of other farm animals. However, that doesn't mean that they don't need some shelter.
It is hard to tell from your letter whether the situation for these horses is unacceptable. Above all, do you know the people who own the horses well enough to just talk to them as a neighbor and express your concern ? Maybe they will tell you that the horses do go in the shed at night.
If direct contact is not a choice and you can see that the horses' situation is poor, then call 911, report the situation and ask law enforcement officers to look into it.
If you just can't see enough to prove such a report, call the Oswego Court Humane Society on 207-1070 for help from the Large Animal Assistance Project (LAAP). A volunteer from the project will help solve the problem.
Speaking of volunteer assistance, since you appear to be a horse lover, why not talk to the LAAP about volunteer opportunities for you? It's big job, but totally rewarding, and the project always needs knowledgeable horse people to help. | high14093.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "relaxing herself"
},
"options": [
"practicing writing",
"expressing her fear",
"annoying the Nazis",
"relaxing herself"
],
"question": "Anne wrote her diary mainly for the purpose of_.",
"question_type": "cl... | Anne Frank's life was short and tragic. Yet her brave spirit has survived in her diary. She wrote this diary while hiding from the Nazis during World WarII.
Anne's father prepared a hiding place for his family. He sealed off several rooms at the back of his office building, and he covered the entrance with a movable bookcase. In July 1942, Anne, her mother and her father, her sister Margot, and four Jewish friends stepped behind the bookcase into the hidden rooms. The Frank family and their friends stayed shut away in secret for over two years. Brave friends risked their lives to bring them food. But constant fear and loss of freedom were hard to bear. For comfort, Anne started to write a diary. She was very good at expressing her thoughts and feelings in words.
Anne was 13 when she stared to write. Her diary shows that, just like other teenagers, she looked forward to adult life. She hoped to have a career as a writer, and she longed to find love. She had high ideal and wished "to be useful or give pleasure to people around me." Throughout her time in hiding, Anne kept her faith in human nature. She wrote, "In spite of everything, I still believe that human beings are really good at heart."
In 1944, the Frank family's hiding place was given away to the Gestapo(German secret police). Anne was sent to the Bergen-Belsen prison camp in Germany. She died at the camp in 1945 at the age of 15.
Otto, Anne's father, was the only member of the Frank family to survive the war. He published her diary in 1947. Since then it has been published in more than 50 languages. Millions of people have visited the family's hiding place in Amsterdam. Anne Frank's story still inspires people to fight against all kinds of race discrimination. | high24150.txt |
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