questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "both schools and families should answer for the high dropout rate"
},
"options": [
"both schools and families should answer for the high dropout rate",
"many new jobs don't need children's high school diploma",
"working in a ... | The new studies show that fewer than half of the 9th graders in many of the nation's largest cities, can ever graduate. _ And, in particular, the dropout rate isn't dropping for poor and minority students.
Amazingly, though so many regret the rising dropout rate, our schools continue to lack formal plans--or any plans--to teach students motivation. Most schools have no game plan to ensure that students understand that schooling will be completely necessary. Schools expect youth and children to act as though schooling is important, but they never teach them to believe that.
Years ago, families ensured that the children recognized the value of schooling. But in many modern families, the children may fail to recognize the importance of school life just because these families may actually tell their children that school is not important. Since many families are not motivating their children to be interested students, youth professionals, like teachers may need to provide this training.
Here are some strategies to convince even the most apathetic students that they must stay in school.
Ask students if they will ever need to work: The world has changed. 100 years ago, factory work was the booming job, and it required no education. Today, factories are increasingly automated. Most computer-related jobs require education and at least a high school diploma.
Ask students which century they will be prepared for: In 1900, the most common jobs were farm laborer and domestic servant--education not needed. Now, the most common jobs are office and sales staff--education and diploma usually needed. An amazing 6 out of 10 people today work in a store or office.
Ask students to devise a way that the employee could be replaced. For example, the coming trend in fast food is to use computers rather than people to run the restaurant. A prototype is apparently already being tested. The students should discover that most jobs that lack education and diploma requirements may be ripe for automation. | high3135.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "There are more and more bicyclists now in America."
},
"options": [
"Many Americans lost jobs now.",
"Many Americans prefer short trips.",
"There are more and more bicyclists now in America.",
"The pollution is getting ... | Many Americans have been leaving their cars at home and riding to work on bicycles. Andy Clark is the leader of the League of American Bicyclists. His group supports bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation.
Clark says this is good news for the environment. He says riding a bicycle to work does not burn fossil fuel or creates dangerous pollutions. Experts say the effects are the most important on short trips. The Department of Transportation says fifty percent of Americans drive eight kilometers or fewer to work. Shorter car trips set out more pollution into the air for each kilometer drive. This is because the car engine will set out the harmful air when it warms up before it can work well.
James, a members of Congress , is a strong supporter of bicycle use. He says cities, counties, state governments and state highway transportation agencies are planning the roadways of the future. They are creating roads and paths for bicycles in cities and between communities.
Last year, Portland, the Pacific Northwest city in the state of Oregon, had the highest percentage of bicycle users in the United States. Portland has been doing progressive city planning for many years to create special paths for bike riders. | high11472.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "a police officer can be a policeman or policwoman"
},
"options": [
"boys don't like to be a policeman",
"girls don't like to be a policeman",
"police officer sounds better than policeman",
"a police officer can be a pol... | American schools do not have separate classes for boys and girls. If boys want to cook or to sew, they can learn these things in classes that are no longer just for girls. If girls want to repair cars, they can now learn this in school. Most students like to have boys and girls on the same baseball team.
Many boys and girls dress alike in school. They were blue jeans and sport shirts. Some have long hair and some have short hair. Sometimes a boy has longer hair than a girl.
Even the language is different. Students learn to say fire fighter instead of fireman, police officer instead of policeman, and letter carrier instead of mailman. A person does not need to be a man to fight a fire or to deliver the mail.
Most people think that these changes are good. They give all people an equal chance to be happy and to do what they want to do with their lives. Fathers like to tell their sons that they can grow up to be president. Today, mothers can tell the same things to there daughters. | high7353.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A general introduction to the restaurant."
},
"options": [
"Why the restaurant is named the Mediterranean.",
"Where the Mediterranean restaurant is.",
"A general introduction to the restaurant.",
"The entertainment in t... | The name of our restaurant is Mediterranean Seafood Restaurant. When you hear the name you will immediately think of the sea and Europe. European countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy and France are all famous for their special cuisine and most of the best sea recipes come from these countries. These countries also produce the best wines and champagnes in the world.
Our restaurant has the best seafood in the world. Enjoy the best sea recipes from the Mediterranean countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. We only use fresh ingredients brought directly from the sea to our kitchen.
Among the
we serve, you will find the best brands of wines and champagnes on earth. We also have a large variety of colorful cocktails. If you drink one of those and eat our seafood, you'll experience a feeling that you have never felt before. We also have excellent waiters and waitresses who wear typical mariner uniforms.
Mediterranean Seafood Restaurant is the best choice for seafood lovers because it has everything you need for the perfect meal. You can find every kind of seafood here. If you are tired of the typical restaurants, come here to discover the true taste of the sea.
Nowhere else has the wonderful environment that we have. Most of the other restaurants offer the same type of dishes without the real flavor of the sea. You'll like the Mediterranean because the quality of our service is unique. Don't waste your time trying to find another place to eat; we have everything that you are looking for -- comfort, newness, and of course, delicious food. | high15614.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "five times"
},
"options": [
"there times",
"four times",
"five times",
"six times"
],
"question": "The little dog went to the butcher's _ during the period.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | It was Monday. Mrs Smith's dog was hungry, but there was not any meat in the house.Considering that there was no better way, Mrs. Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it "Give my dog half a pound of meat. " Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently:" Take this to the butcher and he's going to give you your lunch today."
Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher's. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady's handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once.
At sunset, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it. he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his regular customers .
However, the dog came again at four o'clock. And the same thing happened once again. At six o'clock,, it came for more meat, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled. He said to himself, "This is a small dog. Why does Mrs Smith feed it with so much meat today?"
Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there was a piece of blank paper. He laughed and phoned Mrs Smith. | high1722.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Margaret was satisfied with Kellyanne."
},
"options": [
"Kellyanne is a first-aid worker",
"Kellyanne felt proud of herself",
"Margaret is the boss of Kellyanne",
"Margaret was satisfied with Kellyanne."
],
"que... | Kellyanne O'Niell had not even completed her first aid course when she was called upon to put her skills into action.
Just halfway through her course, which was offered by Kilcooley Women's Education Group, Kellyanne was walking home when she found herself faced with an emergency.
A youngster on the street had fallen onto broken glass. Describing the situation, Kellyanne said:"I noticed she fell onto some glass, and when she got up, I spotted a big wound starting at the thumb and finishing at the ring finger. I started applying pressure to the bleeding wound at once and sent someone to bring my first-aid box from my house."
She continued: "I phoned for an ambulance and gave the lady every last detail that she wanted to know. I got another person to keep an eye out for the ambulance. The young girl was in great pain so she couldn't stay still. I was scared she was not going to respond to me. I held her hand above the heart so that the bleeding could at least stop a little bit."
"Once the person came back with the bandage, the ambulance was there. The nurse got me to hold a flashlight for her while she bandaged the wound. Once the girl was all bandaged up, I helped her onto the seat in the ambulance and she was taken to hospital."
Margaret Pridgen, the British Red Cross trainer who had been teaching Kellyanne, was full of praise for her swift action. She said:"I think this is quite an achievement for this young girl, I have really seen her confidence grow during the training and am delighted she had the poise to be able to deal with the situation and put her new skills into practice." | high8074.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he changed his posture to improve his confidence"
},
"options": [
"his gremlins stopped talking",
"he got rid of all his negative thoughts",
"he walked out of his comfort zone",
"he changed his posture to improve his co... | It takes less than six seconds to leave a first impression. It is said that we ought not judge a book by its cover, but come on, isn't it the color, the design, the layout, and the title that draw us to pick up a book we've never heard of before? Notice what your assumptions are about a person when you are first introduced to her or him.
Something that most of us don't take notice of is how we stand or walk. Let's say you are going for a job interview. Within seconds you have already said a lot about yourself by the way you walk. The majority of us walk around everyday without paying any attention to what we are saying even though we are not uttering a word. There is a lot that can be said about body language from the clothes you wear to the gestures you make.
I took notice of this topic recently as I recalled something about changing my posture to improve my level of confidence. I was about to venture on a new project, which would take me out of my comfort zone. My gremlins were having a field day with me uttering all kinds of reasons why I couldn't do a good job with this new opportunity. I tucked in my tummy , put my shoulders back , held my head high , and took a walk. Soon thereafter, I felt so much better. I approached the project with new possibility. Wow, what a difference ! Try it !
The ability to capture your audience when you walk into a room is sure to start you off on the right foot when going on an interview. Non-verbal signals have five times the impact of verbal signals. So you can count on losing your audience when you walk in with head down dragging your feet regardless how much you try to change it. | high15600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Stuttgart City Library and Central Library"
},
"options": [
"Central Library and Bibliotheca Alexandrina",
"Stuttgart City Library and Central Library",
"Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Trinity College Library",
"Trinity Co... | World's Wonderful Libraries
How cool can libraries be in an era of iPads and Kindles More than you think.Only if you know where to go.
Central Library
The Central Library in Seattle,United States is modern and sophisticated. The building is an impressive work of art, which has has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. The library offers free self-guided cell phone tours, along with group tours.
The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events throughout the year.
Open: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m-8 p.m, Friday-Saturday 10 a.m-6 p.m, Sunday noon-6 p.m
Trinity College Library
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I.
Not only is the exterior impressive, it boasts the largest single chamber library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library's oldest books.
Various exhibitions and tour are available; admission 9(US 12)
Open: Monday-Wednesday 9:30 a.m -5 p.m, Tuesday 9:30 a.m -9 p.m, Saturday 9:30 a.m -1 p.m, Sunday closed.
Bibliotheca Alexamdrina
The Bibliotheca Alexamdrina is the revival of the ancient Royal Library of Alexandria, which was the largest and most influential library in the Greek world. It was built by Alexander the Great some 2, 300 years ago.
The new library was reborn in 2002 on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea after 10 years of designing, planning and construction.
Along with the standard libraries, there are four museums covering science, Arabic Calligraphy, the history of printing and the Greek art.
Open: Saturday-Thursday 9 a.m- 4 p.m.
Stuttgart City Library
The Stuttgart City Library is controversial. Some say it's innovative, while others say it doesn't match its environment.
Nevertheless, the library is one of the most interesting buildings in Germany. The design of the cubic facility was influenced by the ancient Pantheon in Rome. It serves as a multi-story meeting space that draws natural sunlight through the roof.
Open: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m--9 p.m | high13271.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "helped him pick up the things"
},
"options": [
"didn't notice that",
"went away quickly",
"carried all the things for him",
"helped him pick up the things"
],
"question": "When Bill fell down on his way home, Ma... | Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed a boy ahead of him. He had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with some clothes, a baseball bat and a glove.
Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the things. Since they were going the same way, he offered to carry some things for the boy.
As they walked, Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill. He loved video games, baseball and history, but he was having trouble with some of his subjects.
They arrived at Bill's home first. Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with some laughs and talk. Then Mark went home.
They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior school.
Three days before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.
Bill reminded Mark of the day years ago when they had first met. "Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill.
"You see, I took away all my things from school. I had stored away some of my mother's sleeping pills . I was going home to kill myself. But after we spent some time talking and laughing, I realized that if I had died, I would have missed so many good times. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. _ " | high1736.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They don't want to be considered weak."
},
"options": [
"They don't intend to hurt other people.",
"They expect others to forgive them.",
"They don't want to be considered weak.",
"They aren't good at expressing themsel... | There is a problem each of us faces in following advice on emotional healing: apologizing is difficult. We are trapped in what we think of ourselves by holding onto our pride. We can be selfish and not willing to admit our most obvious mistakes. Pride eats away at us as we argue or ignore the mistake.
It's happened to me. I have had too much pride and selfishness to apologize to a loved one I hurt. When I did want to apologize, I couldn't bring myself to face the other person. This is the pride I'm talking about. Maybe apologies come difficult for men because they're expected to be dominant. It's like the joke that a man never asks for directions when lost. Ladies are more emotionally open than guys and are willing to express it. Still, both genders wonder how to correctly apologize.
In shifting the focus on apologizing away from you, what does not apologizing do to other people? They feel hurt that you are not willing to communicate your mistake. They lose trust in you as you hide behind your mistake avoiding reality. They become angry with you, wondering why you do not tell them the truth. They may begin to counter your lack of apologies by not apologizing themselves and from this the relationship goes downhill as the two of you get caught in a power struggle.
You need to communicate your mistakes. A mistake you made is like a scratch and by not apologizing you are making the scratch a deeper wound and rubbing salt into it. You need to stop hurting the other person and yourself by learning to apologize. There is real power in apologizing and emotional healing. | high6059.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "In 1999"
},
"options": [
"In 1998",
"In 2007",
"In 1999",
"In 2006"
],
"question": "When did Ben Olsen begin to win championship?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | Ben Olsen had great careers as professional players. His story tells a lot about the past, present and future of professional soccer in America.
Ben Olsen was an important part of D.C. United's early success. He was the top new player, or rookie of the year, in 1998. His young professional career reached a high point the next season. D.C. United won the M.L.S. Cup, the league championship , on the strength of a Most Valuable Player performance by Olsen. He scored one of two goals for his team in the win against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Ben Olsen looks back on his score in that championship as his most memorable. "I'd lost a lot of championships before that year, so that was a special game." said Ben Olsen.
Like many top American soccer players, Olsen played overseas. He joined the club Nottingham Forest in Britain. He says different leagues have different styles of play. "Some teams are very fast and athletic. Some teams are a little bit more low pressure on the ball and more skillful players. England has always been known to be a fast and physical league."
Olsen was also a part of the United States World Cup team of 2006. He says playing for his country was something he will never forget.
Ben Olsen has had five operations for severe ankle injuries. Still, he had one of his best years in 2007. He scored seven goals including a "hat trick"-- three in one game.
Ben Olsen celebrates his third goal in one game against the New York Red Bull in June of 2007
He was recognized for his outstanding play with an M.L.S. Best Eleven award. He accepted the award in a wheelchair after a minor operation became major ankle surgery . Ben Olsen retired after the 2009 season. Today he is an assistant coach with D.C. United. | high17017.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the father who left in his childhood"
},
"options": [
"the high school which he attended",
"the teacher who asked him to walk",
"the writer himself who was fearful",
"the father who left in his childhood"
],
"qu... | Growing up, I knew I was different. My father had left and he never came back. As I later discovered, the abandonment triggered my anxiety attacks. I feared being alone, unwanted, unpopular, and unloved.
My first attack came in a ninth-grade class: The teacher asked me to walk in front of the class, but I couldn't do it- I was soaked in sweat, shaking. My symptoms began every morning from the moment when I stepped inside the school building.
Throughout my childhood, I was no stranger to the doctor's office. My mother tried everything she could in hope of a breakthrough. There were times I thought suicide could be the only way to make the pain stop.
By age 16, I had shut down socially. Most of my peers were going to parties, playing sports, and dating. But I was a prisoner in my own home.
Then one Sunday morning, my wake-up call came from a magazine article. Freddie Prinze, Jr. was on the cover. The article detailed the pain of losing his father at a young age. I felt as though I were reading my own life story. The only difference? He was now a success.
That article inspired me to explore a new treatment option for myself. I wanted to turn my life around as well. So I hit the library and the Internet, and I began to realize how my negative thoughts controlled my physical well-being.
Immediately, I made a plan to take charge of my life. Shortly after following the items I had listed, I was able to stop seeing a therapist. I never returned to high school, but I did go to college. After graduation, I pursued a career in television news. My relationships have changed for the better, too. I've made new friends and reconnected with many from my past
The anxiety isn't completely gone, but whenever it returns, I know the feeling will pass, and know I have the power to change my life, only if I will give myself a chance. | high5550.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Carson wrote books that the average person could understand."
},
"options": [
"Carson wrote books that the average person could understand.",
"Dangerous properties of new chemical products may be immediately apparent.",
"If n... | Rachel Carson, born in rural Pennsylvania in 1907, had a great impact on the environment. Carson earned a master's degree in zoology in 1932. It was as a writer and not as a research scientist, however, that she made her mark, sharing her view that human beings are just one element in a larger natural order.
In the articles on natural history Carson wrote for various publications, she expressed dry facts in poetic and persuasive language. She wrote five books. Two of them, The Sea Around Us and The Edge of the Sea, have been called "biographies of the ocean."
Carson also made the world aware of how scientific discoveries can harm as well as help living things. In her best-selling book Silent Spring, Carson challenged the _ use of chemical pesticides by large agricultural and government organizations. She was the first to detail how the pesticide DDT had entered the food chain and damaged populations of bald eagles, falcons, and brown pelicans by causing the shells of their eggs to become so thin that they could not withstand the weight of the parent bird.
Carson died of cancer in 1964. Today, the Rachel Carson Council collects and disseminates information on pesticide-related issues. In 1970, the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge, a large area of salt marsh and freshwater habitat in Maine, was dedicated to her memory. | high4896.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "It is located in the center of Honolulu."
},
"options": [
"It has advanced equipment and modern buildings.",
"It offers visitors thoughtful campus tour.",
"It is located in the center of Honolulu.",
"Your visit there ca... | Hello! The University of Hawaii is located just outside of downtown Honolulu in green Manoa valley.We invite you to visit and want to let you know about our learning programs, the richness of our culture, the beauty of our environment, the spirit of our students and teachers, advanced equipment and modern buildings.We look forward to seeing you come.The following information is given so that your visit will be as easy as possible.
You should get in touch with us ahead of time.You may directly contact the office of the College to schedule appointment service at 1--877-447-3233. To arrange a campus tour, please hand in a request through our Online Campus Visit Request Form.
Tours are on weekdays:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
9:00a.m.--9:30a.m.: Meet with a University Representative
9:30a.m.--11:30a.m.: General Campus Tour with a UHM (The University of Hawaii Manoa ) student
Tuesday & Thursday
1:00p.m.--l:30p.m.: Meet with a University Representative
l:30p.m.--3:30p.m.: General Campus Tour with a UHM student
You also can get in touch with us by:
Phone Number: 1 (877) 447-3233, or 1 (808) 956-6524
E-mail: visituhm@hawaii.edu
How do you get to UHM?
It is in Honolulu less than 3 miles away from Waikiki and about 9 miles from Honolul International Airport.
By car: From Waikiki and from Honolulu International Airport
Taxi: Taxi fare to UHM is about $25.00, except baggage charges and a tip of 10 to 15percent.
Public bus: Luggage is allowed on city buses. Bus stops are on the second floor of the airport.A one-way fare is $2.00(in exact change). | high10778.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "looked up from the newspapers to see who was speaking"
},
"options": [
"stopped reading and put down their newspapers immediately",
"sat still without response",
"looked up from the newspapers to see who was speaking",
... | The sun is shining when I get on No. 151 bus. We passengers sit jammed together in heavy clothes. No one speaks. That's one of the unwritten rules of Chicago _ . Although we see the same faces every day, we prefer to hide behind our newspapers. The phenomenon is striking: people who sit so close together are using those thin sheets of newsprint to keep their distance.
As the bus approaches the Magnificent Mile, a voice suddenly rings out: "Attention! Attention!" Papers rattle . Necks crane . "This is your driver speaking."
We look at the back of the driver's head. His voice has authority.
"All of you put your papers down."
The papers come down, an inch at a time. The driver waits. The papers are folded and placed on our laps.
"Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go ahead."
Amazingly, we all do it. Still, no one smiles.
I face an older woman, her head wrapped tightly in a red scarf. I see her nearly every day. Our eyes meet. We wait, unblinking, for the next order from the driver.
"Now, repeat after me..." It is a command, delivered in the tones of a drill sergeant . "Good morning, neighbor!"
Our voices are weak and timid. For many of us, these are the first words we have spoken today. But we say them at the same time, like schoolchildren, to the strangers beside us.
We smile and can't help it. We have said it; the barrier has been broken. Good morning, neighbor. It is not so hard after all. Some of us repeat it. Others shake hands. Many laugh.
The bus driver says nothing more. He doesn't need to. Not a single newspaper goes back up. I hear laughter, a warm sound I have never heard before on bus No. 151. This day is starting off better than most. | high3121.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Non-professional movie actors."
},
"options": [
"TV series makers.",
"Casting directors.",
"Non-professional movie actors.",
"Agents for movie stars."
],
"question": "What kind of people are movie extras?",
... | Movie Extras
Would you mind lying in a coffin ? Would you shave your head? Are you willing to take out your false teeth?
These are just a few of the questions Anne Marie Stewart and her staff sometimes ask the "talent" who serve as non-speaking "extras" in special films, television series, and made-for-TV movies produced in Toronto.
Of course, the majority of extra calls are for more ordinary people, and Stewart has a list of about 650 registered extras. Crowd scenes, which are common, call for everyday people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and sizes.
Over at Movie People, last-minute requests are not unusual. "We got a request once for an entire brass band of 30 people. They wanted it within the hour," said manager Yvonne McCartney. Another time, the company got a last-minute request for a newborn baby. "We found a baby that was three weeks premature," said Jonathan Aiken, an owner of the company.
Then there was the worried call from a casting director whose "Star" got doggone stubborn one day and decided to just lie down and not work. The director needed a replacement dog, fast. "We got them two in one hour." said Aiken. "It was a matter of good connections and fast phone work." The eight phone lines needed to make 350 to 400 calls a day are one of Movie People's major expenses.
Phone lines are the only way to stay in touch with casting directors and extras; but the latter are a group not necessarily interested in a long-term relationship. Most extra jobs pay only $7 an hour (with a six-hour minimum), while most agencies charge an annual $75 registration fee and get 10 to 15 per cent of extras' earnings. It's no wonder that the _ rate is fairly high.
Some people who are between jobs do extra work as a temporary measure, said McCartney. But professionals, such as lawyers, also do the work because it's interesting. Others with flexible jobs have a desire to do something different. Some homemakers want to get out of the house and onto a movie set. Money's not the motivating reason.
"One of the first things I say to people who walk in and ask about being an extra is, 'You have to be available,' "said a person at Karen Clifton Agency. Inc. "The next thing I say is, 'You can't make a living at this.' " | high20863.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "never asked his parents for luxuries"
},
"options": [
"lived a hard life",
"lived an independent life",
"never wanted expensive things",
"never asked his parents for luxuries"
],
"question": "In his teens,the bo... | When my son was a teenager he already knew he wanted things. He wanted nice things and he wanted to get them by himself.He never depended upon us to provide for him.He gladly accepted the room and other different necessities we gave him,but when it came to the luxuries ,or the extra things of life,he knew he would have to make his own way.
At the age of 13,he started talking to me about working.His sister had worked at a local amusement park for several years as her first job so he gave that some thought. He had us drive him to the park and he went in and applied. Within two days he was called back to go to work. His sister had been a model employee and the park didn't even ask what he was able to do.
He worked at least 20 hours a week at the local amusement park. With his first week check he came home with a big smile. He had made something like $60 for his four days of afterschool efforts,and he wanted to thank us for our
his wealth. He needed transportation both to and from work so we would take him there and back;no matter when the park closed,we would be there.
With his very first check,he insisted on treating me and his dad. He took us and his sister to an expensive restaurant. We had a wonderful time there and we spent his entire check. He didn't care;he knew he had to take care of those who had made it possible for him to have the check in the first place. He had always been a generous boy,perhaps too generous sometimes,but very loving. | high16309.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "when they are at school"
},
"options": [
"because they are students",
"when they are free",
"when they are at school",
"because they are young"
],
"question": "Some middle schools in Australia have banned studen... | Sydney Australia--Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them.
Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn't get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: _ were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones. | high3647.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Light stairs all the time."
},
"options": [
"Use ladders to reach a high place or object,",
"Light stairs all the time.",
"Keep wires in good condition.",
"Keep matches out of the reach of small children."
],
"q... | Rules of safety are made to keep people from getting hurt. It is important for everyone to learn how to live safely while at home, work, or play. You should always remember this. Put safety first.
Safety can be practiced at home by following some simple rules. Use ladders instead of stepping up on tables and chairs. Keep stairs well lighted and clear of things for someone to trip over. Fasten down loose rugs. Turn handles of pots inward from the edges of stoves. Keep matches and medicines out of the reach of small children.Keep electric wiring in good repair.
Safety at work has been getting attention from groups of people for many years. Safer machines have been built to cut down on accidents. Red lights warn when equipment is out of order and is not to be used. The proper shoes, gloves, robes, hats, or coats help protect workers on the job.
Safety at play is important, too. Children should use swings and slides properly. Common sense by people boating and swimming will also help everyone around stay safe. Good manners and care for others are part of safety.
Living safely can be fun for you as well as for those around you, You will be able to help others think before they act. Try to work for safety in everything you do. | high11300.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "People are richer with the development of economy."
},
"options": [
"A growing number of people are going to the cinema.",
"People are richer with the development of economy.",
"More comedies are made than serious films.",
... | In spite of the uncertainty of the economy, the movie industry has been stricken by a box-office outburst. Suddenly it seems as if everyone is going to the movies, with ticket sales this year up 17.5 percent, to $1.7 billion.
And it is not just because ticket prices are higher. Attendance has also jumped, by nearly 16 percent. If that pace continues through the year, it would amount to the biggest box-office increase in at least two decades.
Americans, for the moment, just want to hide in a very dark place. People want to forget their troubles, and they want to be with other people. Helping feed the outburst is the mix of movies, which have been more audience-friendly in recent months as the studios have tried to adjust after the discouraging sales of more serious films.
As she stood in line at the 18-screen Bridge theater complex here on Thursday to buy weekend tickets for _ : The 3D Concert Experience," Angel Hernandez was not thinking much about escaping reality. Instead, Ms. Hernandez, a Los Angeles parking lot attendant and mother of four young girls, was focused on one very specific reality: her wallet.
"Spending hundreds of dollars to take them to _ is ridiculous right now," she said. "For $60 and some candy money I can still be a good mom and give them a little fun."
A lot of parents may have been thinking the same thing Friday, as "Jonas Brothers" sold out more than 800 theaters, and was expected to sell a powerful $25 million or more in tickets.
The film industry appears to have had a hand in its recent good luck. Over the last year or two, studios have released movies that are happier, scarier or just less
depressing than what came before. After poor results for a rush of serious dramas built around the Middle East, Hollywood got back to comedies. | high2559.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "You are too poor to go to school."
},
"options": [
"Other students treat you cruelly.",
"You are too poor to go to school.",
"You are weak in one subject.",
"You have family problem."
],
"question": "According t... | Students often meet with questions as follows: bullied by someone, worried about a weak subject, puzzled by family problems or concerned about pets at home. All the questions above may make you not concentrated on your study. Who can you turn to if you are such an unlucky student? A great person to share your thoughts and feelings with is your school counsellor .
_ . They know how to listen and can help kids with life's challenges . Counsellors have special training in how to help kids solve problems, make decisions, and stand up for themselves. That doesn't mean your counsellor will wave a magic wand and the problem will go away. But it does mean he or she will help you cope with it. Coping is an important word to know. Sometimes, kids and grown-ups have difficult problems. Coping means that someone is trying to handle these problems and make things better.
Your school counsellor is available for you and wants to make your school experience the best it can be. The counsellor's job is to take your problem seriously and help you find a solution. The counsellor also wants to help you learn as much as you can in class, be a contributing member of the school community, and be a positive influence on your environment. | high19984.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "are warned in a direct manner"
},
"options": [
"are severely punished and fined",
"are pushed back to the end of lines",
"are warned in a direct manner",
"are the cause of public arguments"
],
"question": "In Am... | The English expect each other to observe the rules of queuing, feel highly offended when these rules are broken, but lack the confidence or social skills to express their annoyance in a straightforward manner. In other countries, this is not a problem: in America, where a queue-jumper has committed a kind of rudeness rather than a sin, the response is a loud warning: the offender is simply told "Hey, you, get back in line!" or words to that effect. On the European continent, the reaction tends to be loud and argumentative; in some other parts of the world, queue-jumpers may simply be pushed back into line. Ironically , it is only in England, where queue-jumping is regarded as deeply immoral, that the queue-jumper is likely to get away with the offence. Only rarely do the English actually speak up and tell the jumper to go to the back of the queue.
Queuing is almost a national pastime for the English, who automatically arrange themselves into orderly lines at bus stops, shop counters, ice-cream vans, entrances, exits, and lifts. In 1946, a Hungarian humorist described queuing as English "national passion". "On the continent," he said. "if people are waiting at a bus stop they walk around in a seemingly relaxed fashion. When the bus arrives they make a dash for it...An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms orderly queue of one." In an update over thirty years later in 1977 he confirmed that this was still the case. After nearly another thirty years nothing much seems to have changed.
In many cases, queue-jumping is effectively prevented by non-verbal signals alone. When someone is considering jumping a queue, the queuers will start glancing at him sideways, through narrowed, suspicious eyes. Then they move a bit closer to the person in front of them, just in case the jumper might try to insert himself in the gap. Frowns, glares, and raised eyebrows -- accompanied by heavy sighs, pointed coughs -- are usually the worst that the person will suffer if he jumps a queue. Faced with all this, the jumper will think better of it and withdraw to the back of the queue. | high18442.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "in order to comfort her worried parents"
},
"options": [
"because she knew she had done something wrong",
"in order to give them her address",
"to say she was coming home soon",
"in order to comfort her worried parents"... | On Christmas Eve a few years ago an English couple received a very special telephone call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very important. The Haydens' 15-year-old daughter had disappeared six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. "I'm phoning to wish a happy Christmas," she said, "I love you."
Ronals and Edwine Hayden were so happy that they started a special telephone service called "Alive and Well". The service helps parents to get in touch with children who have run away from home.
Young people can phone "Alive and Well" and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So no one can speak to the child of making him return home.
Parents of runaway children who are under eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home, so children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through "Alive and Well" they can telephone their parents without worrying about this or giving out their addresses.
The Haydens and their helpers write down the tape recorded telephone messages and connect the address given. Many of the 30,000 British teenagers who have left home are probably in London. For only two pence they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial 5675339 and stop a parent's worry: Is he dead or alive? | high5236.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They could feel safer from attacks."
},
"options": [
"They were required to do so.",
"They were mostly left-handed.",
"It was easier to cross the street.",
"They could feel safer from attacks."
],
"question": "W... | About a quarter of the world drives on the left, and the countries that do are mostly old British colonies like Australia , and Ireland. But Thailand, Indonesia and Japan also do so.
This strange quirk puzzles the rest of the world; however, there is a perfectly good reason . Up to the late 1700's , everybody travelled on the left side of the road because it's the most sensible option for feudal , violent societies with mostly right-handed people. Soldiers with their swords under their right arm naturally passed on each other's right, and if you passed a stranger on the road, you walked on the left to ensure that your protective sword arm was between yourself and him.
Revolutionary France, however, overturned this practice as part of its sweeping social rethink. A change was carried out all over continental Europe by Napoleon. It changed under Napoleon because he was left-handed. His armies had to march on the right so he could keep his sword arm between him and any opponent. From then on, any part of colonized by the French travelled on the right.
After the American Revolutionary War (1775--1783), the US became independent and decided to make traffic drive on the right in order to cast off all remaining links with its British colonial past. As America became the center of the car industry, if you wanted a good reliable vehicle, you bought American right-hand-drive cars. From then on, many countries changed out of necessity.
Today, the EU would like Britain to fall into line with the rest of Europe, but this is no longer possible. It would cost billions of pounds to change everything round. The last European country to change driving on the right was Sweden in 1967. While everyone was getting used to the new system, they paid more attention and took more care, resulting in a reduction of the number of road accidents. | high14278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "can effectively transfer electricity"
},
"options": [
"is mostly produced in Germany",
"can effectively transfer electricity",
"exists mostly in soil and water",
"is very easy to get from nature"
],
"question": ... | FOR most people, life without plants is unimaginable. They feed us, clean up our air and brighten up our gardens. But what if someone told you that even our smartphones can benefit from plants?
Meet the scientists from the Freiburg University of Mining and Technology in Germany. According to reports from Reuters, they have come up with a way to take the important element germanium from plants.
The element was first discovered in Germany (hence the name) and was used to develop the first transistor because it can transport electricity very quickly. Nowadays, silicon-germanium alloy plays an important role in making computers, smartphones and fiber-optic cables .
Although germanium can be found in soil around the world, it is difficult to extract . In the traditional process, people take the material after zinc mining or burning coal. But the Freiburg scientists decided to fall back on the natural world.
Biology professor Hermann Heilmeier is one of the scientists who are using common plants for this uncommon process. "Different energy crops are being planted, for example, sunflowers, corn ... we want to use them for phytomining. In German we call it 'mining with plants'."
Others have used this method in the past with metals like gold and copper . But in their study, the Freiburg scientists brought germanium from the soil into the roots and shoots of the plants, harvested them and then took the element from the plants. The process did not cost too much because germanium can be taken after plants are processed for use as biogas . So many of the costs are already covered in existing biogas plants.
However, there is still a lot of work to do before we can all experience the benefits. At the moment germanium can only be harvested in very small amounts, just a few milligrams per liter. Now scientists are working on different plants to improve this.
"As is so often the case, industry is still waiting because they want to see everything already working. Then they say, 'We'll have it.' But of course we have to complete the step in between first," said Professor Martin Bertau, head of industrial chemistry at Freiburg University. | high13517.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty and America's Secret War."
},
"options": [
"America's Secret War and The Nation.",
"The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty and The Lies of George W. Bush.",
"The Family: ... | The Lies of George W. Bush
By David Corn
Imprint: Three Rivers Press
Trade Paperback: 368 pages
Pub Date: May 2004
Price: US $ 12.195
ISBN: 1400050677
All American presidents have lied, but George W. Bush has seriously abused the truth, this book tells us. It's full of sharp accusations against the prefix = st1 /USpresident and his inner circle. David Corn, theWashingtoneditor of "The Nation", details the many times the Bush administration knowingly and intentionally misled the American public to advance its own interests and plan. These include: Unclear reports and presenting misleading arguments to gain public support for the war againstIraq. Misleading explanations, instead of telling the full truth, about the 9/11 attacks.
The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty
By Kitty Kelley
Imprint: Doubleday
Hardcover: 736 Pages
Pub Date: September 2004
Price: US $ 29.95
ISBN: 0385503245
They have got huge financial power and controlled world politics for more than half a century. They have been elected as governors, congressmen, senators and presidents. They have shaped America's past and, with the country at war under the leadership of their No. 1 son, they are, shapingAmerica's future. As the Bush family has risen to power, they have been masters of their own public image. They act and operate under the protection of privacy their money and status has afforded them.
America's Secret War
By George Friedman
Imprint: Doubleday
Hardcover: 368 pages
Pub Date: October 2004
Price: US $ 25.95
ISBN: 0385512457
Friedman tells the surprising truth behind America's foreign policy and war in Afghanuistan andIraq. In "America's Secret War", George Friedman identifies the Untied States' most dangerous enemies. He also examines presidential strategies of the last quarter century, and reveals the real reasons behind the attack of 9/11 and the Bush administration's reasons for the war inIraq.
He describes in detail America's secret and open efforts in the global war against terrorism. | high22912.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "separate poultry from humans"
},
"options": [
"separate poultry from humans",
"set up a central slaughtering house",
"set up several regional slaughtering houses",
"get avian flu vaccination"
],
"question": "Acc... | Anti-bird flu contingency measures, including a proposal to separate poultry from humans and a series of traffic and logistics measures will be discussed at the Legislative Council's Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Panel meeting next month. Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Dr York Chow says the contingency plan would come into force if an outbreak occurred near Hong Kong.
Speaking on a radio talk show this morning, Dr Chow said the separation of poultry from humans policy, which will be determined after a decision whether to set up a central slaughtering house or several regional ones, would be based on the demand for live chickens.
He pointed out that at present there were 30,000 live chickens imported from the Mainland and 30,000 supplied locally. If this demand persisted, there would be no central slaughtering house or wholesale point that could handle such an amount and regional slaughtering houses could be the choice.
He added that building of regional slaughtering houses took time, but stressed the need to study the views of the public and the sector before a final decision was made.
Regarding avian flu vaccination for humans, Dr Chow said it was still being developed. He added that it may not be reliable in the case of an outbreak as records show vaccination can only offer 5% protection against a virus.
He said Hong Kong had more experience and expertise than neighbouring territories in the fight against viral outbreaks, and was willing to offer them help. He added there was no "boundary" for infectious diseases and close cooperation among different countries had to be maintained to fight against a possible outbreak. | high7421.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "inform"
},
"options": [
"suggest",
"inform",
"approve",
"instruct"
],
"question": "The writer of the text intends to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | On October 11, NASCAR announced the car of tomorrow after a seven-year design program. People used to believe that science would promise a future of endless spare time and very cheap electricity. Nowadays the scientists' predictions are a great deal less optimistic: the world is challenged by climate change and decreasing resources.
In fact, the car of tomorrow is a symbol of hope. The emission of carbon dioxide has contributed to global warming, but the car producers are waking up to their responsibilities. Investment in new technology to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental damage is not only improving the car industry's act but also setting an example to other industries.
It is said that most cars of today run about 15 percent efficiency, which does highlight the potential for improvement. Get it right, and we could continue to enjoy the freedom that comes with owning a car, without the worries.
Of course, many advances have already been made. There's evidence that the public is eager to buy cleaner and greener cars. And with petrol prices increasing there is no doubt that the cars with economical, efficient engines are going to be in great demand.
The good news is that we can all drive the car of tomorrow today, without having to worry about the purchase cost. By choosing our holiday hired cars wisely we can cut down on our fuel costs and experience an eco-friendly drive. Hire a green car and you'll make a difference to the environment.
Designers will always enjoy catching our imagination with "concept cars" that look more like miniature spaceships than anything you see on the highway. Whether these creations will eventually become family cars remains to be seen. However, for the moment, there's no doubt at all what the car of tomorrow will be, and it's here today: something familiar and friendly that does its job with considerably less trouble and much greater efficiency than the car of yesterday. | high8712.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A convenient tool"
},
"options": [
"A waitress",
"A convenient tool",
"A table",
"A cabinet"
],
"question": "What is a \"lazy Susan\"?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"a... | A lazy Susan is an addition to a table that is designed to assist in moving food from one person to another while dining. This is achieved through the use of a turntable , which usually moves the food in a circle when it is pushed by those at the table. In this way, the food never has to be picked up and passed around the table. Instead, it remains in place on the lazy Susan.
A lazy Susan may also be a part of a kitchen cabinet . In this sense, the lazy Susan is a type of shelving unit within the cabinet that is able to turn around its axis . One may turn the lazy Susan in order to find certain goods in storage. From the outside, a lazy Susan appears to be two cabinets that are located at a right angle to each another. When one of these cabinets is pushed, however, both doors move and the lazy Susan is revealed inside.
It is believed that Thomas Jefferson invented the lazy Susan in the 18th century, though it was called "dumbwaiter" at that time. It is said that Jefferson invented the lazy Susan because his daughter complained she was always served last at table and, as a result, never found herself full when leaving the table. Others believe that Thomas Edison was the inventor, as he is believed to have invented the turntable for his phonograph . The turntable may have developed into the lazy Susan later.
Regardless of who invented it, it wasn't until 1917 that the term "lazy Susan" was used in an advertisement for the invention. In Britain, however, the term "dumbwaiter" is still used rather than "lazy Susan". The reason for the naming of it is still a mystery. One theory is that it was named after either Jefferson's or Edison's daughter, both of whom were named Susan. | high15166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "You will find moregoods online."
},
"options": [
"You will get a 50%discount.",
"You will find moregoods online.",
"You are not able tobuy imported goods.",
"You can get freedelivery service for a month."
],
"qu... | China's onlineretailers are busy preparing for what has become the country's annual online shoppingfestival on November 11th.
November 11 is a datemade up of four ones, and "double eleven" has always been considered a specialday for single men and women inChina.Five years ago the Internet retailer Alibaba began promoting it as a shoppingfestival, and it has now turned to be the country's busiest day for onlineretailers and millions of shopping lovers.
JD.com is trying toattract more retailers by offering them free delivery service for a month.Alibaba itself has invited some 30,000 offline stores to participate in theonline shopping party. More than 20,000 vendors on Alibaba's sites --Tmall and Taobao are promising 50 percent discounts on the day. Shanghai- based Yhd.com,also called Yihaodian, a Chinese e-commerce company that is majority-owned byWal-Mart Stores, is setting up a special sale of imported foods.
Last year Alibaba earned19.1 billion yuan in sales during the double eleven promotions. And a 100billion yuan logistics network was set up by Alibaba this May that aims tomake 24-hour deliveries possible.
The major logisticsplayer Shentong shipped more than 8 million items during "double eleven."Shentong has more than 150,000 staff, and expects things to be even busier thisyear. Yang Jinghai, Director Of Human Resources of Shentong Express, says, "Wehave hired 30 percent more staff for double eleven, and we have couriers' bonuses ready."
On double elevenChina's e-commerce sites receive more visitsthan the entire population ofBrazil.It is believed thatChinawill replace theUSas the world's top e-commerce market this year. | high19774.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the city's lights affected the meteor watching"
},
"options": [
"the city's lights affected the meteor watching",
"the meteors flew past before being noticed",
"the city light show attracted many people",
"the meteor wa... | Last night's meteor shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers. According to Gabe Rothschild, Emerald Valley's mayor, people gathered in the suburbs of the city, carrying heavy telescopes, expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city's lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.
"My family was so frustrated," admitted town resident Duane Cosby, "We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment."
Astronomers--scientists who study stars and planets--have been complaining about this problem for decades. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.
There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds, bats, frogs, snakes, etc. For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds. According to the International Dark-Sky Association, "100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers."
Countless more animal casualties result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly, people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings. But some scientists think it can be harmful for humans, too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a person's chances of getting cancer.
Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution. For years, Flagstaff, Arizona, has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory. Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night. | high4100.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "how virtual water is used"
},
"options": [
"how drinks are shipped",
"how virtual water is exported",
"how virtual water is used",
"how drinks are made"
],
"question": "The example of a sugary soft drink in Para... | As the saying goes, man struggles upwards; water flows downwards. Water runs downhill from mountaintops to streams to rivers to oceans. But downhill isn't the only way that water moves .A new study measures how water travels from country to country for human consumption. This flow isn't the type we usually think about .These scientists looked at the water used to grow and make the products which get shipped from nation to nation as imports or exports. They call this a flow of "virtual water ".
We typically think about water as the liquid that flows from a tap. However,92%of the water used by people goes into growing crops,according to water researcher Arjen Hoekstra. He recently studied the hidden travels of virtual water used in products made from things like crops and meats .These products are shipped around the world.
For example, consider a sugary soft drink. Hoekstra estimated that to produce one half-liter of the drink requires between 170 and 310liters of the water--about 95%--is used to grow and process the ingredients .Another 4%goes into the packaging and labeling. In Hoekstra's calculation, when one country produces a half-liter of soda and sells it abroad,it exports as much virtual water as would fill a large refrigerator.
According to Hoekstra's new report,dry countries like Israel and Kuwait,both in the Middle East,get the majority of their virtual water from other countries,through imported products. More surprisingly, some wetter countries,like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, also get the majority of their virtual water from other places. That means that most of the water used to grow or produce the products and food consumed in those countries came from other countries.
In the United States most of the virtual water used comes from American sources .In China even less of the water associated with its products. | high16447.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They have lived long enough to read this article."
},
"options": [
"They can live longer than they expected.",
"They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier life.",
"They have lived long enough to read this article.",
"T... | If you're a male and you're reading this, congratulations! You're a survivor. According to statistics,you're more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term,about 78 years for men in Australia,you'll die on average five years before a woman.
There're many reasons for this--typically,men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don't go to the doctor.
"Men aren't seeing doctors as often as they should," says Dr. Gullotta."This is particularly so
for the over-40s, when diseases tend to strike. According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 49s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70%of men in the same age group.
"A lot of men think they're unbeatable,"Gullotta says."They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think, Geez, if it could happen to him ..."
Then there's the ostrich approach."Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know," says Dr. Ross Cartmill.
"Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies," Cartmill says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.
"Prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases.Besides, the final cost is far greater,it's called premature death." | high11328.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "By keeping each slide short and plain."
},
"options": [
"By keeping each slide short and plain.",
"By using flashy images and much text.",
"By using more than one line of text per bullet.",
"By using more than one image... | All presentations should include the beginning, the middle, and the end. The first part of your presentation should always present the problem. The middle of the presentation should present your key findings. By the end of the presentation, your audience should have a better understanding of the solution.
Less is more.
There's a tendency to make a presentation slide excessively complicated with flashy images, strange transitions, and too much text. These features are often unnecessary, and tend to make the viewers get bored. Instead, keep each slide short and plain, using one image to sell your idea. Using bullets is a bit of a cliche , but if you must use them, never exceed more than one line of text per bullet.
Branding is the key.
Whether you're stating a new business idea to investors or describing a new product to customers, you'll want your presentation to reinforce your brand's image. Use the same color1 schemes, fonts , and logos that you use on your website or company literature. There's an assumption of what a Power Point is supposed to look like, and company standards falls through the floor.
Give them a break.
According to a recent research, the average adult attention span for a presentation is just 20 minutes. It's always best to keep your presentation short and to the point, but if you must exceed the recommended 20 minutes, try giving your audience a moment to relax. "You can extend attention spans by giving your audience a rest," the study says. This can be done by telling a story, giving a demo, or doing something else that gives the brain a break.
Practice it again and again.
In the end, a great presentation will come down to the speaker's ability to capture the audience's imagination and keep their attention. The presentation and the speaker should work together and they can be complementary to each other. The best presenters won't have to look down at the notes and will never be reading from a script. A good speaker can focus on the key points and convey information well. | high17981.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Guling might have originally been pronounced as Kuling in English."
},
"options": [
"Mr. and Mrs. Gardner were brought up in a southern Chinese town.",
"The name of the town changed shortly after Milton Gardner left.",
"Gulin... | In 1992, when Xi Jinping worked in Fuzhou, he came across a newspaper report about "My Guling," written by a Chinese student studying in the United States.
The report described an American couple who tried in vain to revisit a southern Chinese town called Guling, where the husband, Milton Gardner, had spent 10 years of his childhood before moving back to the United States in 1911.
Gardner, who later became a professor of physics at the University of California, had been longing to revisit Guling since 1979 when the diplomatic ties between China and the US were set up. But he had never made the trip due to his failing health.
According to the newspaper, Gardner kept uttering "Kuling, Kuling" in the final hours of his life.
After he passed away, his wife Elizabeth Gardner decided to carry out the dying wish of her husband and since then made several trips to China in an attempt to find the small town that her husband had so much affection about. Her efforts ended in vain as she had few clues about the exact spot of the town. But a Chinese student lodging at the Gardners' recognized the small town as Guling near Fuzhou City from postmarks on some old mails of late Mr. Gardner. The student wrote an article about Gardners' story and sent it to the People's Daily, one of the major newspapers in China.
"After I read the story, I immediately contacted Mrs. Gardner through the departments concerned and invited her to visit Guling," Xi told the media. Thanks to Xi's arrangement, Mrs. Gardner finally arrived at Guling in August 1992. She met there with nine childhood friends of her husband, all of whom were over 90 years old at that time.
It was a happy occasion for Mrs. Gardner, who was later awarded the honorary citizenship of Fuzhou City, Xi recalled.
"She said that she would value this bond of friendship between her husband and the people of China, because after seeing for herself the beautiful Guling and the warmth and goodwill of the Chinese people, she now understood why her husband had been so deeply attached to China."
"I believe there are many such touching stories between our two peoples," said Xi. | high10036.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Switzerland"
},
"options": [
"Denmark",
"Switzerland",
"Germany",
"Nigeria"
],
"question": "According to the passage,the happiest people live in _ *",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answe... | Switzerland is the best place to be born in the world in 2013,and the US is just 16th. A new study made by the Economist Intelligence Unit says American babies will have a dimmer future than those born in Hong Kong,Ireland and even Canada. The EIU,a sister company of The Economist,tried to measure how well countries will provide the best opportunities for a healthy,safe and prosperous life in years to come.
People born in Switzerland will tend to be the happiest and have the best quality of life in terms of wealth,health and trust in public institutions,according to the analysis. The Scandinavian countries of Norway,Sweden and Denmark also all make the top five in a'quality-of-lif e'index where it is best to be born next year.
One of the most important factors is being rich,but other factors come into play including crime,trust in public institutions and the health of family life. In total,the index takes into account 11 factors. These include fixed factors such as geography,others that change slowly over time such as demography social and cultural characteristics, and the state of the world economy. The index also looks at income per head in 2030,which is roughly when children born in 2013 will reach adulthood. Small economies take up the top 10 countries,with Australia coming second and New Zealand and the Netherlands not too far behind.
Half of the top 10 countries are European,but only one,the Netherlands,is from the eurozone. The crisis-ridden south of Europe,including Greece,Portugal and Spain,falls behind despite the advantage of a favourable climate. Interestingly,the largest European economies-Germany,France and Britain-do not do particularly well. Nigeria has the unenviable title of being the worst country for a baby to enter the world in 2013. | high2571.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Because the mother and her child are the centers of each other when her child is very young."
},
"options": [
"Because we are likely to be attached to people with her characteristics.",
"Because the mother and her child are the cen... | When we're little, our mother is the center of our attention, and we are the center of hers. So our mother's characteristics leave an indelible impression, and we are forever after attracted to people with her facial features, body type, personality, even sense of humor. If our mother is warm and giving, as adults we tend to be attracted to people who are warm and giving. If our mother is strong and even-tempered, we are going to be attracted to a fair-minded strength in our mates.
The mother has an additional influence on her sons: she not only gives them clues to what they will find attractive in a mate, but also affects how they feel about women in general. So if she is warm and nice, her sons are going to think that's the way women are. They will probably grow up to be warm and responsive lovers and also be cooperative around the house.
Conversely, a mother who has a depressive personality, and is sometimes friendly but then suddenly turns cold and rejecting, may raise a man who becomes a "dance-away lover". Because he's been so scared about love from his mother, he's afraid of commitment and may pull away from a girlfriend for this reason.
While the mother determines in large part what qualities attract us in a mate, it's the father--the first male in our lives--who influences how we relate to the opposite sex. Fathers have an enormous effect on their children's personalities and chances of marital happiness.
Just as mothers influence their son's general feelings toward women, fathers influence their daughter's general feelings about men. If a father _ praise on his daughter and demonstrates that she is a worthwhile person, she'll feel very good about herself in relation to men. But if the father is cold, critical or absent, the daughter will tend to feel she's not very lovable or attractive.
In addition, most of us grow up with people of similar social circumstances. We hang around with people in the same town; our friends have about the same educational backgrounds and career goals. We tend to be most comfortable with these people, and therefore we tend to link up with others whose families are often much like our own. | high9424.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Speed Reading Is an Important Skill"
},
"options": [
"Speed Reading Is an Important Skill",
"Speed Reading Brings You Pleasure",
"Better Attend a Special Class",
"Your Reading Skill Have to Be Improved"
],
"ques... | Almost everyone has seen someone speed read.They appear to skim the text and still have read and absorbed the content.The people who have studied speed reading techniques will still read at different speeds;however they will undoubtedly beat those without experience.
The best and most efficient way to learn to read fast is to join in classes,where speed reading skills will be explained clearly.
The advantage of courses is that students will be shown several different strategies showing them to choose the ones they find easiest to understand the material they are reading.
Students should try to learn all the strategies presented during their courses as, once these are mastered,they will see a dramatic improvement in their reading rate,after which they can choose their preferred style. Students will see the benefits of speed reading as soon as the techniques are applied to their main field of study.
A traditional education builds habits in reading which a good speed reading course will push aside,replacing with new techniques. A comprehensive course will also advise students how to become more efficient readers;hopefully this will also encourage the desire for self improvement as well as the desire to read.
Lecturers in speed reading will usually take the time to teach students the importance of preparing the environment they work in before they read a single work remember reading at speed is all about increasing the speed of comprehension not just the speed of reading! The satisfaction of reading faster and with better comprehension skills cannot be ignored;the techniques of speed reading increase the enjoyment of reading.Speed reading is a skill to be encouraged in each and every generation of new readers. | high6717.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "plaster"
},
"options": [
"pills",
"soup",
"vegetables",
"plaster"
],
"question": "According to the passage, we know that the Amazing Diet Patch is some kind of _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
}... | Amazing Scientific Breakthrough
Helps You Lose Weight without Starvation Diets or Tiring Exercise
Have You Ever Wished...
There was a fast easy and reliable way to safely drop weight by magically _ your food desires? An easy way to use product that magically melts off ugly fat without "dieting,"[calorie counting, or tiring exercise? What if this breakthrough could also increase your energy levels and brightened your mood throughout the day?
Introducing...The Amazing Diet Patch
The all new Amazing Diet Patch(as seen on TV) is a revolutionary new weight loss system that makes you lose 3 to 7 pounds wee after week! Until you fit into the clothes you've always dreamed of! This is the fastest most effective and safe way to lose weight. Without starvation diets or strenuous exercise!
How Does It Work?
The secret is a material called Fucus Vesiculosus that suppresses your food desires, and increases your metabolism turning your body into a fat burning machine.
Just listen to what others are saying about it:
After the birth of my child I started gaining weight quickly and nothing would make me lose weight. At first I wondered if the diet patch really worked? But I decided to try the free sample, and after the first seven days I lost 7-Lbs. I couldn't feel better about myself. --Sherry Parker
I could not believe how easy it was to use the Amazing Diet Patch! I've tried using pills, but I would always forget to take pills before my meals. Now with the patch I just put it on in the morning and forget about it. --Jeff Robins
Not Available In Stores
But you can get it right here directly from us through this special online offer. And we're willing to absorb 100% of the risk by giving you a 1-Week Free Trial! | high12621.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to invite an answer to his question"
},
"options": [
"to report his classmates' discussion",
"to invite an answer to his question",
"to explain the natural state of Mars",
"to show his agreement on going to Mars"
],... | While all my classmates seen to be crazy about a one-way ticket to Mars , I'd rather say Mars is totally unsuitable for human existence. People won't have enough food supplies there, and the terrible environment would make it impossible for them to live a long life. Besides, the journey won't be safe. Can anybody explain to me just why people would go to Mars, never to return?
Steve Minear, UK
Here are the things you can think of: the desire to explore a foreign and unique environment, the excitement of being the first humans to open up a new world, the expectation of fame and glory...For scientists there is another reason. Their observations and research will probably lead to great scientific achievements.
Donal Trollop, Canada
There are already too many people on the Earth. I think that sometime before the end of the century, there will be a human colony on Mars. It will happen when people finally realize that tow-way trips to the red planet Mars are unnecessary. Most of the danger of space Flight is in the launches and landings. Cutting the trip home would therefore reduce the danger of accidents, save a lot of money, and open the way to building an everlasting human settlement on another world.
Enough supplies can be sent on ahead. And every two years more supplies and more people will needs, and Mars is far more pleasant than the other planets in the outer space.
Paul Davies. USA | high7409.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Margot"
},
"options": [
"Margot",
"Mummy and Margot",
"Daddy",
"Nobody"
],
"question": "Who was waiting for them when they arrived at the hiding place?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"an... | When we arrived at Prinsengracht, we went quickly upstairs and into the hiding place. We closed the door behind us and we were alone. Margot had come faster on her bicycle and was already waiting for us. All the rooms were full boxes. They lay on the floor and the beds. The little room was filled with bedclothes. We had to start clearing up at once, if we wished to sleep in comfortable beds that night. Mummy and Margot were not able to help. They were tired and lay down on their beds. But Daddy and I, the two "helpers' of the family, started at once.
The whole day we unpacked the boxes, filled the cupboards and tidied, until we were extremely tired. We did sleep in clean beds that night. We hadn't had any warm food to eat all day, but we didn't care. Mummy and Margot were too tired and worried to eat, and Daddy and I were too busy. | high22084.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "make a voyage to Asia"
},
"options": [
"sail round the world",
"find a seaway from the Atlantic to the Pacific",
"make a voyage to Asia",
"carry men to Philippines"
],
"question": "The purpose of Magellan's expe... | Early in the 16th century men were trying to reach Asia by traveling west from Europe. In order to find Asia they had to find a way past South America. The man who finally found the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific was Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan sailed from Seville in August, 1519 with five ships and about 280 men. Fourteen months later, after spending the cold winter on the coast of Patagonia, he discovered the channel which is now called Magellan Strait . In November, 1520, after many months of dangers from rocks and storms, the three remaining ships entered the ocean on the other side of South America.
They then continued, hoping to reach Asia. But they did not see any land until they reached the islands off the coast of Asia. Before they arrived at these islands, later known as the Philippines, men were dying of starvation. While they were staying in the Philippines, Magellan was killed in a battle. The remaining officers then had to get back to Spain. They decided to sail round Africa. After many difficulties, one ship with eighteen men sailed into Seville three years after leaving. They were all that remained of Magellan's expedition. However, their achievement was great. They were the first men to sail round the world. | high15628.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he wanted the tourist group to follow him"
},
"options": [
"he wanted to stop the tourists by doing this",
"he wanted people to know that he was rich and kind",
"he wanted to help the woman by himself",
"he wanted the t... | I always experienced guilt when I passed by without giving a coin or two to a beggar.
My conscience was pricked again on a tour of Venice in 2010. I had taken refuge from the crowds in a quiet canal-side cafe. Outside the cafe was an old woman kneeling on the ancient cobbled stones, begging. Steady streams of tourists were walking past her. A lone young back-packer stood away from the crowds drinking something, but I noticed he was also observing the woman.
A tourist group glanced at the woman and walked on. Another group of tourists arrived and, again, walked past her. The backpacker watched. Then, as I prepared to leave, I stopped at the sight of the backpacker stepping forward and placing some money in the woman's cup. He did this rather ostentatiously , just before the arrival of another tourist group. I watched as the leader of the group stopped and put some money in the cup. Having been shown the way, other tourists followed suit and added more coins to the woman's cup.
The young backpacker repeated this process in front of the next tour party going past. Once again, the subtle peer pressure worked on the tourists, who all added coins to the cup. His work done, the young man walked over to the old beggar woman, patted her shoulder and said, "I hope that helps a bit."
I don't know if the woman understood his English or realized what had just happened, but I did. I placed some money in the woman's cup and continued my travels, light-hearted after witnessing such an act of caring. | high12147.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "was rich in spirit"
},
"options": [
"was a foolish man",
"was rich in spirit",
"had a healthy body",
"pretended to be happy"
],
"question": "The author believes that Roger _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | The phrase "live, love and laugh" was one my cousin Roger lived by every day of his life. Even in his sickness, he found the positive in what some would see as a negative situation. He enjoyed life. He loved to laugh and most importantly, he lived life to the absolute fullest. He loved to travel, learning new things about different people and their culture.
Roger was born and raised in Alabama, and he then moved to Buffalo, New York where he lived for many, many years until he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, his final resting place.
Whether his travels were long visits or short visits, large cities or small towns, his favorite souvenir item was T-shirt. Everywhere he went he would buy a T-shirt to remind him of his travels. Every T-shirt he owned had a story behind it that he would share with others.
As long as he was laughing, living and traveling, he was happy. He loved everybody he came in contact with and everybody loved him. The old saying, "He never met a stranger", definitely applied to Roger and his life.
His last few years of life were in and out of the hospital at least 10~15 days a month, sometimes more. Two weeks before he passed away, I spoke with him on the phone, and even then he managed to tell jokes about life.
I know he left this world happily; he refused to allow anything or anyone to hold him down, even his severe illnesses. He was definitely a model to look up when it comes to not allowing any situation to keep you from moving forward in life.
I will forever miss his smile and his love for life. My cousin Roger knew the true meaning of the phrase "live, love and laugh". | high13259.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "excited"
},
"options": [
"confused",
"frightened",
"annoyed",
"excited"
],
"question": "Upon being taken to the farm, Cob felt _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answe... | Cob is a six-year-old boy. An aid organization brought him to the farm run by Joy from another province. Both Cob's parents died of serious disease when he was a two-month-old baby. His eighty-year-old grandmother treated him badly. He developed a disease over time, which led to him being unable to keep things in mind well; on the other hand, there was nothing good for him to bear in mind as well.
When he first arrived at the farm, it appeared to him like a huge playground. Cob plyed around, hid behind trees and bushes, and enjoyed this new area.
Over time, he gained confidence, chose Joy as his new mother, and let her carry him around. Amy, Joy's real daughter, the same age as Cob, had to learn to share her mother with the other child. She also needed to see the other children as her brothers or sisters and accept them although she may be unwilling to do so.
In the beginning, Cob did not use the facilities on the farm. Slowly Joy tried to help him use them and during the day, he kept on with them but not at night. All attempts to send him to school failed. As soon as he arrived there, he ran off into the wide world like a free rabbit. He enjoyed running around in school rather than doing what teachers told him to do. Finally, the head teacher announced that the school was not suitable for Cob.
Cob had to go back to the farm. At daytime, he watched adults and elder children bicycle and if there was any chance, he took a bicycle, then pushed and pulled it up and down the hill. One day Cob found there was a small bicycle standing next to the big ones. It was a gift for him! It was new with wheels on each side of the back wheel, which was just right for a little child without any experience in riding a bicycle. Cob pushed it up the hill, got on it and off from time to time.
From then on Cob began riding his bicycle every day. Although he often fell and got hurt, he went on. During rainy days, he stored the bicycle in his room and slept close to it at night. Maybe even in his dreams he was happy -- he had found the entrance to a happy and satisfying life. | high9342.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He studied in France for a term."
},
"options": [
"He was good at French before arriving in Paris.",
"He studied in France for a term.",
"He got to his host family by taxi.",
"He worked very hard in France on weekends."... | Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to join in an exchange study program. The moment I arrived in Paris, I was greeted by a nice French couple who would become my host parents. The bit of French I had taken in high school began coming out of my mouth; speaking the language would only become more natural over the course of the term. At the airport, we all got into the couple's car and began the journey to their townhouse. We talked the whole way, getting to know one another.
Every day afterwards, I would eat breakfast with the two of them, and then we'd all go our separate ways for the day. In the evening, my host mother would make delicious dinners for the three of us. My experience was exciting until I received some shocking news from my program coordinator : There had been a death in my host parents' family and they would have to go away for several weeks to deal with all the business that arises from the death. That afternoon, I had to move out of one family's house and into another.
The coordinator told me I'd have a roommate and asked whether I would mind sharing a bedroom with an English speaker. To avoid speaking my native language, I asked not to be placed with an English-speaking roommate. When I got to my new room, I introduced myself to my new roommate Paolo, a Brazilian , the same age as I, whom I was surprised to find playing one of my favorite CDs on his computer! In just a few hours, we knew we'd be good friends for the rest of theterm.
I left France with many stories, so when people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was, they always hear about my Brazilian friend Paolo and the weekdays in class, weeknights on the town, and weekends exploring France we enjoyed together. I would recommend an exchange program to anyone who wants to experience foreign cultures and gain meaningful friendships. | high14536.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "death"
},
"options": [
"insult",
"threat",
"death",
"betrayal"
],
"question": "People are afraid of growing old because it is usually associated with _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | I'm afraid to grow old--we're all afraid. In fact, the fear of growing old is so great that every aged person is an insult and a threat to the society. They remind us of our own death, that our body won't always remain smooth and responsive, but will someday betray us by aging. The ideal way to age would be to grow slowly invisible, gradually disappearing, without causing worry or discomfort to the young. In some ways that does happen. Sitting in a small park across from a nursing home one day, I noticed that the young mothers and their children gathered on one side, and the old people from the home on the other.
Whenever a youngster would run over to the "wrong" side, chasing a ball or just trying to cover all the available space, the old people would lean forward and smile. But before any communication could be established, the mother would come over, murmuring embarrassed apologies, and take her child back to the "young" side.
Now, it seemed to me that the children didn't feel any particular fear and the old people didn't seem to be threatened by the children. The division of space was drawn by the mothers. And the mothers never looked at the old people who lined the other side of the park. These well-dressed young women had a way of sliding their eyes over, around, through the old people; they never looked at them directly. The old people may as well have been invisible; they offended the aesthetic eye of the mothers.
My early experiences were somewhat different; since I grew up in a small town, my children had more of a nineteenth-century flavor. I knew a lot of old people, and considered some of them friends. | high6071.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "we treat everything in a serious way"
},
"options": [
"the pace of change in our lives is becoming faster",
"we fail to reflect on fun times in our lives",
"we treat everything in a serious way",
"humor of situations li... | The power of humor and laugher is numerous. They entertain us and make us feel good. But, above all, we have discovered that humor and laughter are the best medicine. They relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety, and are anti-aging and longevity facilitators .
They are extremely necessary for helping us to find and maintain a balance between life and work. However, they are slipping away from us. We have become far too serious. The only ones who still enjoy humor, laughter, fun and play to the fullest are young children. Children tend to laugh an average of 200 times a day. For adults, however, it is a totally different story.
In the 1950s people laughed on average 18 times a day. Today, we are lucky if we average between 4-6 times a day.
As a matter of fact, a recent study found that people laugh 6 more times in the presence of one person but 30 more times in a group of people. You can get a chuckle from jokes you get on the Internet, but it is not the same as belly jiggling laughter (a deep laugh) you get when you interact with others.
Socializing with friends and relatives was much looked forward to. However, this is no longer the case. In fact, the majority of people can hardly find time, nor do they have the _ towards socializing outside home. They turn to electronic media such as television, computers, the Internet, videos, CDs, and audio equipment, which can provide them with instant self-entertainment at the push of a button.
The workplace does not fare much better. Due to the pressures to produce more in the same or fewer hours available and to compete, for example, in a manufacturing field with cheaper labor elsewhere in the world, humor and laughter in the workplace have gradually eroded away.
I have developed a real appreciation, perhaps closer to a strong desire for the power of humor and laughter. This encouraged me to write my first book titled "The Power of Humor" and subsequently my second book titled "Kids Say the Goggonest Things" based on the natural humor, laughter, play and fun that kids experience and they freely share with parents, grandparents and teachers.
From writing about humor and laughter, people start to ask me to speak up for them. To date, I have developed a number of humor-laughter topics that I use in my keynote presentations. You are invited to subscribe to my free monthly e-magazine "The Humormeister's Forum" by clicking on the Free Humor E-zine navigation button on the website. | high5578.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "meet the tourists' demand for getting close to nature"
},
"options": [
"protect forests",
"introduce excellent ideas of designers",
"provide a peaceful lifestyle for citizens",
"meet the tourists' demand for getting clo... | Located in the forests near the village of Harads in northern Sweden, the Treehotel opened its doors in the summer of 2010 and offers six guest rooms.Owners, Britta and Kent Lindvall, invited designers and architects to create a series of unique tree houses that reflect the growing popularity of ecologically-themed
holidays.
There's the Mirrorcube, a 4x4x4 meter aluminum box in mirrored glass.Accessed via a footbridge, the Cabin is suspended from the surrounding pines on a steep bank, affording views of the Lulea River.Both these rooms sleep two people while the Nest (covered in branches), the Blue Cone (which is actually painted red) and the UFO (a spaceship skewered by pines) all have enough room to sleep a family of four.
The Treehotel was built after they saw a 2008 Swedish documentary called "Tradalskaren" (The Tree Lover) that tells the story of three men who build a tree house near Harads in an attempt to rediscover their rural roots after years of living in a city.
The Lindvalls, who already owned and ran a nearby guesthouse, saw the chance to create a different kind of holiday experience."When the film was over, interest in the original tree house grew so we decided to build our own, closer to our place," Kent Lindvall said."The plan for next year is five new rooms.We also plan to build a chapel so people can get married up there."
Open all year round, the Treehotel might attract only _ during the winter as temperatures typically dip to around minus 15 degrees Celsius.But brave travelers will be rewarded with stunning snowy landscapes as well as a "Three Sauna" and under-floor heating in every room delivered by renewable energy. | high20693.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "for people to have the right amount of water at all times"
},
"options": [
"to cover the houses and fields",
"for people to have the right amount of water at all times",
"to grow crops better",
"to form a large lake"
... | In some countries in which there is very little rain at any time, the farmers have to irrigate their fields. Irrigation is easy enough if there is a great river near the crops, and if there is plenty of water in it. Canals carry the river water to the fields when necessary. In some seasons there may be too much water in the river, and the water may flood all the land near it. At other times the river water may not be enough for all the farmers, and then it will be difficult to irrigate the fields.
To prevent these difficulties, a dam may be built across the river. This will store water for dry seasons, and in wet seasons it will prevent the flooding of the land. A great lake will, no doubt, be formed behind the dam, and this may mean that houses and fields will be covered with water. Most people will accept _ and will be ready to move to other places. Then the country can have the right amount of water at all times; more crops will be grown, there will be more food for everyone, and there will be no more floods.
Dams have been built for centuries in different parts of the world. Modern dame are usually built of concrete but earth dams were used in India and Sri Lanka about 2500 years ago. There was another across the River Tigris very long ago, and large numbers of irrigation canals were made in Iraq to irrigate the land. The Romans were great dam-builders and there was also a famous dam at Ma' rubin Arabia.
We cannot use sea water for irrigation; the salt will not allow the crops to grow. Fresh water is always needed, and it is very difficult and costly to make fresh water from sea water. This is done in a few countries, but the fresh water is for drinking. There is not enough at present for irrigation. Perhaps a scientist will one day invent a cheaper way of producing fresh water from the sea. | high2217.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "His mother was too sick to send him to the piano lessons."
},
"options": [
"He lost heart and believed that he would never make it.",
"His mother was too sick to send him to the piano lessons.",
"He thought his teacher dislik... | Robby was 11 when his mother dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer students begin at an earlier age. Robby insisted that it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him in as a student.
Robby tried and tried while I listened and encouraged him and gave him more instructions . But he just did not have any inborn ability.
I only saw his mother from a distance. She always waved and smiled but never came in. Then one day Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling him but I guessed he had decided to try something else.
_ . However, several weeks before the recital of my students, Robby came,telling me that he never stopped practicing and begged me to allow him to take part. I agreed but I made him perform last in the program, so I could always save his poor performance through my "curtain closer".
I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen one piece of Mozart's. Never had I heard a piece of Mozart's played so well by someone at his age. When he finished, everyone was cheering.
I ran up and put my arms around Robby in joy. "I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How'd you do it?"
"Well, Miss Hondorf. Do you remember I told you my mom was sick? Actually she died this morning. She was born deaf so tonight was the first time she could hear me play. I wanted to make it special. I knew I could." That night, Robby was the teacher and I was the student. He taught me so many important things about life. | high3109.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He had worked in a factory in his hometown before."
},
"options": [
"On his way home after work, he helped an old lady.",
"He had worked in a factory in his hometown before.",
"He would move away to fulfill his dream soon.",
... | It was getting dark and snow was coming down. Joe was driving home. He'd been unemployed since the factory closed. Most of his friends had left, but he stayed on. After all, he was born here.
Suddenly he saw a lady standing on the side of the road and pulled up. She was worried. No one had stopped to help her. Was he going to hurt her? He looked poor and hungry. Joe knew how she felt and said, "My name is Joe and I'm here to help you." All she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Joe changed the tire, but he got dirty and his hands were hurt. _ Joe never thought twice about the money and there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed.
Later the lady went in a dingy-looking restaurant to grab a bite to eat. The cash register was like the telephone of an out-of-work actor----it didn't ring much. The waitress, who was nearly eight months pregnant, brought a clean towel to her with a sweet smile. The old lady remembered Joe. After the waitress brought the change from a 100-dollar bill, she found the lady gone and something written on a piece of paper, "Someone once helped me out----the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, don't let the chain of love end with you."
That night the waitress gave her sleeping husband a soft kiss and whispered, "Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Joe." | high10988.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "lack of proteins in food"
},
"options": [
"poor living conditions",
"lack of proteins in food",
"much stomach liquids",
"lack of food"
],
"question": "From the passage we learn that kwashiorkor is a disease caus... | The World Health Organization(WHO)planned to study the relationship between the eating habits of the people and the disease.Two doctors were chosen to make the study.
They flew to Africa south of the Sahara and during the next two months visited ten countries.They found that serious diseases of poor eating, often mistaken for other diseases, existed in all parts of Africa.The diseases were similar and could therefore all be named kwashiorkor .The diseased children are usually from one to four years old.As the illness progresses, the child's stomach becomes swollen by liquid collecting in the body.The skin changes colour and may break out in open sores.The hair changes colour and starts to fall out.The patient loses all interest in his surroundings and even in food, and becomes so weak that he wants to lie down all the time.Stomach liquids are no longer produced.
The doctors reasoned that kwashiorkor was found in the young children of this age in many parts of Africa because of lack of milk or meat.Their mothers gave them foods full of starches instead of greatly needed proteins.They found that the addition of milk to the food of children suffering from kwashiorkor saved many lives. | high19012.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "looks"
},
"options": [
"looks",
"usual activities",
"grades",
"favorite colors"
],
"question": "After Farah became a member of Purple Girls Club,she chose a friend according to a person's _ .",
"question_... | Farah was sitting in the kitchen going over the party list with her mother.The exams were over and Farah wanted to invite her friends for a party.
"Farah,aren't you going to invite Hafsa?"her mother asked.Hafsa had been her best friend since childhood.
"Mother,you know I am now a part of Purple Girls Club and we have some rules about people we can be friends with,"Farah answered.
"Really?And what are the rules?"her mother asked.
"Well,only very pretty girls can be part of our group.And Hafsa is so...you know...dark."
"I cannot believe it,"her mother said angrily.
As Farah left the kitchen,her father called her from the living room.
Farah went to her father and paled when she saw the exam report in his hands."Farah,what has happened to your grades?You have failed in Mathematics,"her father said.
Farah had no answer.The truth was that the activities of Purple Girls Club left her with very little time for studies.
"Farah,it says that you can take part in supplementary exams .If your grades don't improve then,I'll cancel your trip to Spain."
Farah went to her room and called Gina,the leader of Purple Girls Club, "Gina,can you help me to complete my notes before the exams?"
Gina laughed."Exams?Who cares about exams?"
One by one,she called her friends in the club but no one seemed to care or wanted to help.
Farah knew Hafsa would help her.Farah also knew Hafsa had been hurt by her,but Hafsa said,"If you need any help,just let me know.We can study together till your exams."
Next Monday,as two friends entered the school together,Gina called out.
"Farah,you know our rules.You cannot be friends with those who do not belong to our club."
"Gina,I have a new rule about friendship,"Farah replied. | high4666.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The dangers caused by wearing flip-flops."
},
"options": [
"The benefits of wearing high heels.",
"The dangers caused by wearing flip-flops.",
"The advantages and disadvantages of wearing flip-flops.",
"Some advice on h... | Compared to high heels , they don't look dangerous, but flip-flop wearers should think twice before slipping on a pair. The National Health Service spends PS40 million a year treating injuries caused by wearing the casual footwear. More than 200,000 people end up in hospital every year after suffering falls or developing long-term problems.
Once worn only at the beach, flip-flops have become the regular summer footwear of choice for women, with two in five women owning at least one pair.
But experts are warning the public of the dangers of wearing flip-flops, such as the risk of joint pains. They say flip-flops force people to change the way they walk so that when taking a walk with long steps they put pressure on the outside of their foot, rather than their heel, causing long-term damage. And there is also the risk of serious injury. Frequent complaints include twisted ankles, but some have broken their arms or wrists after falling because their flip-flops caught on uneven ground. Many also suffer aching toes as they constantly wear them.
Mike, a spokesman, warned wearers of the damage done by flip-flops. He said, "They land on the outside and then roll the foot inwards putting all the pressure on the big toe." This constant rolling puts pressure on the ankle joint, causing it to weaken. The lack of support of the flip-flop also causes pain on the inside of the foot and lower leg. And if you're not used to wearing them, they can cause blisters , he added.
Doctors say flip-flops cause far more damage as they are worn for longer periods of time. Emma Supple, consultant podiatrist , said, "Flip-flops are universally popular. They are easy to put on and easy to wear but women do need to be mindful that wearing on hard flat surfaces can cause considerable foot and leg problems." She encouraged women to wear suitable shoes to help recover from summertime injuries. | high18318.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Travelling around the world."
},
"options": [
"Visiting his friends.",
"Diving.",
"Travelling around the world.",
"Making his house beautiful."
],
"question": "How did Pete spend his holiday in the past?",
"... | Last week I visited my friend Pete in the new home where he lives with his wife and daughter. Pete used to spend his holidays travelling the world, visiting the pyramids in Egypt or scuba diving in the Caribbean. Nowadays he prefers to spend his holidays and weekends making his house look more beautiful. Like hundreds of thousands of other British people, he has discovered the joy of DIY (Do It Yourself), which means if there are any things that need fixing around the house, he will try to do the job himself.
As he showed me the new kitchen he put together by himself and the newly painted walls, I asked Pete where he got his inspiration from. He told me that his favorite source of ideas was a DIY program on TV.
This got me thinking about the great popularity of DIY programs in the UK. Each major channel has at least one home or garden improving show and there's even a satellite channel completely about the subject.
I guess it is not really surprising that DIY programs are so popular. Two common sayings in Britain- 'an Englishman's home is his castle' and 'there's no place like home'-show how important our houses are to us. With the present economic downturn, many people can't afford to buy a bigger house so they are looking at how they can make their house better without spending a lot of money. DIY is the perfect choice.
But be careful! I read a report that said over 230,000 people were injured while doing home improvements in the UK in just one year, including 41,000 who fell off ladders and 5,800 who were seriously hurt by hammers. So I won't be going down to the hardware store. | high10744.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Horse-riding."
},
"options": [
"Basketball",
"Swimming.",
"Tennis.",
"Horse-riding."
],
"question": "Which of the following sports did Tanni like before thirteen?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer... | After the Summer Olympics are over, when all the athletes have gone home and the television audience has switched off, another group of athletes and fans will arrive at the host city, and another competition will begin. These are the Paralympics, the games for athletes with a disability. But in Beijing in 2008, for the first time, one of the greatest Paralympics athletes did not take part.
She is a British athlete by the name of Tanni Grey-Thormpson. Born with spine hifida which left her paralysed from the waist. Tanni used a wheelchair from the age of 7. at first, she did not like sports, apart from horse-riding, which gave her a sense of freedom. But in her teens, she started taking sports more seriously. She tried swimming, basketball and tennis. Eventually she found she began to love athletics, and never looked back.
Indeed, Tanni's athletic career took off . In 1984, when she was 15, she pulled off a surprise victory in the 100metres at the Junior National Wheelchair Games.
In 1988, Tanni went to her first Paralympic Games in Seoul. She won bronze in the 400 metres. Even greater success followed at the 1992 Barcelonn. Paralympics. Tanni won gold in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres relay, setting two world records in the process. In the same year she achieved the first of her six London Wheelchair Marathon victories.
Tanni's success had been part motivation , part preparation, "The training I do that enables me to be a good sprinter enables me to be good at a marathon too. I train 50 weeks of the year and that keeps me prepared for whatever distance I want to see.... I am still competing at a very high level, but as I get older, things get harder and I want to retire before I fall apart."
Indeed Tanni retired finally after the Visa Paralympic World Cup in 2007. Her wish is to coach young athletes for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In spite of ups and downs, she never takes her fate lying down. In her splendid life, she has won an amazing eleven gold medals, four silvers and one bronze in series of Paralympics- a top level athletic career covering two decades. She has won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times, more than any other competitor, and she has set over thirty world records.
What advice does she have for young athletes? "Work hard at your studies, and then train, train and train again." | high2203.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "are to some degree connected with our feelings"
},
"options": [
"are imagination of our daily life",
"are man's curious look into the future",
"have nothing to do with our feelings",
"are to some degree connected with o... | Let us begin by saying what does not cause our dreams. Our dreams do not come from "another world ". They are not messages from outside source. They are not a look into the future , either .
All our dreams have something to do with our feelings, fears, longings, wishes, needs and memories. If a person is hungry , or tired or cold , his dreams may include a feeling of this kind .If the covers on your body , such as a quilt or a blanket have slipped off your bed , you may dream that you are sleeping on the ice and snow. The material for the dream you will have tonight is likely to come from the experience you have today.
So the subject of your dream usually comes from something that has effect on you while you are sleeping (feeling of cold, a noise, a discomfort, etc.) and it may also use your past experiences and the wishes and the interests you have now.This is why children are likely to dream of fairies, older children of school examinations, hungry people of food, home-sick soldiers of their families and prisoners of freedom.
To show you how this is happening while you are asleep and how your needs and wishes can all be joined together in a dream , here is the story of the experiment.A man was asleep and the back of his hand was rubbed with a piece of absorbed cotton.He would dream he was in hospital and his charming girlfriend was visiting him , sitting on the bed and feeling gently his hands!
There are some scientists who have made a special study of why we dream, what we dream and what those dreams mean.Their explanations of dreams , though a bit reasonable, is not accepted by everyone but it offers an interesting approach to the problem.They believe that dreams are mostly expressions of wishes that do not come true.In other words, dreams are a way of having your wishes carried out. | high4672.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Birds."
},
"options": [
"Birds.",
"New friends.",
"Students.",
"Close friends"
],
"question": "What do \"Feathered Friends\" probably refer to?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | Students across the country are finding ways, with the help of devoted teachers, to raise funds for causes near and dear to their hearts. While kids raise funds for bird habitats and heart health, they learn lessons that will help them succeed in school -- and in life.
Feathered Friends
To collect money for an important nature fund and use skills right out of a science textbook, The Branch School of West Houston, Texas, took to the fields and forests to find more than 45 species of birds in their Bird-A-Thon's largest annual fundraising event and the world's biggest bird watching competition. Teams earn pledges for each donation to benefit the 40-year-old Houston Audubon (houstonaudubon.org), a chapter of the National Audubon Society. The 24th Houston Audubon Bird-A-Thon raised over $56,000 to promote the conservation and appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat. Bonus: In identifying specific species, students learn about habitats, ecology, and preservation, all while getting exercise.
Jump Rope for Heart
This program has raised a lot of money for AHA (the American Heart Association). French Road Elementary of Rochester, New York, topped the 2012 list of participating schools in Jump Rope for Heart, a jump-rope-a-thon, with $67,432. A "Wall of Honor" stands at one end of the gym, each paper heart bearing the name of a patient for students to see as they jump in honor of that child. The program, organized by physical education teachers, earned pledges per jump. Bonus: Per jump pledges offer students practice with multiplication and money handling skills, with science and health, too! | high19006.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Education"
},
"options": [
"Education",
"Entertainment",
"Politics",
"Sports"
],
"question": "In which column of a newspaper can the passage probably appear?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | Not everyonewhoteaches in acollegeor university is a professor. Many are instructors or lecturers. In fact, not even all professors are full professors. Many of them are assistant or associate professors or adjunct professors.
So what do all of these different academic titles mean at American colleges and universities? Get ready for a short lecture, especially if you are thinking of a career in higher education.
Professors usually need a doctoral degree. But sometimes a school will offer positions to people who have not yet received their doctorate.
This person would be called an instructor until the degree has been completed. After that, the instructor could become an assistant professor. Assistant professors do not have tenure.
Tenure means a permanent appointment. This goal of greater job security is harder to reach these days. Fewer teaching positions offer the chance for tenure.
Teachers and researchers who are hired into positions that do offer it are said to be "on the tenure track." Assistant professor is the first job on this path.
Assistant professors generally have five to seven years to gain tenure. During this time, other faculty members study the person's work. If tenure is denied, then the assistant professor usually has a year to find another job.
Candidates for tenure may feel great pressure to get research published. "Publish or perish" is the traditional saying.
An assistant professor who receives tenure becomes an associate professor. An associate professor may later be appointed a full professor.
Assistant, associate and full professors perform many duties. They teach classes. They advise students. And they carry out research. They also serve on committees and take part in other activities.
Other faculty members are not expected to do all these jobs. They are not on a tenure track. Instead, they might be in adjunct or visiting positions.
A visiting professor has a job at one school but works at another for a period of time. An adjunct professor is also a limited or part-time position, to do research or teach classes. Adjunct professors have a doctorate.
Another position is that of lecturer. Lecturers teach classes, but they may or may not have a doctorate. | high21599.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "parents want to control you"
},
"options": [
"parents want you to grow up healthily",
"parents don't want you to make some bad friends",
"parents worry about everything about you",
"parents want to control you"
],
... | I don't like my parents. They always tell me I should do this, and should not do that. It sometimes makes me angry," said Liu Dan, a middle school student in Beijing. Do you have the same problem? Perhaps your parents had the same problem when they were your age long ago. Why does it seem that some parents are not so friendly in their children's eyes?
One of the biggest things is when someone becomes a parent, he or she likes worrying things. They worry about everything about you from the time you were born. They do a lot for you, though something would make you angry, because they care about you and worry about you. They worry about your choice of friends, the food you eat, your work at school, how much sleep you get, etc. All these things are part of your life. They want you to grow up healthily and happily.
So how can you make things easier on yourself? It's easier than you think. Just make sure your parents know what you're doing. Get them to know your friends. Call them if you stay somewhere else later than usual. Say sorry to them when you make mistakes. Take responsibility for what you have done. Talk about your ideas with them. They may talk about theirs with you.
Most of all, try to think about why your parents do this or do that. They are still practicing being parents and need help you can give them. Someday, when you become a parent, they may be able to help you how to get on with your children. | high16335.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "a radio announcer"
},
"options": [
"a radio announcer",
"a journalist",
"a university professor",
"a tour guide"
],
"question": "The author is most possibly _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
... | A listener from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He's planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we tell about the most popular places to visit in the country, and hear about what makes them so appealing.
Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington, D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop the stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers, as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Trip Advisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. There are also ratings for hotels, restaurants, and places people have visited around the world. Every year, Trip Advisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website.
America's major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. This is probably because of the good quality of services they provide tourists.
"They do a great job of giving travelers what they want when they're on vacation. I think they kind of cater to every type of traveler need. So whether you're traveling alone, you're traveling for business, you're traveling with your family - whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you're there." said Brooke Ferencsik, a tourist from Germany. | high8048.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "make his neighborhood a pleasant place to live in"
},
"options": [
"paint pictures on walls and help catch criminals",
"drink a cup of coffee and watch the community's life",
"seek his fortune and make more lottery profits",
... | In the wee hours of the morning, a 26-block neighborhood in San Diego, California, is quiet and peaceful. Most local people won't rise for another five hours, but Ka-sim Morris, 44, is up and out at 2 am. He paints over graffiti , looks out for criminal activity, or installs new waterlines. At about 5 am, Morris takes a quick coffee break and watches for the community's first signs of life.
"If I won the lottery, I would still stay in my community and keep my job," Morris confesses. He is the maintenance supervisor for the Adams Avenue Business Association, one of San Diego's 16 Business Improvement Districts (BIDS).
A BID is an area in which local businesses agree to pay higher taxes to help rebuild the community. The extra money from higher taxes is used to support neighborhood activities such as installing streetlights, removing graffiti, planting trees, and paying people like Morris, who complete the tasks that help make the community beautiful.
For six years, Morris did this work for free! "We thought he deserved a paying job," says Scott Kessler, the association's executive director. Last January, Morris was recognized for his long-term contributions at an awards dinner. "Morris was an obvious choice for the award," Kessler continues. "He helps make our community the special place that it is."
Marc Nguyen, 10, who nominated Morris as their Hometown Hero, agrees. "I see him every day cleaning things up and helping other people," says Marc.
Morris modestly explains how many people help make the Normal Heights neighborhood special. "I am not the only one," he says. But Morris is the only one responsible for his demanding work schedule. "Everyone thinks I'm crazy," explains Morris. "But to get the job done right, it's best to start in the early morning." Does that sound like a hero talking, or what? | high22090.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Betty did not take her turn."
},
"options": [
"Betty was talkative.",
"Betty was an interrupter.",
"Betty did not take her turn.",
"Betty paid no attention to Sara."
],
"question": "What did Sara think of Betty ... | Pacing and Pausing
Sara tried to befriend her old friend Steve's new wife, but Betty never seemed to have anything to say. While Sara felt Betty didn't hold up her end of the conversation, Betty complained to Steve that Sara never gave her a chance to talk. The problem had to do with expectations about pacing and pausing.
Conversation is a turn-taking game. When our habits are similar, there's no problem. But if our habits are different, you may start to talk before I'm finished or fail to take your turn when I'm finished. That's what was happening with Betty and Sara.
It may not be coincidental that Betty, who expected relatively longer pauses between turns, is British, and Sara, who expected relatively shorter pauses, is American. Betty often felt interrupted by Sara. But Betty herself became an interrupter and found herself doing most of the talking when she met a visitor from Finland. And Sara had a hard time cutting in on some speakers from Latin America or Israel.
The general phenomenon, then, is that the small conversation techniques, like pacing and pausing, lead people to draw conclusions not about conversational style but about personality and abilities. These habitual differences are often the basis for dangerous stereotyping . And these social phenomena can have very personal consequences. For example, a woman from the southwestern part of the US went to live in an eastern city to take up a job in personnel. When the Personnel Department got together for meetings, she kept searching for the right time to break in -- and never found it. Although back home she was considered outgoing and confident, in Washington she was viewed as shy and retiring. When she was evaluated at the end of the year, she was told to take a training course because of her inability to speak up.
That's why slight differences in conversational style -- tiny little things like microseconds of pause -- can have a great effect on one's life. The result in this cause was a judgment of psychological problems -- even in the mind of the woman herself, who really wondered what was wrong with her and registered for _ training. | high12153.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Rock's exploration in Southwest China."
},
"options": [
"Rock's service for the U.S government.",
"Rock's cooperation with Harvard.",
"Rock's work as a botanist.",
"Rock's exploration in Southwest China."
],
"qu... | Joseph Francis Charles Rock (1884-1962) was an Austrian-American explorer, botanist, and anthropologist . For more than 25 years, he travelled extensively through Tibet and Yunnan, Gansu, and Sichuan provinces in China before finally leaving in 1949.
In 1924, Harvard sent Joseph Francis Rock on a treasure hunt through China's southwestern provinces--the Wild West of their day. But gold and silver weren't his task: Rock, a distinguished botanist, sought only to fill his bags with all the seeds, saplings, and shrubs he could find. During his three-year expedition, he collected 20,000 specimens for the Arnold Arboretum .
Botany, though, was just one of Rock's strengths. As an ethnologist , he took hundreds of photographs of the Naxi, a tribe in Yunnan province, recording their now-lost way of life for both Harvard and National Geographic, and took notes for an eventual 500-page dictionary of their language. His hand-drawn map of his travels through China's "Cho-Ni" territory, in the Harvard Map Collection, includes more than a thousand rivers, towns, and mountains indicated in both English and Chinese, and was so well made that the U.S. government used it to plan aerial missions in World War II.
Scientist, linguist, cartographer, photographer, writer--Rock was not a wallflower in any sense. Arrogant and self-possessed, he would walk into a village or warlord's place "as if he owned the place," said Lisa Pearson, the Arboretum's head librarian.
In declaring his successful return under the headline "Seeking Strange Flowers, in the Far Reaches of the World," the Boston Evening Transcript ran a large photo of the daring explorer wearing in a woolly coat and fox-skin hat. "In discussing his heroism including hair-raising escapes from death either from mountain slides, snow slides and robber armies, he waves the idea away as if it is of no importance."
The Arboretum and Rock parted ways after 1927, mainly because his trip cost Harvard a fortune--about $900,000 in today's dollars. Fortunately, many of his specimens, many of his amazing photos, and his great stories remain. | high14522.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Holding more elections."
},
"options": [
"Distrusting people around.",
"Moving into rural areas.",
"Turning to the police for protection.",
"Holding more elections."
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT... | Many critics worry about violence on television, most out of fear that it stimulates viewers to violent or aggressive acts. Our research, however, indicates that the consequences of experiencing TV's symbolic world of violence may be much more far-reaching.
We have found that people who watch a lot of TV see the real world as more dangerous and frightening than those who watch very little. Heavy viewers are less trustful of their fellow citizens, and more fearful of the real world. Since most TV "action-adventure" dramas occur in urban settings, the fear they inspire may contribute to the current flee of the middle class from our cities. The fear may also bring increasing demands for police protection, and election of law-and-order politicians.
While none of us is completely dependent upon television for our view of the world, neither have many of us had the opportunity to observe the reality of police stations, courtrooms, corporate board rooms, or hospital operating rooms. Although critics complain about the fixed characters and plots of TV dramas, many viewers look on them as representative of the real world. Anyone who questions that statement should read the 250,000 letters, most containing requests for medical advice, sent by viewers to "Marcus Welby, M.D." --a popular TV drama series about a doctor-- during the first five years of his practice on TV.
Violence on television leads viewers to regard the real world as more dangerous than it really is, which must also influence the way people behave. When asked, "Can most people be trusted?" the heavy viewers were 35 percent more likely to choose "Can't be too careful."
Victims, like criminals, must learn their proper roles, and televised violence may perform the teaching function all too well. Instead of worrying only about whether television violence causes individual displays of aggression in the real world, we should also be concerned about social reality. Passive acceptance of violence in the face of injustice may result from far greater social concern than occasional displays of individual aggression.
We have found that violence on prime-time network TV cultivates overstated assumptions about the threat of danger in the real world. Fear is a universal emotion, and easy to exploit. The overstated sense of risk and insecurity may lead to increasing demands for protection and to increasing pressure for the use of force by established authority. Instead of threatening the social order, television may have become our chief instrument of social control. | high9356.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "it was a way to train them to obey people"
},
"options": [
"they misbehaved",
"their owner disliked them",
"people on the farm enjoy hurting them",
"it was a way to train them to obey people"
],
"question": "Don... | Donna is 19 years old and loves animals, which is why I'm always happy to leave my dog with her when I go on holiday. Donna also helps to train hunting dogs, but recently, her boyfriend told me, she returned home from a farm in tears after being told to hit some dogs.
"She wasn't being asked to hit them because they didn't behave well," he said. "She was told to _ these puppies with a closed fist simply to let them know who is the boss," Donna refused. Good for Donna. In my view, you hit an animal for only two reasons: as a way to teach it an important lesson to protect it from danger, such as not into the road; or because you like hurting animals.
Last summer, I attended a horse race. I don't know much about horses, but I was alarmed when I saw a horse with a huge ulcer on its legs. "Surely this horse won't race?" I asked. I was very surprised that nobody in the crowd seemed concerned.
The horse began the race, but later it fell heavily. It had broken its leg. The next thing I saw was its dead body in a bag, being driven past. No one seemed to care, except those who had bet on it. I know people care for horse racing, but do they really care for horses? I doubt it.
Oh, but it's a tradition, I hear you say. Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we didn't occasionally hit, shoot and chase animals? Traditions are made by man and can be unmade. It was once acceptable to kill servants when their master died, to visit the mental hospitals to laugh at the patients or to watch public execution .
Nor should it be forgotten that in our progress to a more civilized world, animals have played an important role: they have fed us, carried us, worked for us, rescued us, died for us and sometimes just saved us from loneliness. Surely by now they deserve our kindness. At the very least, they deserve our respect. | high6065.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "his farm belonged to the rich man"
},
"options": [
"he was poor",
"he liked the rich man",
"his farm belonged to the rich man",
"the rich man's children liked apples"
],
"question": "Why did the farmer bring app... | Once there was a poor farmer and his farm belonged to a rich man. One day he brought a basket of apples to the rich man's house. On the doorsteps, he met two monkeys dressed like children. They jumped onto the basket to eat the apples and threw some on the ground. The farmer politely took off his hat and asked the monkeys to get off. They obeyed and the farmer went into the house. He asked to see the rich man. A servant took him to the room where the rich man was sitting.
"I have brought you the basket of apples you asked for," he said.
"But why have you brought a half-empty basket?" the rich man asked.
"I met your children outside, and they stole some of the apples. | high14244.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "making comparisons"
},
"options": [
"following the space order.",
"making comparisons",
"giving examples",
"explaining the reason"
],
"question": "The passage is mainly developed by _ .",
"question_type":... | Once upon a time there were two smart boys. Their talents were obvious from an early age. They knew they were special, and they desired that, in the future, everyone would admit how great they were.
They developed in a different way. The first boy had a successful career. He took part in all kinds of competitions, visited the most important people and places. No one doubted that he would be the wisest and most important person in the land.
The second boy always felt a heavy responsibility. He would feel _ to help others. This didn't leave him enough time to follow his dreams of greatness. He was busy looking for ways to help others. As a result, he was a much-loved and well-known person in his small circle.
A disaster took place, spreading misery there. The first man had never come across anything like this, and he failed to improve the situation. The second man was used to solving all kinds of problems, and had such useful know-how in certain subjects. So the disaster hardly affected the people at all. His methods were adopted there, and the name of this man spread even wider. Indeed, he was elected the governor of the nation.
The first man understood the greatest wisdom is from the things we do in life, from the impact we have on others, and from the need to improve ourselves. He never again took part in competitions. Instead, he always took books with him to be ready to help others. | high9430.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To give tips on applying for US college scholarships."
},
"options": [
"To explain where to find scholarships for US colleges.",
"To inform readers of the scholarship application process.",
"To introduce some typical scholars... | Homework and stress are rarely reduced inside the classroom.Meanwhile,outside the classroom,the pressure is on to find scholarships for college.
According to Braintrack,a higher education database with worldwide reach,more than 3 billion US dollars (18 billion yuan) in private scholarships are awarded to college students annually.Average awards range from $2,000 to $3,000.
The scholarship application process is similar to the college application process: forms to be completed,test scores and transcripts to be sent,essays to be written and often interviews to be prepared for.
A few great places to start looking for scholarships are: www.fastweb. com,www.Finaid. org and www.collegexpress.com.Check out the annual scholarship guidebooks Scholarships,Grants & Prizes by Peterson's and the Ultimate Scholarship Book: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships,Grants and Prizes by Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe.
Be selective.Thoroughly research the qualifications required by each of the scholarships.Don't waste your time applying for those that are need based if you can't produce the appropriate documents.
Research past recipients .Check out the websites of the organizations sponsoring the scholarships.Many post the biographies of past recipients.You don't need to have cured cancer,but if you don't think your resume measures up to the past winners',you might be better served by moving onto the next scholarship on your list.Prepare for the interview.
You'll want to dazzle them with your personality,but above all you'll want to be prepareD. Find someone you trust to conduct a similar interview with you - someone who will be honest with you and provide valuable suggestions.
Let your personality shine through in your essays.The essays are the best way for students to share who they are,where they've come from,what they've overcome and so on.Tell your story in an interesting and persuasive way.And if you do have an interview,send a thank you note afterward.
By Lee Bierer | high12635.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it was true that mum had been dead"
},
"options": [
"mum had been dead for a long time",
"mum had suffered a lot from the illness",
"it was true that mum had been dead",
"it was impossible to depend on mum"
],
"... | This Mother's Day will be the 8thyear I have spent without my own mother. She _ less than a month before Mother's Day in the year 2000. She had been ill for almost two years, and I didn't cry when she died, or at her funeral, but on that first Mother's Day without her. On that day, I realized that this person I loved and depended on was gone forever.
She still lives in family memories, in the thoughts of her friends and co-workers, in the values she had instilled in her children, and in the lovely flower gardens that she had so carefully tended.
She loved her gladioli and irises. Each fall she would dig the bulbs out of the soil and carefully wrap them in paper. The bulbs would be stored until the following spring when they would be replanted. It seemed like a lot of effort to me, but each year her flower garden was more glorious than the year before. She put the same hard work into caring for her family, instilling in her children a sense of justice and fair play, compassion, and strong moral values so that we blossomed.
Share anecdotes about your mother's life at your Mother's Day party. Too often, we avoid speaking of those loved ones who have passed away, fearful that we will unearth sad feelings. It doesn't have to be that way. Sharing fond memories and stories of the life we shared with her can be a healing process that binds the family together.
My mother passed away when her oldest grandchild was only eight years old. Children will enjoy sharing pictures and stories of the grandmother they may have never known or have little memory of. Sharing anecdotes to pass on to the next generation will give children a feeling of family history and continuity, and may be one of the best ways to honor our mothers and grandmothers who have gone before us. | high4114.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "a career expert"
},
"options": [
"a good job",
"a career expert",
"a well-written resume",
"some money"
],
"question": "If you are lucky you can have access to _ through the Jobs Week sweepstakes.",
"que... | It's AOL Jobs Week. We'll have many job listings, so settle in and get your resume ready. And be sure to check out the rest of our Jobs Week content: from resume writing and networking to day jobs and time management to getting a new restaurant off the ground. Lastly, don't forget to enter our sweepstakes for a chance to win a personal session with one of our career experts!
*Customer Service Workers
Median salary: US$31,547
Top cities for hiring: Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia
We've all dealt with customer service representatives, those disembodied voices helping you over the phone with various company or purchase-related matters. Love them or hate them, the customer service field is currently blowing up in the United States--big time.
*Warehouse Workers
Median salary: US$29,357
Top cities for hiring: Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio
Without warehouse workers, everything we've ever purchased would still be sitting in a building somewhere. The rise of online shopping sites like Amazon has made warehouses a hot spot for hiring.
*Accountants
Median salary: US$63,550
Top cities for hiring: Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; New York
Death and taxes may be two reasons for the popularity of accounting jobs, which are frequently in high demand. You'll need to become a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) to get started. But while some jobs are at the mercy of the economy, the economy itself isn't going away. Neither are accountants.
*Human Resources Managers
Median salary: US$99,720
Top cities for hiring: Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; New York
Speaking of job security, workers in company's human resources department are always needed to find and assess new hires, along with countless other tasks essential to keeping a company well-peopled. CareerCast named it one of the ten best jobs of 2016, because it has high income and low stress. | high19760.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "what a parrot thinks"
},
"options": [
"what a parrot thinks",
"why a parrot can speak",
"how parrots make sounds",
"if parrots speak English"
],
"question": "Irene wanted to find out _ .",
"question_type"... | In 1977, Irene Pepperberg of Harvard University began studying what was on another creature's mind by talking to it. Her first experiments began with Alex. Alex was a one-year-old African grey parrot and Irene taught him to produce the sounds of the English language. "I thought if he learned to communicate, I could ask him questions about how he sees the world."
At the time, most scientists didn't believe animals had any thoughts. They thought animals were more like robots but didn't have the ability to think or feel. Of course, if you own a pet you probably disagree. But it is the job of a scientist to prove this and nowadays more scientists accept that animals can think for themselves.
"That's why I started my studies with Alex," Irene said, "Some people actually called me crazy for trying this."
Nowadays, we have more and more evidence that animals have all sorts of mental abilities. Sheep can recognize faces. Chimpanzees use a variety of tools and even use weapons to hunt. And Alex the parrot became a very good talker.
Thirty years after the Alex studies began. Irene was still giving him English lessons up until his recent death. For example, if Alex was hungry he could say "want grape". Alex could count to six and was learning the sounds for seven and eight. "He has to hear the words over and over before he can correctly say them." Irene said, after pronouncing "seven" for Alex a few times in a row. Alex could also tell the difference between colors, shapes, sizes, and materials (e.g. wood and metal). Before he finally died, Alex managed to say "seven".
Another famous pet that proved some animals have greater mental skills was a dog called Rico. He appeared on a German TV game show in 2011. Rico knew the names of 200 different toys and easily learned the names of new ones. When Rico became famous, many other dog owners wanted to show how clever their pets were. Another dog called Betsy could understand 300 words.
One theory for dogs' ability to learn a language is that they have ben close companions to humans for many centuries and so their ability to understand us is constantly evolving . While animals can't do what humans do yet, some scientists believe that examples like Alex and Rico prove that evolution develops intelligence, as well as physical appearance. | high10022.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "landlord"
},
"options": [
"doctor",
"farmer",
"landlord",
"waiter"
],
"question": "Smith was a _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text... | Smith was a landlord . He loved money very much and never gave anything to anybody. Soon he became rich. One day the weather was fine. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun was very warm. The landlord was walking along a river with his friends, when, all of a sudden, he slipped and fell into it. He cried, "Help! Help!" One of his friends held out his hand and said, "Give me your hand and I will pull you out." The landlord's head went under the water and then came up again, but he did not give his hand to his friends. Then another of his friends tried but the same thing happened. Just then a farmer came over and saw all this. He knew the landlord very well. He said to the others, "Let me try." He held out his hand and said to the landlord," Take my hand and I will pull you out." Hearing this, the landlord took the farmer's hand, and in a minute the farmer pulled the landlord out of the water. All the others got very surprised at this and asked the farmer, "Why did he give his hand to you but not to us?" The farmer said, "You don't know your friend very well, When you say 'give' to him, he does nothing, but when you say 'take', he takes." | high2565.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "At the seaside."
},
"options": [
"Near a river.",
"In a city.",
"In a mountain.",
"At the seaside."
],
"question": "Where did the writer spend her vacation?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
... | Our flat was on the fifth floor but you could still hear the roar of the ocean and see the stars at night. I used to take long walks along the water. The food in town was delicious and the people were very friendly. The area was very quiet and peaceful, and fairly deserted.
The last evening of our vacation, however, we all heard strange footsteps following closely behind us as we were walking up to our flat in the holiday centre. We turned around and noticed a fairly young man moving very rapidly across the beach and getting closer to us. He was tall and wore a baseball cap. We couldn't see his face and he was approaching us very rapidly. The man's actions made my dad very nervous. Dad warned us that we'd better try to make it to our flat as quickly as possible. I didn't like my dad's voice; I could hear fear in it. It was late and we were all alone. We didn't have any cell phones on us. I never saw Dad as worried as he was then and I knew that something was terribly wrong. The sense of fear started to overwhelm Mom and me. We had had such a good time in town. Now, the night was rapidly turning into a dangerous situation.
We could hear the man's footsteps getting closer. Dad's face was almost pale. The so-called intruder had moved nearer and nearer when all of a sudden, the nearby vending machine started going crazy and spitting out cans of soda! The noise actually scared the intruder and he ran out of sight. My parents were shaking, but we all turned around to see who had put money into the vending machine downstairs, and actually saved us, but no one was around at all. Not a soul.
It's one vacation I will never forget. | high19953.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "in the evening"
},
"options": [
"in the morning",
"in the afternoon",
"in the evening",
"at night"
],
"question": "The old man came to the inn _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer... | It was already dark when an old man came to a small town. He found an inn and wanted to stay there for the night. After he had gone to his room, the owner said to his wife, "Look at his bag, dear. I'm sure there are lots of valuable things in it. I want to steal it when he is asleep."
"No, no," said the woman. "He must look for his bag tomorrow morning. Then he'll take you before the judge." They thought and at last the woman had an idea. "We have forgetful grass," said the woman, "Why not put some into his food? If he has the food, he will forget to take his bag away." "How clever you are!" said the owner, "Don't forget it when you prepare supper for him."
The old man had the food with the forgetful grass and went to bed. The next morning, when the owner got up, he found the door was open and the old man had left with his bag. He woke his wife up and said angrily, "What a fool! Your forgetful grass isn't useful at all." "No, no," said the woman. "I don't think so. He must forget something." "Oh, I've remembered!" The owner cried out suddenly, "He forgot..." | high3848.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The bill is not fairly shared."
},
"options": [
"There is a strange mix of people.",
"The restaurants are expensive.",
"The bill is not fairly shared.",
"People have to pay cash."
],
"question": "What does the w... | I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another _ because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those in New York, "I'm having a dinner party" means: "I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant and we'll be sharing the cheque evenly , no matter what you eat." In Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if you try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going ?" And I cannot say I have somewhere to go because everyone knows I have nowhere to go.
But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations. In New York, the mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdatle's, a well-known department store.
For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was, while In New York people would think it was a usual club. | high21214.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Some students might drop out of high school."
},
"options": [
"Some students might drop out of high school.",
"The teachers monitored the students' homework.",
"The students themselves solved all their problems.",
"The ... | A group of eight public high school students in Massachusetts, aged l5 to l7,designed and ran their own school within a school. They named their practice the Independent Project. They represented the usual range: two were close to dropping out before they started the project,while others were honors students.
Their guidance teacher was their adviser, consulting with them when the group encountered difficulties. Though they sought advice from English,math and science teachers, they were responsible for monitoring one another's work and giving one another feedback. There were no grades, but at the end of the term,the students wrote evaluations of their classmates.
The students also designed their own course. In addition to some regular courses,they each took on an 'individual project',learning to play the piano or to cook,writing a novel or making a video about domestic violence. At the end of the term,they performed their new skills in front of the entire school. The last part of their self - designed course was to do a 'collective project' that had social significance. Because they felt the whole experience had been so life - changing,they ended up making a film showing how other students could start and run their own schools.
The project was a success. After returning to their traditional study,the students have high motivation and are doing well. One student who had failed all of his previous math courses spent three weeks teaching the others about probability. The lesson learned here is that if students are given the opportunity to take control or contribute significantly to their own learning they will become more accomplished,more engaged and more knowledgeable.
The students in the project are remarkable because they demonstrate the kinds of learning and personal growth that are possible when teenagers feel ownership of their high school experience,learn things that matter to them and learn together. | high3690.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to collect money to realize special dreams"
},
"options": [
"to fund people travelling around the world",
"to collect money to realize special dreams",
"to help people deal with any trouble",
"to support its users to co... | Chris Waddell wants to climb Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair; George Del Barrio wants to make a film in Cambodia; Jeff Edwards wants to write a book: they want you to fund their dreams.
A website called Kickstarter.com is making it possible for people like this to raise money from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars to fund anything that catches the imagination of Internet users with a little money to spare.
It worked for Emily Richmond, a 24-year-old living in Los Angeles who plans to sail solo around the world for two years. She's raised $ 8,142 from 148 people who'll receive gifts such as photos from the trip or a telephone call when she crosses the equator .
"This was a perfect learning experience for my daughter," Landon Ray said, adding that he also dreamed of sailing the world himself.
Jason Bitner's plan for $ 7,500 to pay for a film about the small Midwestern town of La Porte, was so popular that it raised $ 12,153. It's about a record of pictures by a photographer who died in 1971. About a third of his supporters were friends and family. Others include people of La Porte but also people from as far as Australia.
"It's a creative marketplace," said Jonathan Scott Chinn, who is collecting $16,500 to make a short film. "You're given the opportunity to make yourself known, and if it's really interesting, it'll take off."
Independent singer & songwriter Brad Skistimas, 26, has been using the Internet for eight years to promote his one-man band Five Times August. He used Kickstarter to raise $ 20,000 to help his new album Life As A Song.
"It's a great way to get in touch with fans," Skistimas said. "I was marketing to my own fans, so I said 'If you want more music from me, now's a great time to help me out'" . | high6930.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Movie World"
},
"options": [
"Movie World",
"Sea World",
"Tropical Fruit World",
"Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary"
],
"question": "If you want to watch stunt shows, you can go to _ .",
"question_type": "clo... | Gold Coast theme parks come in all shapes and sizes and whether you like roller coasters or patting furry animals, you're sure to find something.
Movie World
Movie World is the only movie-related theme park in Australia. With one of the best coasts and a good handful of movie-related rides, you'll experience a fun-filled adventure with the glamour of Hollywood. Get "behind the scenes" movie information and stunt shows to keep the whole family entertained for the best part of a day.
Contact Information:
Phone: 07--5573--8485
Address: Pacific Motorway, Oxenford, Queensland 4210
Website: www. movieworld.com.au
Sea World
With an obvious emphasis on things that live in the water, Sea World has a fantastic range of fish, sharks, dolphins, seals, polar bears and other assorted animals in the water. Throw in a bunch of great rides, water slides and roller coasters, and Sea World emerges as perhaps the best all-round theme park on the Gold Coast.
Contact information:
Phone: 07--5588--2222
Address: Sea World Drive, Main Beach, Queensland 42
Website: www. seaworld. com.au
Tropical Fruit World
Home of the world's largest varieties of bizarre, and wonderful fruits, or you can pay to check out the plantation safaris , mini-train rides, jungle cruises and fruit tasting shows. Admission is about $32 for adults and %15 for kids and free for kids under 5.anbah Road, Duran
Contact Information:
Phone: 02--6677--7222
Address: Duranbah Road, Duranbah, NSW 2487
Website: www. tropicalfruitworld. com. au
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Crocodiles, kangaroos, koala and almost all of the other famous Australian native animals are living in Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. You can look at them, feel and pat some of them or just experience the fantastic 27 hectare bush land setting--an oasis of wildlife amidst the Gold Coast bustle.
Contact Information:
Phone: 07--5534--1266
Address: 28 Tomewin Street Currumbin, Queensland 4223
Website: www. currumbin. sanctuary. org. au | high23403.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "was spreading violently"
},
"options": [
"had just broken out",
"had been put out",
"was spreading violently",
"was coming to an end"
],
"question": "By the time the article was written , the fire _ .",
"q... | No one knows yet the _ number of lives which have been lost in this terrible fire .But reports suggest that it is more than one hundred .
A wall of flames fifty feet high and at least one hundred and fifty miles wide is now racing towards the forests and rich farmlands of southern Victoria . Towns less than one hundred miles from Melbourne will be in danger unless the wind changes . People are rushing excitedly into the streets . The police have warned them not to see the fire but many people are doing so .
The cause of the fire is unknown . No rain has fallen in this part of Australia for three months , and the hot , north-west wind from the great central desert is blowing at more than thirty miles an hour .
The firefighters are travelling to the fire by road , rail and air . But it is not easy to get there . Flames and fallen trees have cut off or blocked roads and railway lines . The thick smoke often prevents them from finding the air strips .
It is said that the fire has brought the greater danger to the country since the Second World War . | high1087.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "fraud on the Internet"
},
"options": [
"fraud on the Internet",
"computer hackers",
"illegal web site",
"shopping on line"
],
"question": "What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?"... | How to Beat On-line Credit-card Thieves
The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site.
Web sites offering cheap services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought.
The thieves then go shopping with your card number--- or sell the information over internet.
Computers hackers have broken down security systems raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, and on-line music retailer , were not lucky. Their name, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Master-card is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.
Ask about your credit-firm's on-line rules. Under British law, cardholders are responsible for the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending.
And shop only at secure sites: Send your credit-card information only if the web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The web site address may also start the extra "s" stands for secure.
If you still have any doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your password with care. | high513.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Tips for Green Living Today"
},
"options": [
"How to Save Our Planet",
"How to Change Our Daily Habits",
"Tips for Green Living Today",
"Green Living and Serious Pollution"
],
"question": "What's the best title ... | Following some of the tips for green living helps save our planet. All of these involve just a few changes to our daily habits.
Just walk and limit the use of your car. One of the poster images of pollution is our vehicles. It burns fuel. It is not as efficient as we hope it could be, and we use it every single day. To lessen the effects of the air pollution caused by our vehicles, we should limit their use. If we can walk to our destination then just let us go. Not only do we lessen our carbon dioxide emissions, but we also get a good exercise out of it.
Use a laptop instead of a computer desktop. Laptops are more energy efficient compared to their bigger counterparts. A laptop is generally 50 percent more efficient in using electricity. Aside from that there are other benefits of a laptop. It is portable so you can work anywhere you like and that you get powerful features without the large size of desktop units.
Turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth. It is always a better idea to use a glass when we are brushing our teeth and not to just let the faucet keep on running. Therefore,there is less water to waste while we are cleaning our pearly whites. Simply turn off the faucet when you are not using it.
Make good use of natural light. We have a great and natural lamp --- the sun, and we should learn how to take full advantage of it during daytime. So instead of turning on our lights or lamps even if it is still not evening, we should pull up the drapes and let the natural light come in from the windows.
These are just some of the best tips for green living, but of course there are still many of these tips if you just search for them. But you can do your own variation any time just always prioritize how you can use less energy and produce even lesser trash and pollution. | high275.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "as good as the new oil"
},
"options": [
"cheaper than the new oil",
"more quickly",
"more expensive",
"as good as the new oil"
],
"question": "The manager thought of adding chemicals to the fish oil to make it ... | When Johnson called again, the manager received him very politely. "That is a most remarkable oil you brought us, Mr Johnson," he said. Johnson nodded his smooth, dark head. That was something he knew very well. "I've never seen anything like it," the manager admitted. Johnson nodded again. "No?" he said politely. Then he added, "But I think you will, sir. A very great deal of it." He appeared to think for a moment. "I think you will find it will be on sale seven, perhaps, eight years from now." He smiled.
The manager thought that was uncertain. He said, "It is better than our fish oils. I admit that." "So I am told, sir," agreed Johnson.
"Have you any plans to produce it yourself, Mr Johnson?"
Johnson smiled again. "Would I be showing it to you if I had?"
"We might add some chemicals to one of our own fish oils," said the manager.
"It would be expensive to do that, even if you could." Johnson said gently. "Besides," he added, "I am told that this oil will be much cheaper than your best fish oils. Cheaper than any vegetable oil, in fact."
"Perhaps," said the manager. "Well, I suppose you want to make an arrangement, Mr Johnson, Shall we discuss it?"
"Of course," said Johnson. "There are two ways of dealing with a situation of this sort. The usual one is to prevent it altogether or at least to delay it as long as possible. That is, of course, the best way," The manager nodded. He knew plenty about all that.
"But I am so sorry for you, because, you see, that is not possible this time." The manager had his doubts, but all he said was an inquiring(asking), "Oh?"
"The other way," continued Johnson, "is to produce yourself before the trouble starts." | high7390.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The first stagecoaches that carried both passengers and mail."
},
"options": [
"Different ways of sending mail in the United States.",
"The difficulty in sending mails across the USA by land.",
"The first stagecoaches that ca... | Mail was usually carried west on ships that sailed around the bottom of South America and then north to California.That could take several months.
So, in eighteen fifty-seven, D.C.Lawmakers in Congress in Washington wanted to make it possible to send mail all the way across the United States by land.Congress offered to help any company that would try to deliver mail overland to the West Coast. A man named John Butterfield accepted this offer. He developed plans for a company that would carry the mail--and passengers, too.
Congress gave John Butterfield six hundred thousand dollars to start his company. In return, he had to promise that the mail would travel from Saint Louis, Missouri, to San Francisco, California, in twenty-five days or less.
It was not possible to travel straight through because of the Rocky Mountains and the deep snow that fell in winter. So the stagecoach would travel south from Saint Louis to El Paso, Texas, then over to southern California, then north to San Francisco. The distance was about four thousand five hundred kilometers.
Two hundred of these stations were built, each about thirty-two kilometers apart. The workers were to quickly change the horses or mules whenever a stagecoach reached the station. There could be no delay. Each stagecoach was to travel nearly two hundred kilometers a day.
One hundred stagecoaches were built and painted red or dark green. They were the most modern coaches that money could buy. They were designed to hold as many as nine passengers and twelve thousand pieces of mail. The seats inside could be folded down to make beds. Passengers either slept on them or on the bags of mail.
The cost would be one hundred fifty dollars to travel from Saint Louis to San Francisco. If a passenger was not going all the way, the cost was about ten cents a kilometer. The passengers had to buy their own food at the stations. The stagecoach would stop for forty minutes, two times a day.
The company warned passengers about the possible dangers. A poster said: "You will be traveling through Indian country and the safety of your person cannot by granted by anyone but God." | high21572.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the plant appeared too ordinary to be the most beautiful"
},
"options": [
"the packing of the plant was shabby",
"the plant was actually a weed",
"the plant appeared too ordinary to be the most beautiful",
"he thought M... | It was time for Mr. Rocco to shut up shop when I hurried into the florist's. "Now, what is it that you want?" Mr. Rocco turned to me. "I want the most beautiful flower you have." I replied, "And just how much do you have to pay for this most beautiful flower?" I held out a wet hand showing a quarter and dime. He nodded, and then showed me a plant on the counter "I can give you this one for 35 cents." he said," Aw, gee," I protested, "it looks like a weed!" About l 8 inches high, the plant was in a small pot covered with faded red paper." Now trust me, boy---I promise that tomorrow morning when you get up, you will find your most beautiful flower. "said Mr. Rocco. I knew him to be a good honest man, so I agreed to take it.
It was almost midnight when I arrived home. Mom was seriously sick and using the front bedroom. I looked in to see if she was asleep, and then quietly tiptoed in and set the plant on the table beside her bed. I wanted her to be surprised when she woke on Mother's Day. The next morning, I dressed and hurried downstairs. The sun was shining through kitchen window as I looked into Mom's room. She motioned for me to come in, then glanced over at the table where the plant was. Holy mackerel! There were three big yellow trumpet-shaped blooms. It was just like Mr. Rocco said---the most beautiful flower I ever saw! When I looked at Mom, she was smiling as tears streamed down her cheeks. She held out her hand for me to come near, then pulled me close and hugged till it hurt. Then, remembering her _ condition and that she wasn't supposed to touch me, she quickly let me go.
My dear Mom died the next night. The moment she hugged me turned out to be the most wonderful moment of my life. Not only had that beautiful plant helped show just how much I loved her, but I'd always know how much she loved me. | high10977.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "speaking two languages may delay kinds of dementias"
},
"options": [
"learning more than one language can cure dementias",
"speaking two languages may delay kinds of dementias",
"the level of education matters in defending ag... | New research suggests that speaking more than one language may delay different kinds of dementia , that is the loss of mental ability. In fact, researchers say, speaking two languages appears to be more important than the level of education in defending against dementias.
A study in India examined the effect of knowing more than one language in delaying the first signs of several dementias. Researchers studied nearly 650 people whose average age was 66. 240 of those studied suffered from Alzheimer's, the most common form of mental decline . 391 of the _ spoke two or more languages. Researchers found the dementias began about four-and-a-half years later in those who spoke two languages compared to those who spoke only one language. The level of education had no effect on the age at the first sign of dementia.
Thomas Bak, from the Center of Cognitive Aging at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, who helped to organize the study, suggests that individuals who speak more than one language train their brains by moving back and forth between different words and expressions. He also believes this effort improves what scientists called executive functioning, which often weakens in people with dementias. He states that researchers found there was no extra gain in speaking more than two languages.
Mr Bak says it does not appear important whether you learn another language at a young age or later in life. It's not something that "you missed the boat when you do not do it as a baby." It is something that is still quite useful and powerful when you do it as an adult. | high5587.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "an organization"
},
"options": [
"an organization",
"a person's name",
"the title of a magazine",
"a government department"
],
"question": "Water Use It Wisely is most probably _ .",
"question_type": "clo... | Dear Water Use It Wisely,
More and more water is getting wasted each day.I want to help out and teach people how to conserve water.Please continue reading because your organization is very influential.I had an idea that you could send some workers from your organization to schools all around the world, and they could inform the students about water usage.
Did you know that every minute, 1,000,000,000 (one billion) tons of water falls to the earth from rainfall? We are lucky to have rainfall water.It helps fill up our lakes.There is about 326, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 (326 quintillion) gallons of water on Earth.Yes, this is tons, but it is getting wasted.I want to keep this number BIG.
Everyone needs water ?so why waste it? I think it is very irresponsible to let the water run when you are not at home.We can use water with respect by making good choices.Take a shower instead of a bath, use an automatic dishwasher instead of hand washing.You can buy Earth Friendly Cleaner Spray , so that our drinking water will not be polluted.If your washer isn't full then don't start it.With water being wasted every day, by the time we get to the 3000's we are going to have to survive on milk and juice! ! ! Won't that be boring?! ?! ? That means we will have to give our dogs a bowl of juice instead of water with their food.I mean, come on, we're talking real life here! !
Water wasting needs to come to a stop and without delay.Water Use It Wisely, PLEASE inform people about their water usage! It plays a big role in my life.It would be really great if you take part in spreading the news about this! Thanks tons! !
An impatient fourth grader waiting for a reply,
Mya Oleksiak | high21566.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "bring awareness to character building"
},
"options": [
"bring awareness to character building",
"stress the importance of productivity",
"warn about the pressure to seek success",
"criticize students' desire for achieve... | I watch documentaries, not movies.I read history books, not fiction.I use every free moment to accomplish one of the tasks on my never-ending checklist, and I am completely filled with thoughts of productivity.An hour sleeping is an hour wasted.And like the rest of 21st century America, I like it.But this fixation on productivity is increasingly destroying character and transforming men into robots.
New York Times columnist David Brooks warned American University students of this cultural decline in a speech."We cut off all things spiritual and emotional in a competitive urge to stand out", he said, "The pressure to succeed professionally, to acquire skills, to do the things you need to do to succeed in an information age economy really became the overwhelming pressures, and it sort of _ the thinking about character and morality."
Many students happily go to college, viewing it as a next step on their rise to professional achievement.Forcing as many success-building activities into their schedules as they can, they enjoy keeping busy with little sleep."Today's outstanding kids are likely to spend their afternoons and weekends shuttling from one skill-improving activity to the next," Brooks wrote in an article, "We fear failure more than we desire success."
A century ago, college was about character building.Today, our characters are in decline.We are experts on economics, material things and professional skills.We fail to discuss and understand relationships, emotions and all things spiritual.
Philosopher Karl Popper divided the world into two categories: Clocks and Clouds.Clock problems are those that can be taken apart, examined and solved through deductive reasoning .Clouds cannot be taken apart.Cloud problems represent whole systems that need to be understood in a different way.
"When we have a Cloud problem, we try to turn it into a Clock problem," Brooks said.And in a reason-centered culture, adding titles to one's resume becomes a trend.At American University, 85 percent of seniors (and 89 percent of business majors) graduate with at least one practical experience which is often helpful to a student's future career, but can sometimes draw focus away from academics.
To prevent the death of man's character, Brooks urges rediscovering our human natures through falling in love.And by love he means love for a task, job, or another person."Synchronicity is key to happiness," he said.Rather than crazily increasing our long lists of accomplishments, we need to lose ourselves in what we do, and success will come on its own. | high10963.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "stories"
},
"options": [
"songs",
"stories",
"crafts",
"dance"
],
"question": "According to the text,the Mattaponis'habits and beliefs are handed down from generation to generation through _ .",
"question_... | Welcome to enj oy the Mattaponi powwow(meeting oi North America Indians)and culture day!
Created in Virginia,America,the Mattaponi Indian Museum sits on a cliff overlooking the Mattaponi River.The Matta--ponis have worked hard to keep their ancient way of life,customs and ceremonies. One purpose of their yearly powwow is to share these traditions with you.
MATTAPONI POWWOW AND CULTURE DAY:May 18
ADMISSION:Adult--$6.00 Children(under 12)--Free
Come and spend the day with us on the shores of the Mattaponi River for an educational experience presenting the customs and beliefs of the Mattaponi.During this special day,American Indians will dance and play drums while dressed in tribal clothing.This year visitors may join in the dancing and trumming.Visitors will be able to observe artists and craftsmen as they show their basket-making and tool-making skills.American storytellers will help you see how their habits and beliefs are passed on to their children through stories.
Enjoy Activities
*Taste American Indian foods
*Purchase crafts and souvenirs
*Play American Indian children's games
*Watch ceremonial dances and listen to ceremonial songs
Important Cautions
*No pets
*Bring your own chairs and blankets
*Tickets may be purchased in advance although no refunds will be allowed
For more information,please visit http: //www.hemattaponireservation.com/main. | high5593.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "had to support a family of 9 people"
},
"options": [
"was once the richest man in his hometown",
"was working in a government office",
"had to support a family of 9 people",
"looked like Santa Claus most"
],
"qu... | In 1970, my five brothers, my sister and I lived in the housing projects of Toronto with our parents. My father was a factory worker, and my mother stayed at home. Each year my father would dress up as Santa Claus and go through the streets of the projects sharing joy and candies with the children there. He loved it as much as they did!
But around the Christmas in 1970, my father was out of his job and money was tight. In fact, there was no money for Christmas and my parents weren't sure what they'd provide for us.
That Christmas Eve, however, as usual, my father left the house dressed as Santa Claus. He knew that even though our Christmas would be hard, he could not disappoint the other kids in the neighborhood.[:,,]
As my father left the house and went down the walkway, Santa Claus was walking up, with a great sack full of gifts for us! He said nothing, only smiled a sweet smile at my father, and wished him a Merry Christmas. The happy man handed Dad the sack and walked away down the block.
We never knew who the man was and who showed us great kindness on a snowy Christmas night. We do know, however, that without him we would have had nothing under the tree. His kindness gave my parents hope and showed us in a very real way the true meaning of Christmas.
Our family has never forgotten this kind stranger. Each year we tell the story of the mysterious Santa Claus and try to repay his gifts by giving gifts to others in need. | high4855.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because he could speak English very well,acted naturally and gave no thought to the pay for his work in the movie."
},
"options": [
"Because he liked to see films very much.",
"Because he was a famous actor at that time.",
"B... | Zhao Wenxuan,a film star from Taiwan,has been fond of seeing films since his childhood. He would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film four or five times. He also enjoys literature and art. Before he took the film acting as his career,he had worked in an airline in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan Province. His change of job to acting was quite by chance.
One day,he came across in the paper an advertisement for a leading actor to appear in the film named "Wedding Feast." Full of excitement,he answered the job ad by telephoning the director of the film -- Mr. Li An. It was this telephone call that had changed all his life. At last the director decided him to be the very person for the role. That he could be chosen owed much to his good command of English,natural manners and low pay for his work in the film.
The film "Wedding Feast" proved to be a hit. It won the German Golden Bear Award and entered the competition for one of the Oscar Academy Awards. Also, it was the first Taiwan film that was permitted to be shown in the U. S. Thanks to the film,Zhao Wenxuan became popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and southeast Asia.
In 1994,Mr. Zhao acted as a leading role in the Hong Kong film,"Red Rose and White Rose",in which many film stars like Ms Chen Chong from U. S. and Ms Ye Yuqing from the local area participated. This film was named for 10 prizes of the Taiwan Golden Horse Prize and at last it was awarded five prizes for the best play,actress and music. Zhao has regarded the film as one of his favorite films since he stepped into the acting circle.
Since 1993,Mr. Zhao has taken part in the shootings of 13 films, most of which are thought highly of.
Mr. Zhao said the that Taiwan should think to cooperate much with the mainland in the film producing industry and it would benefit each other. In recent years he often came to the mainland for film shooting. He has just completed his performance in the film "Love Affairs" directed by Mr. LiXin,a director from Shanghai Film Studio. | high261.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Discover"
},
"options": [
"Discover",
"Self",
"In Style",
"Wired"
],
"question": "Which of the following magazines is published monthly?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index":... | Discover
News magazine of science devoted to the wonders and stories of modern science, written for the 41-45 ADBCA
Cover Price: $59.88
Price: $19.95 ($1.66/issue)
You Save : $39.93 (67%)
Issues : 12 issues/12 months
Self
Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Selfis a handbook devoted to women's overall physical and mental health. Every issue contains usable articles such as "Style Lab", in which wearable clothes are mixed and matched on non-models and the "Eat-Right Road Map", with tips on how to eat properly.
Cover Price: $ 35.86
Price: $15.00 ($2.5/issue)
You Save: $ 20.86(58%)
Issues: 6 issues/12 months
In Style
In Style is a guide to the lives and lifestyles of the world's famous people. The magazine covers the choices people make about their homes, their clothes and their free time activities. With photos and articles, it opens a door to these people's homes, families, parties and weddings, offering ideas about beauty, fitness and in general, lifestyles. Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company.
Cover Price: $47.88
Price: $23.88($2.38/issue)
You Save: $24.00(50%)
Issues: 10 issues/12 months
Wired
This magazine is designed for leaders in the field of information engineering including top managers and professionals in the computer, business, design and education industries. Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Wiredoften carries articles on how technology changes people's lives.
Cover Price : $ 59.40
Price : $ 10.00 ($1.00/issue)
You Save: $49.40(84%)
Issues: 10 issues/12 months | high23371.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he himself did not take care of the lawn"
},
"options": [
"he didn't like the lawn.",
"the author's grandfather was against Jack working on the lawn",
"the lawn was full of living things",
"he himself did not take care ... | Jack used to curse the front yard as if it were a living thing. He was the man who lived with my grandmother for thirty years. He was not my grandfather, but an Italian who came down the road one day, selling fruit in Florida.
Jack stopped at my grandmother's house to sell her some oranges just a stone's throw from downtown Miami, and he was delivering her whiskey a week later. He stayed for thirty years. Jack hated the front yard because he thought it was against him. There had been a beautiful lawn there when Jack came along, but he let it wander off into nothing. He refused to water it or take care of it in any way.
Now the ground was so hard that it gave his car flat tires in the summer. The yard was always finding a nail to put in one of his tires or the car as always sinking out of sight in the winter when the rains came on. The lawn had belonged to my grandfather, who lived out the end of his life in an insane hospital. It had been his pride and joy and was said to be the place where his powers came. | high7384.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Playing certain video games may help you sharpen your mind."
},
"options": [
"Educational and informative TV shows are helpful to limit your TV time.",
"Doing sudoku and crossword puzzles may make you confused.",
"Playing cer... | Tips for developing an exercise plan for your brain
You know that eating a sensible diet and getting plenty of exercise help your body healthy and strong. But did you know that there are ways to make your brain healthier and smarter?
Studies show that when the brain is _ to do something new, it creates new neural pathways . The more pathways you have, the faster you can think and the better memory you will have.
Ten steps toward a smarter brain
Limit your TV time
Watching an average TV show requires very little brain power and brings the same result as neglecting physical exercise. Your brain will become weak just as your muscles do. If you watch TV, choose something educational and informative.
Travel
Traveling to a new country forces you to see and do things in a new way, providing stimulation to the brain.
Learn a new language
Acquiring a new language involves different learning methods. Learning a language sharpens your brain and helps prevent memory problems in later years.
Master a new subject
Each week, select an animal, a bird or a fish, and read everything you can about it. Stretch your brain as you become an expert on the subject.
Use your non-dominant hand
If you are right-handed, use your left hand for everyday activities, or use your right hand if you are left-handed. Doing familiar things in a new way will cause your brain to create new neural networks.
Read often
As you read, take the time to look up people or places that aren't familiar. Reading expands your vocabulary if you search for words and definitionsthat you don't know.
Do puzzles
According to the Mayo Clinic, doing sudoku and crossword puzzles keeps the brain sharp into your senior years.
Calculate while you shop
As you put things in your grocery cart, total everything in your head. See how much close you get to the actual total.
Play video games
Studies have found that certain video games force you to use critical decision-making skills and can even improve students' math scores.
Tweet!(,)
Read messages from people who represent a wide range of interests. And some say that learning to express yourself in just 140 characters is a great brain challenge!
So get in the habit of challenging your brain, and make yourself smarter! | high6924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It instructs us how to water trees correctly"
},
"options": [
"It introduces to us different kinds of trees",
"It instructs us how to water trees correctly",
"It teaches us how to tell whether a tree needs water",
"It a... | Some trees can survive a long time without water. Think of trees that grow in the desert. But other trees may need more moisture than they can get from rainfall or from the air .
Trees and other plants can look thirsty. Leaves can become weak and hang downward. They can also turn yellow. Yellowing can be a sign of too much water. But it can also be a warning sign of too little water.
With a newly planted tree, the roots have not yet spread out from the root ball. The root ball can become dry faster than the dirt around it. So put water on the area of the root ball and the surrounding soil until the roots become established.
Once a tree is well established, water deeply instead of watering often. The amount of water needed depends on the tree and the soil. Clay soils hold water for longer periods while sandy soil holds less water. During the hottest season, a deep watering may satisfy a tree for anywhere from ten days to four weeks.
Ted Swiecki is a plant scientist . He says people should not water established trees at the base of the trunk . This can harm the tree. Too much water in the soil at the base of a tree can lead to the growth of fungi . If the area is too wet, harmful organisms have a better chance to invade the tree and cause disease.
Mr. Swiecki says this is true especially in Mediterranean and semi-dry climates. Many trees in these climates have adapted to having a dry area near their base during the hottest season. He said, "Water displaces (,)air in the soil. And roots are aerobic ; they require oxygen for the soil to function properly. So if you keep the soil completely wet and there's no air there, then the roots are starving for oxygen." | high22709.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The time in it will surely get lost if you don't use it."
},
"options": [
"We can store time in it whenever we like.",
"Someone puts $ 86, 400 in it every day.",
"Someone helps you spend your time every night.",
"The ti... | Imagine there is a bank that puts $ 86, 400 in your account each morning. It carries over no _ from day to day. Every evening the bank writes off the balance that you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Take out every cent, of course!
Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it puts in 86, 400 seconds. Every evening it writes off, as it is lost. There is no balance or overdraft. If you fail to use the day's savings, the lost is yours. There is no going back. There is no taking from "tomorrow". You must make good use of it so as to get more in health, happiness and success!
The clock is running. Make the most of today. To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade; To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby; To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper; To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet; To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train; To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
Make good use of every moment that you have. Remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called "The Present". | high12812.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "find out the role physical contact plays in the common colds"
},
"options": [
"find out the most common cause of colds",
"infect the student volunteer",
"find out the role physical contact plays in the common colds",
"f... | Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine infected six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1 members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and then touched their own noses or eyes.
Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a student volunteer, 11 became infected--compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the table, and none who had spent three days and nights together.
"The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting virus," says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, "It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common Cold."
When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: "If you mean 'get rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just getting more effective at treating the symptoms --we're getting at the root cause too. " | high507.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "she wanted to tell John that he shouldn't give up acting."
},
"options": [
"she wanted John to get a part in the play he was trying out for",
"she wanted to tell John that he shouldn't give up acting.",
"she wanted to tell Jo... | 475 Riverside Drive
New York N.Y. 10027
Jan.15, 2011
Dear John,
I'm sorry you didn't get the part you tried out for in that play. I know how much you wanted to be in the play. Now you feel that maybe acting isn't the right future for you. I think you're wrong. You're a good actor. Do you remember when you played Caesar in your summer theatre group's play? You were excellent . People clapped every time you walked on stage . Even the other actors loved you.
All actors have to get used to being turned down for a job. It's part of an actor's life. Even famous actors don't get every part they want. I think you should give acting another chance. You love it so much, and you're good at it. Don't be discouraged because you lose one part in the play. Wait a bit, and try for another one. After all , you can always give up some other time.
Love,
Jane | high8909.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "hearts and long life"
},
"options": [
"men's heart cells",
"women's ageing process",
"the gender difference",
"hearts and long life"
],
"question": "The passage mainly talks about _ .",
"question_type": "c... | Why do men die earlier than women? The latest research shows that the reason could be that men's hearts go into rapid decline when they reach middle age.
The largest study of the effects of aging on the heart has found that women's longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose their pumping power with age.
"We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20-25 percent between 18 and 70 years of age," "Within the heart there are millions of cells that enable it to beat. Between the ages of 20 and 70 , one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men," .
What surprises scientists is that the female heart sees very little loss of these cells. "This gender difference might just explain why women live longer than men," said Goldspink.
The team has yet to find why aging takes a greater toll on the male heart, said Goldspink..
The good news is that men can improve the health of their heart with regular exercise. | high21200.txt |
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