questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "saw an untrustworthy face"
},
"options": [
"came across a neutral face mask",
"saw an untrustworthy face",
"met a reliable person",
"saw a familiar face"
],
"question": "The amygdala lit up more clearly when peo... | Say you're in the supermarket parking lot, holding your baby, bags of goods, and trying to open your car. A stranger walks up and says,"Here, let me hold your baby."Should you let him?
According to a new New York University study, knowing whether or not to trust someone is so important that we can tell whether a face is trustworthy before we even consciously know it's there. The researchers knew from previous studies that people are fairly similar when it comes to how they judge a face's trustworthiness. They wanted to find out whether that would be true if people only saw a face for a quick moment -- an amount of time so short that it would prevent making a conscious judgment.
To carry out their study, the researchers monitored the amygdala of 37 volunteers while showing them 300 faces for 33 milliseconds each. Those faces had already been tested with a different set of 10 subjects, who saw them for much longer. In those earlier tests, people agreed about whether to trust each face. In this new study, fascinatingly, different parts of the amygdala lit up when a subject saw an untrustworthy face and a trustworthy one -- and it lit up more when the face in question was suspicious .
"Faces that appear likely to cause harm are suddenly tracked by the amygdala, so it could then quickly change other brain processes and make fast responses to people -- approach or avoid,"says Jon Freeman, the study's senior author."Our talents for making instant judgments could either come from birth or be learned from the social environment."
So should you trust the guy in the parking lot? Your brain already knows. | high19588.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "put a design plan into a computer"
},
"options": [
"make a computer",
"put a design plan into a computer",
"design a shoe model",
"test several pairs"
],
"question": "The first in making a new shoe is to _ ."... | When you run, you put force that is equal to three times your body weight on your feet. The human foot contains twenty muscles. This means that there is a lot that can go wrong when you run.
Most sports have some kind of running or jumping So experts at many shoe companies work hard to design good sport shoes. First, a designer enters a plan for a shoe into a computer .Engineers then improve the design. A second computer designs a model for the shoe. Then a few pairs are made. Next, the shoe is tested.
Different kinds of sports shoes are made for different uses. Some are made to help marathon runners save energy during a race. Some are made for the stop-and-go kind of running tennis players. But all sport shoes have one thing in common: they are designed to help people's feet comfortable during sports. Today, nearly every sport has its own special shoe designed for just the kind of running that sport needs. | high3493.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Bumblebees make false memories too."
},
"options": [
"Human memory can fail sometimes.",
"Bumblebees make false memories too.",
"Humans are not as clever as bumblebees.",
"Bumblebees have extraordinary memory."
],
... | It's well known that our human memory can fail us. People can be forgetful, and they can sometimes also "remember" things incorrectly, with damaging consequences in the classroom, courtroom, and other areas of life. Now, researchers show for the first time that bumblebees can be unreliable witnesses too.
Bumblebees are rather clever animals, which explains why Chittka has been studying learning and memory in the insects for the last 20 years.
Most times when people have studied memory in animals, errors in performance have been taken to mean that the animals failed to learn the task or perhaps learned it and then forgot. But what if animals can experience a more interesting type of memory failure?
To find out, Chittka first trained bumblebees to expect a reward when visiting a yellow artificial flower followed by one with black-and-white rings. During subsequent tests, bees were given a choice between three types of flowers. Two were the types they'd seen in the training before. The third had yellow-and-white rings, representing a mixed-up version of the other two. Minutes after the training, the bees showed a clear preference for the flower that recently rewarded them.
One or three days later, however, something very different happened when the bumblebees' memory was put to the test. At first, the bees showed the same preference displayed in the earlier tests, but as the time went on, they began selecting the flower with yellow rings, even though they'd never actually seen that one in training before.
Chittka says that insects make similar errors in the conjunction of long-term memories as humans do. The ability to extract common features between different events in the environment might come at the expense of remembering every detail correctly. In bees, with their limited brain capacity , the pressure to store main features of several objects rather than each individual object might be much greater, compared with humans. | high9800.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you can stimulate your child's interest in the activity"
},
"options": [
"you find simple and funny games for your child",
"you can stimulate your child's interest in the activity",
"you force your child to get involved in mo... | You can improve your child's hearing memory considerably . Once his hearing memory has been greatly improved, he'll be able to use and remember what he listens to in class. The success of these suggestions depends upon your ability to use your child's natural desire to get involved in games he finds simple and fun.
A good way to begin is to read aloud a sentence from a book suitable for your child's reading age. Then ask your youngster to repeat the sentence back to you correctly. Next, reread the sentence, leaving out a particular word. See if your child can identify the word you left out. At the beginning use only simple sentences. Gradually, increase the length of the sentences. Make sure you don't rush things along too quickly, or your child may become discouraged and tired of the game.
Take your child shopping with you often. He's to remember a list of items you want to buy in the supermarket. First , ask him to remember only a few things. Then, as he shows increased ability to remember, make the list longer and longer. Praise him often and warmly when he shows increased ability to remember things. He'll become proud of his 'good' memory and will happily play the game.
Encourage your child to learn easy and short poems. As his ability to do this becomes stronger, encourage him to remember longer poems. Do the same with songs. | high710.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She prefers online banking services to local banks."
},
"options": [
"She can't afford her college education.",
"She has received a student loan",
"She prefers online banking services to local banks.",
"She has been wor... | Young people are perhaps better-known for spending money than saving it. But some new banking websites are seeking to change that. These websites offer young people the information and tools they need to watch over their money. The websites also let the users share their financial experiences with other young people.
Nineteen-year-old Alix Scott has been working at a store this summer. She is saving money to pay for college next year. "I have to save for all my college money because my parents can't afford to co-sign on loans. So, I have to rely on my own savings."
But instead of putting her money in a local bank, Miss Scott began using SmartyPig, a web-based banking service.
SmartPig was developed by Michael Ferrari with a friend in 2007. It is really all about helping people save for very specific goals, such as a wedding, a vocation or an IPhone.
MICHAEL FERRARI said : "For example, you want to save five thousand dollars for a vacation in three years. SmartyPig will actually calculate how much money you need to save every month. You don't have to move from your existing bank, we'll actually go in and withdraw those funds on the day you specify every month and we'll put it into your SmartyPig account, where it'll earn interest, as well."
SmartyPig also enables outsiders to add money to the accounts of its users. "Perhaps a holiday is coming up or your birthday is coming up, and rather than getting a gift, your friends, your family can actually contribute to any of your SmartyPig goals."Mr.Ferrari said. He believes that as technology continues to develop, more and more people will use the electronic banking sites.
A growing number of young people have shown an interest in online banking sites like SmartyPig. They say they like the ease of operation and services the sites offer. These personal finance websites offer tools that help users follow their spending, set up a budget, and combine their investments. And they all involve social media, which interests young adults who are already at ease about sharing their personal information online. | high14047.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Observe through video."
},
"options": [
"Inform the police.",
"Call his mother-in-law.",
"Arm the security alarm.",
"Observe through video."
],
"question": "What may Celebi first do if his front door opens at a ... | Interactive Home-security Systems
Tarik Celebi, who lives in San Francisco suburb, takes his home-security system with him to work, to dinner, just about anywhere.By his cell phone, he "arms" his home-security alarm from his car before he leaves for work.During his workday, he gets e-mail alerts every time his front door opens, even though he's miles away.If the door opens at an unusual time -say midday when no one should be coming or going - he can order a 30-second video clip from the camera that watches the door.If it's just his mother-in-law getting a package delivery, no worries.
Celebi is one of the first users of the latest interactive home-security systems.In addition to sounding alarms when the house is broken into and notifying homeowners or police, as traditional systems do, the interactive systems give users new ways to remotely control their systems and their home environment.Different from traditional home-security alarms, which homeowners typically have to press buttons on a keypad to turn on before they leave their homes, the interactive systems enable consumers to arm and disarm systems from smart phones, iPads and PCs, no matter where they are.
Most traditional systems are set up to sound an alarm if doors or windows are opened. The interactive systems give homeowners more options.For example, users can elect when they want to be notified.They might want an e-mail or a text every time a door is opened, or only during the hours of 3 to 4 p.m., when kids come home from school.Like Celebi, they can add cameras and get video clips when doors open.That could be helpful in making sure kids aren't bringing friends home when they're not supposed to.
Nationwide, about 20% of homes have.traditional home-security systems.About half stop using them because they tire of the trouble.Being able to arm systems even while dashing to the subway or while at work will increase their usage of the new interactive systems.Although the new functions add costs to home security, the interactive-systems are believed to push home-security systems' usage rates closer to 30%, which would be a big movement for an industry that's been largely stuck at 20% for the past decade."We all know it's going to get bigger, though we don't know how long it's going to take," Eric Taylor, an officer from San Francisco Security Department says. | high6500.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "83"
},
"options": [
"73",
"78",
"83",
"88"
],
"question": "From the passage we can know the natural term for women in Australia is about_years.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | 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 as 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."
Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two.For those over 45,it should be at least once a year.
According to a recent survey,95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year,compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
"A lot of men think they're invincible ,",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.
"Regular check-ups for men would surely place strain on the public purse,"Cartmill says."But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the disease.Besides,the final cost is far greater:it's called premature death." | high24184.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Some people around them are making the world better."
},
"options": [
"They possess different kinds of superpowers.",
"They have got the power to change the world.",
"Some people around them are making the world better.",
... | If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Dreaming about whether you would want to read minds, see through walls, or have superhuman strength may sound silly, but it actually gets to the heart of _ .
Every day in our work, we are inspired by the people we meet doing extraordinary things to improve the world.
They have a different kind of superpower that all of us possess: the power to make a difference in the lives of others.
We're not saying that everyone needs to contribute their lives to the poor. Your lives are busy enough doing homework, playing sports, making friends, seeking after your dreams. But we do think that you can live a more powerful life when you devote some of your time and energy to something much larger than yourself. Find an issue you are interested in and learn more. Volunteer or, if you can, contribute a little money to a cause. Whatever you do, don't be a bystander. Get involved. You may have the opportunity to make your biggest difference when you're older. But why not start now?
Our own experience working together on health, development, and energy the last twenty years has been one of the most rewarding parts of our lives. It has changed who we are and continues to fuel our optimism about how much the lives of the poorest people will improve in the years ahead. | high13728.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to avenge the destruction of Athens"
},
"options": [
"to pay a return visit",
"to avenge the destruction of Athens",
"to start a well-prepared expedition",
"to spread Greek culture"
],
"question": "It can be imp... | The Greeks had long kept certain more or less formal relations with the people of Macedonia . The Macedonians from their side had kept themselves well informed about conditions in Greece.
Now it happened, just when Sparta and Athens had finished their disastrous war, that Macedonia was ruled by an extraordinarily clever man named Philip. He admired the Greek spirit but he looked down on the Greek lack of self-control in political affairs. It angered him to see a perfectly good people waste its men and money upon fruitless quarrels. So he settled the difficulty by making himself the master of all Greece and then he asked his new subjects to join him on a voyage which he meant to pay to Persia in return for the visit which Xerxes had paid the Greeks 150 years before.
Unfortunately Philip was murdered before he could start this well-prepared expedition . The task of avenging the destruction of Athens was left to Philip's son Alexander, the beloved pupil of Aristotle, wisest of all Greek teachers.
Alexander left Europe in the spring of 334 BC. Seven years later he reached India. In the meantime he had destroyed Phoenicia(,), the old rival of the Greek merchants. He had conquered Egypt and had been worshipped by the people of the Nile valley as the son and heir of the Pharaohs . He had defeated the last Persian king -- he had overthrown the Persian Empire, he had given orders to rebuild Babylon -- he had led his troops into the heart of the Himalayan mountains and had made the entire world a Macedonian province and dependency. Then he stopped and announced even more ambitious plans.
The newly formed Empire must be brought under the influence of the Greek mind. The people must be taught the Greek language -- they must live in cities built after a Greek model. The Alexandrian soldier now turned school-master. The military camps of yesterday became the peaceful centres of the newly imported Greek civilisation. Higher and higher did the flood of Greek manners and Greek customs rise, when suddenly Alexander was stricken with a fever and died in the old palace of King Hammurabi of Babylon in the year 323BC.
His Empire did not long survive him. A number of ambitious generals divided the territory among themselves. But they too remained faithful to the dream of a great world brotherhood of Greek and Asiatic ideas and knowledge. They maintained their independence until the Romans came. | high23833.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Julia Roberts."
},
"options": [
"Julia Roberts.",
"Hugh Grant.",
"David Duning.",
"Not mentioned."
],
"question": "According to the passage, who most probably plays the role of Anna in the film ?",
"question... | Notting hill is a small town west of London. Here lives shy William, a divorced man, who owns a little travel-book store.
It was a Wednesday, when the poor shop keeper happened to meet Anna Scott ,a movie star who walked into his shop.
They ran across each other in the street again. And they found themselves falling in love. But how could a poor man keep the love of a famous star? Their lives and their worlds were so different.
Six months later, Anna was in London again for her new film. She came to William's thought ...
Length :110 minutes
Director:David Duning
Cast:Julia Roberts(actress), Hugh Grant(actor) | high12436.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the date consists of four \"ones\""
},
"options": [
"the persons who play Mahjong are four singles",
"the date consists of four \"ones\"",
"only single persons celebrate the day",
"it was first celebrated at universitie... | Singles Day falls on every November 11th, and as the name indicates, this relatively new holiday is one exclusively for people who are still living the single life. I was a bit surprised when I googled "Singles Day" on the Internet, to find that China is the only country in the world that has set aside a special day for singles to celebrate their lives. To find out more about this celebration, please read on.
An old story goes that once there were four single men, leading very boring lives. None of them were married, or had lovers, or did anything exciting. They just sat around all day and played Mahjong.
One day they played Mahjong from 11 in the morning until 11 at night. During the game, no matter who won, the winning card was always the "four columns" card (the card shows four independent, parallel columns in two lines). Even more of a coincidence, it was Nov 11, or 11/11. In order to commemorate the day, they nicknamed it Singles Day.
Singles Day was first celebrated at various universities in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu Province during the 1990s. It got the name Singles Day because the date consists of four "ones". These college students have since graduated, and carried their university tradition into society. Singles Day is now a special day for all fashionable youths.
The main way to celebrate Singles Day is to have dinner with your single friends, but it's important that each person pay their own fee to show their independence. People also hold "blind date" parties in an attempt to say goodbye to their single lives.
Many singles also choose to say goodbye to their single lives on this day. Many attend "blind date" parties and many people choose to marry on this day. In addition to meaning "single" the four "ones" of the date can also mean "only one" as in "the only one for me." Some people will use this date and this meaning to tell their special someone that they are the only "one" in their heart. | high15359.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he can watch and learn from his telephone"
},
"options": [
"he can watch and learn from his telephone",
"he has completely been replaced by robots",
"robots will tell him all by telephone",
"he is not the person on call... | The Future of Dairy Farming: Robot Milkers
The future has arrived at a dairy farm in about an hour by car from WashingtonD.C. A robot is milking cows. It is milking time at Woodbourne Creamery in Mt. Airy, Maryland. The cows are standing in line for a turn at the robot.
John Fendrick is the owner of the farm. He inspects the progress of the animals by looking at a computer screen. That is all he has to do."The door opens up, they walk in, and they get milked. The door opens up, and they walk out."
The robot does all the work. It uses a laser to find each teat -- the place on the cow where the milk comes out. The robot then cleans the teat and connects a milking tube toit. The robot also tests the milk for possible contamination . If it finds a problem, it rejects the milk. When the amount of milk coming out of the cow slows, the machine knows to stop, and sends the cow on its way.
Milking robots are becoming popular among dairy farmers in the United States, Europe and Australia. John Fendrick says the robots have changed life on a dairy farm."You are given the freedom back. So it allows me or the people working for me to actually do other things on the farm."
Most dairy farmers must milk their cows two times a day, early in the morning and late at night. The animals are milked every day in good weather or bad. But Mr Fendrick's cows do not follow such a schedule. They stay in the field until they want to be milked by the robot. Some of them come to be milked in the middle of the night.
Mr Fendrick doesn't even need to be there to watch his cows being milked. He can watch from his telephone. He can learn when each cow was milked and how much she produced. He can also learn if a cow has not been milked for a long time.
The cow milking robot is not low-cost technology. Mr Fendrick paid more than $150,000 for it. But he notes, paying someone to milk the cows is also costly."In three years, I will have paid off the difference with this, and I don't have to be the person who's always on call to milk. The fact is that we have a life, and our cows are able to function without us -- to us, it's well worth the money."
And he says that is a good thing."I don't like to milk."With the robot, he can turn his attention to other things. He gets about 475 liters of milk a day, and he never has to touch a cow. | high19563.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the price of clothes has generally fallen by 70%"
},
"options": [
"people spend 30% less than they did on clothes",
"the spending on clothes has increased by 5% or 6%",
"the price of clothes has generally fallen by 70%",
... | They wear the latest fashions with the most up-to-date accessories . Yet these are not girls in their teens or twenties but women in their sixties and seventies. A generation which would once only wear old-fashioned clothes is now favoring the same high street looks worn by those half their age.
Professor Julia Twigg, a social policy expert, said, "Women over 75 are now shopping for clothes more frequently than they did when they were young in the 1960s. In the 1960s buying a coat for a woman was a serious matter. It was an expensive item that they would purchase only every three or four years -- now you can pick one up at the supermarket whenever you wish to. Fashion is a lot cheaper and people get tired of things more quickly."
Professor Twigg analyzed family expending data and found that while the percentage of spending on clothes and shoes by women had stayed around the same -- about 5 or 6 percent of spending -- the amount of clothes bought had risen sharply.
The professor said, "Clothes are now 70 percent cheaper than they were in the 1960s because of the huge expansion of production in the Far East. In the 1960s Leeds was the heart of the British fashion industry and that was where most of the clothes came from, but now almost all of our clothes are sourced elsewhere. Everyone is buying more clothes but in general we are not spending more money on them."
Fashion designer Angela Barnard, who runs her own fashion business in London, said older women were much more affected by celebrity style than in previous years.
She said, "When people see stars such as Judi Dench and Helen Mirren looking attractive and fashionable in their sixties, they want to follow them. Older women are much more aware of celebrities. There's also the boom in TV programmes showing people how they can change their look, and many of my older customers do yoga to stay in shape well in their fifties. When I started my business a few years ago, my older customers tended to be very rich, but now they are what I would call ordinary women. My own mother is 61 and she wears the latest fashions in a way she would never have done ten years ago. " | high16650.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Brazil"
},
"options": [
"Australia",
"Kenya",
"Brazil",
"Costa Rica"
],
"question": "If you are interested in protecting the environment, you will probably go to _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Volunteering abroad is a great way to help others, improve your skills and become a more confident, independent person. If you are interested in volunteering abroad, here are some places to go.
Australia
If you seek a life on the beach, in a great climate with friendly people, Australia might be your best bet. With thousands of volunteers already signing up to leave for Australia during the holidays, it will be a very popular option.
Brazil
This vast country has some great opportunities on offer and is especially popular this year. A lot of volunteer work is available in Brazil centers on conservation and ecological projects. With the world's largest rainforest in Brazil, of which huge part is in danger, there are lots of different jobs you can do.
Kenya
Kenya is the destination for those seeking an African experience. Generally volunteers in Kenya work in orphanages or with local children living in slums . There is a great demand for volunteers in Africa because many people live in poverty, so if you truly feel like making a difference to a community, Kenya should be at the top of your list.
Costa Rica
Golden sandy beaches, clear coastlines and beautiful cities are what Costa Rica is all about. Because of its small size, you can see a lot of the country in just a short time. You can really make the most of your time as a volunteer. A lot of work is needed with wildlife and ecological work, so if you want to look after turtles on the beach, Costa Rica could be just the place for you | high3478.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "misreading the timetable will not be an excuse for not attending an exam"
},
"options": [
"there will never be any exams on Saturdays or Sundays",
"exams are likely to be held in Semester 1 starting from November",
"misreadin... | Ensure you are prepared for your exams by understanding the processes, dates and support information relating to examinations. Please read the information under Examination Policies and Processes below, especially the Rules to be observed by candidates for examinations.
Examination period
Semester 1, 2015 Monday 15 June -- Saturday 27 June (inclusive)
Semester 2, 2015 Monday 9 November -- Saturday 21 November (inclusive)
Important notice: special consideration
All students are reminded that submitting an unreal medical certificate or PPC with a special consideration application amounts to misconduct and carries severe fines and punishment.
Final personal exam timetables will be available from 4:00pm Thursday the 8th of October.
Rules to be observed by candidates for examinations (updated April 2012)
You need to follow all instructions given by examination teachers.
1. You may take in pens, pencils, drawing instruments and small items of food such as sweets. These items may be left on the desk during the examination. You may also bring in small valuables such as wallets, purses, mobile phones and laptops which must be powered off, not just silent. These items must be placed on the floor below the desk. Don't leave money or valuables in bags. The University can accept no responsibility for the loss of students' personal property.
2. Anything taken into an examination room must be made available for inspection by the examiner or other University staff.
3. The use of approved calculators may be permitted in examinations. The make and model of all calculators used by students in formally inspected examinations will be recorded. You are not permitted to share calculators, or pass them between each other in an examination. Mobile phones which have a calculator facility are not allowed. Use of a non-approved calculator may be regarded as misconduct. If you are unsure what functionality is permitted, make sure you check with your examiner that your calculator may be used in the examination.
4. No candidate may be admitted to an examination room after 30 minutes from the start of writing. No candidate who has entered an examination room and seen the examination paper may leave until 30 minutes has passed from the time writing started. No candidate may leave during the last ten minutes of any examination.
5. Smoking is not permitted in examination rooms.
Students with disabilities, medical conditions or injuries
*Students with a disability, including serious medical condition, or recent injury, which puts them at a disadvantage during examinations should contact Disability Services, Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building, as soon as possible.
Phone: +61 28627 8422
Fax: +61 28627 8482
If appropriate, special arrangements can be made to meet particular requirements.
Serious illness, injury or misadventure -- Special Consideration regarding assessments
Please read about Special Consideration.
*Students who feel too ill to attempt an examination at the scheduled time should consult a medical practitioner after reading the Special Consideration section.
*Students who fall ill during an examination will be asked by invigilators whether they wish to consult a doctor at the University Health Service. If this occurs the doctor will complete a Special Consideration form and forward it to the relevant examiner.
Misreading of the timetable is not accepted as a reason for failing to attend an exam.
Past exam papers
You can view many past exam papers at the University Library website. | high10221.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the origin and development of standard English used nowadays."
},
"options": [
"the difference between standard English and non-standard English.",
"the influence between standard English and non-standard English.",
"the orig... | Standard English is that variety of English which is usually used in print,and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers learning the language.It is also the variety which is normally spoken by educated people and used in news broadcasts and other similar situations.The difference between standard and non-standard,it should be noted,has nothing in principle to do with differences between formal and informal language:Standard English has informal as well as formal variants.
Historically the standard variety of English is based on the London Dialect of English that developed after the Norman Conquest resulted in the removal of the Court from Winchester to London.This dialect became the one preferred by the educated,and it was developed and promoted as a model,or norm,for wider and wider parts of society.It was also the norm that was carried overseas.But not one unaffected by such export.Today,standard English is codified to the degree that the grammar and vocabulary of English are much the same everywhere in the world where English is used:difference among the local standards is really quite minor,so that the Singapore,South Africa,and Irish varieties are really very little different from one another so far as grammar and vocabulary are concerned.Indeed,standard English is so powerful that it puts a tremendous pressure on all local varieties,to the degree that many of the long-established dialects of England have lost much of their vigor and there is much pressure on them to converge towards the standard.This latter situation is not unique to English:it is also in other countries where processes of standardization are under way.But it sometimes creates problems for speakers who try to strike some kind of compromise between local norms and national,even super-national ones. | high16888.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Watersports Club"
},
"options": [
"Watersports Club",
"Medical Centre",
"Sailing Club",
"Riding School"
],
"question": "If you want to swim and enjoy activities which are fast and a bit dangerous, you should joi... | Riding School:
You can start horse - riding at any age.Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9:00 a.m.and 8: 30 p.m.(3: 30 p.m.on Saturdays).There are 10 kilometers of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country.You will need a riding hat.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.--8:30 p.m.
Phone: (412) 396 -6754 Fax: (412) 396 -6752 .
Sailing Club:
Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage I Sailing qualification.You'll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid.Have fun with other course members, afterwards in the clubroom.There are 10 weekly two - hour lessons ( Tuesdays 6 p.m.-- 8 p.m.).
Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m.--8:00 p.m.
Phone: (412) 396 -6644 Fax: (412) 396 -6644
Diving Centre:
Our experienced instructors offer one - month courses in deep - sea diving for beginners.There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely.You only need swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples.
Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6: 30 p.m.--8:30 p.m.
Phone: (412) 396 -6312 Fax: (412) 396 -6706
Medical Center:
The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems.Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores.
Opening Hours: 24 hour from Monday to Sunday
Phone: (412) 396 -6649 Fax:(412)396 -6648
Watersports Club:
We use a two - kilometer length of river for speedboat racing, and water - skiing, a beginners course consists of ten 20 - minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently, but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4: 00 p.m., with lessons all through the day.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.--4:00 p.m.
Phone:(412)396 -6899 Fax:(412)396 -6890 | high2766.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The experiences in his early life."
},
"options": [
"The people he met in Japan.",
"Working as a teacher in Beijing.",
"The experiences in his early life.",
"His father's being put into prison."
],
"question": "... | Lu Xun is one of the greatest Chinese writers of the 20thcentury. Besides his famous stories, he also wrote many influential articles about the living conditions of Chinese people.
Born in 1881 to a wealthy family, Lu Xun had a happy childhood. In 1893, however, his grandfather, a senior government official, was put into prison for taking money. At the same time, his father became seriously ill. From that time on, his family were no longer accepted by their relatives and friends. These early experiences greatly influenced his writing.
By the time Lu Xun arrived in Nanjing to study at university in 1899, he already believed that Chinese society had to change and become modern. In 1902 he went to study in Japan. There, he began writing articles for several Chinese student magazines. He showed a gift for writing and translating and he even wrote several books, although none was popular. He returned to China in 1909 because he was in need of money.
After working for several years as a teacher in Beijing, Lu Xun again returned to writing. In 1918, he wrote his famous short story Diary of a Madman. It was the first Chinese novel published using the everyday language that people spoke, which helped make it a great success. _ , together with his novel The True Story of Ah Q (1921), made Lu Xun a leading Chinese writer.
Although successful, Lu Xun still worried greatly about China's future. In 1926, he moved to Shanghai and gave up writing stories in order to devote himself to what he called "pen warfare". He now only wrote articles which called on the people to fight against the government. For this, the government stopped him from publishing any more books. He was forced to write his articles using false names.
Since his death in 1936, Lu Xun's importance and influence have grown. Today, many of his writings are included in school textbooks and his works are read by millions around the world. | high5009.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "All of the above."
},
"options": [
"He did not rest enough.",
"He traveled too much.",
"His body chemistry changed.",
"All of the above."
],
"question": "Why did Norman Cousins get sick?",
"question_type": "... | Norman Cousins was a businessman from the United States who often traveled around the world on business. He enjoyed his work and traveling.
Then, after returning to the United States from a busy and tiring trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics( USSR),Mr. Cousins got sick. Because he had pushed his body to the limit of its strength on the trip, a chemical change began to take place inside him. The material between his bones became weak.
In less than one week after his return, he could not stand. Every move that he made was painful. He was not able to sleep at night.
The doctore told him that they did not know how to cure Mr. Cousins ' problem and he might never get over the illness. Mr. Cousins, however, refused to give up hope.
Mr. Cousins thought that unhappy thoughts were causing bad chemical changes in his body. He did not want to take medicine to cure himself. Instead,he felt that happy thoughts or laughter might cure his illness. .'
He began to experiment on himself while still in hospital by watching funny shows on television. Mr. Cousins quickly found that 10 minutes of real laughter during the day gave him two hours of pain -free sleep at night.
Deciding that the doctors could not help him, Mr. Cousins left the hospital and checked into a hotel room where he could continue his experiments with laughter. For eight days,Mr. Cousins rested in the hotel room watching funny shows on television,reading funny books,and sleeping whenever he felt tired. Within three weeks,he felt well enough to take a vacation to Puerto . Rico where he began running on the beach for exercise.
After a few months,Mr. Cousins returned to work. He has laughed himself back to health. | high11881.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the Internet"
},
"options": [
"newspapers",
"magazines",
"the Internet",
"radios"
],
"question": "In order to find their dream jobs, more American graduates like to use _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_quest... | Nearly 28% of college Students plan to seek employment using Linkedin, up from 5% last year, according to a survey out today from employee recognition provider i Love Rewards and career-services network Experience.Slightly more than 7% plan to use Facebook, up from 5%.
No longer do students just wait for visiting campus recruiters to learn about job possibilities.Instead they're using digital tools to find their dream jobs, says I Love Rewards CEO Razor Suleman.Companies need to know their online image, then update anything that is outdated, inaccurate or not inleractive .
'The recruited have now become the recruiters," Suleman says."They are now going out and finding the companies they want to apply for."
Students learn about employers by viewing their websites, reading Facehook and Twitter updates and perusing Linkedln profiles.Another information source: Comments by past and current employees on job-oriented websites.
A strong digital presence is one way for employers to stand out as the search for the best and brightest gets competitive.
Slightly more than four in 10 employers say they will use "different" recruiting tactics to reach Generation Y, according to a survey by job-search site Monster.com to be released today.Of those respondents, almost 60% say social-networking sites are popular tools to reach Gen Y candidates.
"Our reason for using social media is because that's where we think the candidates are," he says.
The company posts updates and videos on topics such as job opportunities and the benefits of being an employee.It also created a mobile-friendly site for those who want to apply via smart phone.
"Younger people want to attach to you in a different way than the past," Lavery says."They want to interact with you.They want to learn about you."
The updated recruitment techniques take effort, but they work, he says.
In 2010, UPS used those tactics to _ 955 employees.The year before, it hired 29 employees through those means.
"It's a time investment that you have to be willing to do," he says."You can't just have a page up there and not have content.In social media, you have to have a give and a take, or people won't be a part of your community." | high20484.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It was sent into space in 2008."
},
"options": [
"It was sent into space in 2008.",
"It is orbiting around the dwarf planet Ceres.",
"Its destination is just the dwarf planet Ceres.",
"It will gather information about C... | An American spacecraft is moving closer to a dwarf planet called Ceres . The American space agency's Dawn spacecraft is set to reach the planet-like object in March.
Space agency scientists will then place Dawn in an orbit around the dwarf planet. Agency scientists want to know more about ice on Ceres. The spacecraft will gather clues about whether Ceres may have once had conditions to support life as we know it.
Dawn left Earth more than seven years ago on a trip to explore Ceres and another dwarf planet, called Vesta . Both dwarf planets are in the main belt of asteroids , a group of large objects, between the planets Mars and Jupiter.
Marc Rayman is the chief engineer and director of the Dawn mission.
Scientists call Vesta and Ceres "protoplanets ". Mr. Rayman says they were in the process of becoming full-size planets when, in his words, "their growth was terminated ."
Scientists believe Ceres is made of rock, and covered with ice.
The Dawn mission is based in Los Angeles, California. Scientists there send second-by-second commands to the spacecraft. They direct its every move, including telling it what pictures to take. Dawn will make a map of the dwarf planet. It will also try to discover how Ceres' surface has changed.
Carol Raymond is the deputy principal investigator of the project. He says Dawn made an unexpected discovery while orbiting Vesta.
"Instead of being bone dry, which we expected, there were _ on the surface of Vesta that showed significant amounts of water bound in the rocks and possibly even free water that could have flowed on the surface in the past."
She says that if Earth's water came from wet worlds like Vesta and Ceres, then life could have developed there, too.
If Dawn finds that the environment of Ceres could have supported life, scientists may seek to explore the dwarf planet with other scientific instruments.
Dawn will gather information about Ceres until the middle of 2016. It will then continue to orbit the small planet. | high10547.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A natural emotion of anger."
},
"options": [
"A natural emotion of anger.",
"Consequences of anger.",
"Control of anger.",
"Possible solutions to anger."
],
"question": "What does the passage mainly talk about?"... | Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences in life. Some researchers believe the first sound a baby makes when born could be a sign of anger. Anger may be the original or first emotion we feel and respond to. Imagine, before hunger, thirst, love, desire or any other describable feeling, we may experience anger. Not only is anger a natural emotion, it is in many cases a perfectly healthy emotion. Anger can motivate people to make very positive changes in their lives. Anger can motivate individuals to do positive and memorable acts. Sometimes we have to be angry at injustice, at evil, or even at nature, before we can do what needs to be done to correct wrongs or make things better. But of course, that is not how we usually think of anger.
Most people think of anger as an emotion we must keep under control. Children are sometimes sent to their rooms or punished for expressing anger in an excessive way. Parents tell a child to "get control" of himself when the child shows anger. We may be angry with friends or at work, but we know it is usually inappropriate to show it. We have to control the anger or suffer what may be the negative consequences. Very early in life, we learn that anger is something that must be controlleD.We learn this for a good reason.
We know that uncontrolled anger can lead to fights, car accidents, bad relationships with others, unacceptable social behavior, and many other problems. Many experts say that if one holds his anger in, it can even lead to severe mental and physical health problems. So what can we do to understand and calm this natural emotion that we call anger?
Experts offer many solutions to excessive and harmful anger. Some of these solutions include talking about what triggers the anger with someone you trust and is a good friend, leaving a situation that causes anger, beating on a pillow, exercising more in one's daily life, therapy, medication, and many other methods. Whatever solution one chooses, it is good to know that by trying to find the solution to the problem of anger, the first step in the right direction to solving the anger problem has been taken. | high21942.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "he was a man"
},
"options": [
"he was a man",
"he wore pants",
"he was experienced",
"he enjoyed teaching"
],
"question": "In the veteran teacher's eyes, the writer got the teaching job because _ .",
"que... | "Men get all the breaks!" the veteran teacher announced to me. A cold greeting. Her stare stabbed like an icicle .
"Hello," I countered, extending my hand. "I guess we'll be teaching together this year."
"I swear, all you have to do is wear pants and walk into an elementary school and they hire you! It makes me sick!" I would have responded, but she turned her back to me and stomped off down the hall.
Who would have imagined that the biggest challenge I would face during my first year on the job would not be students, but fellow teachers?
"You can't put that there!" Another teacher burst into my classroom. "You can't put the teacher's desk at the back of the room!"
"Pardon?"
"If you put your desk way back there, you won't be able to see them cheating!"
Next I was told I must not arrange student desks into abutting clusters because "the students might talk too much."
At home my wife kept assuring me, "You're there for the kids. When you meet your students, things will be different." And she was right. One day the bell rang and there were thirty-five wonderful sixth graders sitting at their desks (still arranged in clusters) and it was different. I was happy.
"Welcome to sixth grade." I began the year as I'd rehearsed for months. "You'll notice," I continued, "my desk is at the back of the room." They chuckled. "I don't want that desk between us. I want to be involved in your learning and involved in your lives."
In the days that followed, I ate with my students at lunch (" _ "); I played with my students at recess (" _ "); I read with my students in the library (" _ "); I even stayed after school with some boys who got in trouble with the principal (" _ ").
I went home to my wife. "Don't worry," she said. "They're just threatened by you because you're new and you're good. Let the other teachers know you're not a threat. Just keep being nice to them."
Obediently, I pulled out the Golden Rule, dusted it off, and vowed to start again. As I did with the children, I started looking for specific, positive things I could build upon and reinforce sincerely in my colleagues: "Nice job on the announcements this morning!" "Wow! I like that worksheet you made up." "Man, your kids walked down the hall so quietly." "I heard your class singing great songs. You do a super job with music!"
"I like your bulletin board," I said to Mrs. Icicle Eyes.
"Really?" she asked. "It's just the same old thing I put up every year." She reached out and straightened a sagging border. Then, not unlike one of my students, she added, "Do you really like it?"
"Yes," I answered firmly. As sure as sun beams, the Golden Rule was shining, and things were finally warming up.
That very afternoon, a few parents went to the principal's office asking if their sixth graders could be moved into my class. Of course the students were not transferred, but when the grapevine circulated the request, up went the old barbed wire fence. Complete with machine guns.
I continued to do the best job I could. I worked. I taught. I cared. I waited for a breakthrough moment.
Months passed. It was lunch recess. I asked a boy walking down the hall. "Have you seen Mrs. So-and-So?" I was, in fact, searching for Mrs. Icicle Eyes. I needed to consult with her.
Grinning, he came toward me as if sharing a secret. "She's outside shooting baskets with the girls!"
"She's playing basketball with the girls?" I asked incredulously.
"Yeah," he nodded. I smiled. I didn't say another word. But my smile inside was even bigger than the one on my face. | high11659.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "her mother kept her father's dementia a secret"
},
"options": [
"she didn't visit her parents much",
"her father hid his conditions carefully",
"her father's conditions weren't serious",
"her mother kept her father's de... | My parents lived to be ninety-three and ninety-four. Mother lived longer and kept her mental sharpness until a few days before she died. Dad suffered from dementia probably for the last six months of his life. It's hard to say how long because his dear wife knew how to cover his forgetfulness or sometimes strange behavior up for him.
There were times, however, when mother became totally frustrated with the changes she saw taking place and she would blame him for doing things on purpose just to make her angry. He loved juicy fruit gum, but she kept it hidden from sight and rationed it because he could chew five or six sticks in an hour and ask for another package. "I have to watch him like a hawk." she said.
Even though they lived in an assisted-living facility, my father would not bathe himself and would not let any staff person help him. So mother adjusted his shower temperature, washed his back, brought him a dry towel, and helped him dress. With her heart failure and the need for oxygen full time, this chore wore her out, both physically and emotionally. Then he started getting up in the middle of night. He would go into their bathroom, which was actually a part of their bedroom, turn on all the lights, and shave. Mother could not convince him to return to bed until he finished. As a result, mother couldn't get enough sleep at night. I don't have any answers that might have made their last months together any easier. Since they were very private people, sometimes it was hard to know what was really going on. When I stopped by their place, mother would talk nonstop as usual and daddy would smile a lot, like what he used to do. I took along food they enjoyed to them, like smoothies or milkshakes. Mother lovedorchids and they thrived under her care so she usually received one for any special occasion.
Daddy would often let me brush his "angel hair", as mother named it, and I might help her fasten jewelry. All of these little things were ways to say "I love you", but we didn't often discuss some of the truly important issues related to my daddy's declining health. I tried to respect their privacy and treat them with the dignity they deserved. I think they both tried to protect me, their daughter.
I guess that's what parents do. | high19205.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "through the Internet"
},
"options": [
"by telephon",
"through the Internet",
"in his office",
"away from home"
],
"question": "From the passage we can learn that John does his job _ .",
"question_type": "c... | It's 8:30, time for John to start work. So he turns on his radio. Then he eats breakfast. As he eats, he reads his e-mail and reviews his to-do list. Then he sits on the sofa and thinks about an article he needs to write ... Wait a minute! Radio? Breakfast? Sofa? What kind of workplace is this? Well, actually it is John's house, and he is a telecommuter -- he works at home, communicating with the workplace through the Internet.
Like John, millions of people -- and their employers -- are finding that telecommuting is a great way to work. Telecommuters can follow their own timetables. They work in the comfort of homes, where they can also look after young children or elderly parents. They save time and money by not traveling to work. Their employers save, too, because they need less office space and furniture. Studies show that telecommuters change jobs less often. This saves employers even more money. Telecommuting helps society, too, by reducing pollution and traffic problems.
Jobs that are _ telecommuting include writing, design work, computer programming and accounting. If a job is related to working with information, a telecommuter can probably do it. | high4471.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "get the children prepared for the kindergarten"
},
"options": [
"develop the children's communication",
"help the children to learn by playing",
"get the children prepared for the kindergarten",
"train the children form... | Is early childhood education really necessary ? Early childhood education primarily focuses on learning through playing to develop the child's physical , sensory , communicational and social development . Early childhood education has become a concern of the government , who pushes poor children to be formally trained before they are old enough for kindergarten .
There are good reasons for the government to push early childhood education . Studies have shown that orphaned children who did not receive good care and education become developmentally delayed causing failure in school , and even in life. Further studies show that poor children who take part in Head Start programs are more prepared for school , less likely to end up in Special Education classes , and are less likely to receive public help or go to jail (prison) .
There are also negative parts to putting a child in formal education programs too early . Time Magazine Online explains that " the younger the child is , the less his chances of catching up with first-grade work ." I have personally witnessed many children of my generation who went to Head Start programs become frustrated and bored with school before they finished high school . Yet parents have been sure that the earlier the child starts school , the better off he or she is , so they push to start children earlier .
Actually while early formal education of poor children does show great gains in the early elementary years , studies also show that this head start is really a " false start" , as the gains are lost in middle and high school years. It seems that environment is a bigger factor on life's success than early education . Head Start programs have not achieved its original goal in closing the achievement gap in poor and middle school children. Perhaps it is time to find other ways to close that gap . | high7178.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "reading broadens a person's experience"
},
"options": [
"reading stimulates a desire to travel",
"reading broadens a person's experience",
"people who read much live longer",
"people who read are more relaxed"
],
... | In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read. To have read Gulliver's Travels is to have had the experience of listening to Jonathan Swift, of learning about man's cruelty to man. To read Huckleberry Finn is to feel what it is like to drift down the Mississippi River on a raft . To have read Byron is to have suffered his rebellions with him and to have enjoyed his nose--thumbing at (......) society. To have read Native Son is to know how it feels to be frustrated in the particular way in which Blacks in Chicago are frustrated. This is _ communication. It enables us to feel how others felt about life, even if they lived thousands of miles away and centuries age. It is not true that "We have only one life to live." If we read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish. | high12350.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because she thought he was the old man's son."
},
"options": [
"Because he was the old man's son.",
"Because she knew that he was a warm-hearted man.",
"Because she couldn't find anyone else there.",
"Because she though... | A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here,"she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.
Heavily drugged with sleep because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out with his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's weak ones, expressing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed.
All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward , holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest a while. He refused. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only holding tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died.
The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.
Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her."Who was that man?"he asked. The nurse was surprised. "He was your father,"she answered. "No, he wasn't,"the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life.""Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"asked the nurse. "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."he answered. | high1509.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "tried his best to the house without second thought"
},
"options": [
"was swimming in a nearby pool after work",
"dialed the fire department immediately",
"tried his best to the house without second thought",
"believed t... | Bob Butler lost his legs in a 1965 landmine explosion in Vietnam. He returned home as a war hero. Twenty years later,he proved once again that heroism comes from the heart.
Butler was working in his garage in a small town in Arizona on a hot summer day when he heard a woman's screams coming from a nearby house. He rolled his wheelchair toward the house,but the dense bush wouldn't allow him to approach the back door. So he got out of his chair and crawled through the dirt and bushes.
"I had to get there,"he says. "It didn't matter how much it hurt."
When Butler arrived at the house,he traced the screams to the pool,where a three year old girl,Stephanie,was lying at the bottom. She had been born without arms and had fallen in the water and couldn't swim. Her mother stood over her baby screaming loudly. Butler dove to the bottom of the pool and brought little Stephanie up to the deck. Her face was blue,she had no pulse and she was not breathing.
Butler immediately went to work performing CPR to revive her while Stephanie's mother telephoned the fire department. She was told the rescue team was already out on a call .Helplessly,she sobbed and hugged Butler's shoulders.
As Butler continued with his CPR,he calmly reassured Stephanie's mother. "Don't worry,"he said. "I was her arms to get out of the pool. It'll be okay. I'm now her lungs. Together we can make it."
Seconds later the little girl coughed,regained consciousness and began to cry. As they hugged and rejoiced together,the mother asked Butler how he knew it would be okay.
"When my legs were blown off in the war,I was all alone in a field,"he told her." No one was there to help except a little Vietnamese girl. As she struggled to drag me into her village,she whispered in broken English,'It okay. You can live. I be your legs. Together we make it.'"
"This was my chance,"he told Stephanie's mom,"to return the favor." | high9155.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Going a particular distance to visit friends."
},
"options": [
"Buying birthday presents.",
"Cheering up a friend in low spirits.",
"Paying for holiday gifts and other treats.",
"Going a particular distance to visit fri... | Best friends may be priceless but the cost of keeping the relationship alive is PS23,870.
According to a study, a BFF (best friends forever) does not come cheap with devoted friends spending PS4,679 on birthday presents alone over a lifetime. And while it costs nothing to be a shoulder to cry on, _ Britons go the extra mile and spend PS168 on pick-me-ups to get their mate through a rocky patch like the breakup of a relationship.
There's a further PS242 spent on presents to show how much they mean from gifts bought on holiday to treats for no reason. And distance does not break up a close friendship as BFFs spend a whopping PS18,000 on travel to see each other despite being miles apart because of university, jobs and marriage.
The study by cashback site TopCashBack found on average BEFs who marry can expect PS431 spent on them and a further PS283 on gifts when they have children. And they can rely on their pals to help out when they move houses as they will obtain PS127 worth of housewarming presents and takeaways(a kind of food).
The survey based on a friendship lasting 40 years found more than eight in ten adults with a BFF felt their friendships were worth every penny.
TopCashback spokesperson Natasha Smith said: "Those friendships which stand the test of time are often the most important in our lives. However, they come at a cost. From train tickets once a month to flights and a new dress for a wedding on the Italian coast, the price paid for having a best mate can soon add up. But when we asked people to compare their friendship with the financial investment , only 14% thought their friendship was equal to their investment with the vast majority thinking it was worth more." | high14721.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Waste Disposal Problem"
},
"options": [
"Places for Disposing Waste",
"Waste Pollution Dangers",
"Ways of Getting Rid of Waste",
"Waste Disposal Problem"
],
"question": "The most suitable title for this passage ... | Disposing of waste has been a problem since humans started producing it.As more and more people choose to live close together in cities,the waste-disposal problem becomes Increasingly difficult.
During the eighteenth century,it was usual for several neighboring towns to get together to select a faraway spot as a dump site.Residents or trash haulers would transport household rubbish,rotted wood,and old possessions to the site.Periodically some of the trash was burned and the rest was buried.The unpleasant sights and smells caused no problem because nobody lived close by.
Factories,mills,and other industrial sites also had waste to be disposed of.Those located on rivers often just dumped the unwanted remains into the water.Others built huge burners with chimneys to deal with the problem.
Several facts make these choices unacceptable to modern society.The first problem is space Dumps,which are now called landfills,are most needed in heavily populated areas.Such areas rarely have empty land suitable for this purpose.Property is either too expensive or too close to residential neighborhoods.Long-distance trash hauling has been a common practice but once farm areas are refusing to accept rubbish from elsewhere,cheap land within trucking distance of major city areas is almost nonexistent.
Awareness of pollution dangers has resulted in more strict rules of waste disposal. Pollution of rivers,ground water,land and air is a price people can no longer pay to get rid of waste. The amount of waste,however,continues to grow.
Recycling efforts have become commonplace,and many towns require their people to take part.Even he most efficient recycling programs,however,can hope to deal with only about 50 Percent of a city's reusable waste. | high6266.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It's still unknown how infants could tell the difference between languages."
},
"options": [
"All the infants in the study are of the same age.",
"The infants could hear the woman's voice while watching the videos.",
"The sto... | Kids are far better than adults at learning how to speak multiple languages. Research now shows that very young infants might have some of the best language skills of all.
A new study suggests that babies between 4 and 6 months old can tell the difference between two languages just by looking at the speaker's face. They don't need to hear word. Sometimes between 6-8 months of age, babies raised in homes where just one language is spoken lose _ . Babies from bilingual homes, on the other hand, keep the face-reading ability until they're at least 8 months old.
Researchers in prefix = st1 /Canadastudied 36 infants from English-speaking families. Twelve of the babies were 4 months old,12 were 6 months old, and the rest were 8 months old. Each baby sat on his or her mother's lap and watched video clips of a woman talking. The woman was fluent in both English and French. In some clips, she read from a storybook in English. In other clips, she read in French. In all of the videos there was no sound.
After watching clip after clip of the woman reading in just one language, the babies eventually started to look away, apparently because they were bored. The researchers then showed the babies a new silent clip of the woman reading a story in the other language. At that point, the 4-month-olds and 6-month-olds started looking at the screen again. The 8-month-old,by contrast, paid no attention. That suggests that a baby's ability to distinguish between languages get lost before 8 months of age.
"Visual information about speech may play a more critical role in language learning than previously expected," says researcher psychologist Whitney. It's not yet clear, she adds, which part of the speaker's face babies are looking at for clues. Next, scientists want to see whether babies can match faces with the voices of foreign-language speakers. If babies can do this, the scientists would then like to know if this ability also declines toward the end of the first year of life. | high22287.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "copy the action of the adults."
},
"options": [
"copy the action of the adults.",
"prefer to talk with those of their own age.",
"show no interest in reading at all.",
"waste a lot of paper and other materials."
],
... | Do you enjoy reading? Do you read newspapers or magazines? Chances are, if you do any of these activities, your pre-school child is on his way to becoming a reader.
The process of learning to read is complex, and one of the most important things to know is that parents can help their children learn to read. As children have conversations with adults, they hear both new and familiar words and their vocabulary grows.
There are many opportunities for adults and children to talk together, such as when riding in the car or in a bus, doing housework like fixing dinner, or bathing and getting ready for bed. A major part of conversation is listening. When children talk, adults listen and respond. Then children listen and respond, and so the flow of conversation happens.
Have you watched you pre-school child pretend to read to his younger sisters or brothers? Have you read his favorite story over and over? These experiences tell children that reading is fun. And when things are fun and they are repeated, your child will see letters. He begins to connect them to familiar words, especially the letters that make up his name. A natural next step for him to take is to write the letters.
When children see parents make a grocery list, they want to use a pencil and paper to make their own list. To encourage these beginning writing activities, have pencils, markers, crayons and scrap paper within your children's reach.
The more children get connected with talking, listening, reading and writing, the easier it is for them to become active readers. While you as a parent have a big influence on these early behaviors, it is important to remember that opportunities for literacy experiences happen when you and your child share in the basic routines of everyday life. | high12344.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "whether it is necessary to have a telephone"
},
"options": [
"that we should be strong enough to ignore a phone call",
"that important message will reach you sooner or later",
"whether it's necessary to answer all phone calls... | Many people think a telephone is essential. But I think it is a pest and a time waster. Very often you find it impossible to escape from some idle or curious chatter-box, or from somebody who wants something for nothing. If you have a telephone in your own house, you will admit that it tends to ring when you are asleep, or in the middle of a meal or a conversation, or when you are just going out, or when you are taking your bath. Are you strong minded enough to ignore it, to say to yourself,"Ah, well, it will all be the same in a hundred years' time" You are not. You think there may be some important news or messages for you. I can assure you that if a message is really important it will reach you sooner or later. Have you never rushed dripping from the bath, or chewing from the table, or dazed from the bed, only to be told that you are a wrong number?
But you will say, you need not have your name printed in the telephone directory, and you can have a telephone which is only usable for outgoing calls. Besides, you will say, isn't it important to have a telephone in case of emergency--illness, an accident, or fire? Of course, you are right, but here in a thickly populated country like England one is seldom far from a telephone in case of dreadful necessity.
I think perhaps I had better try to justify myself by trying to prove that what I like is good. I admit that in different circumstances--if I were a tycoon(business VIP),for instance, or bed ridden I might find a telephone essential. But then if I were a taxi-driver I should find a car essential.
Let me put it another way: there are two things for which the English seem to show particular talent; one is mechanical invention, the other is literature. My own business happens to be with the use of words but I see I must now stop using them. For I have just been handed a slip of paper to say that somebody is waiting to speak to me on the telephone. I think I had better answer it. After all, one never knows, it may be something important. | high6272.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "sick stomach"
},
"options": [
"runny nose",
"bad cough",
"high fever",
"sick stomach"
],
"question": "If a boy got infected by measles virus, he might NOT show the symptom like _ .",
"question_type": "clo... | An oral drug, named ERDRP-0519, was invented. It is specifically designed to protect people who got infected measles from spreading the virus to others. Like the flu, measles spreads through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. There is typically a time, about two weeks, between becoming infected with the virus and the beginning of symptoms like skin rash , runny nose, heavy cough and high fever.
"This therapy application determines the desired characteristics of the drug, which are orally available, cost-effective manufacture and high stability," Richard Klemperer, professor of Georgia State University, told reporters last Wednesday.
"With these criteria in mind, we have developed a small drug that blocks the measles virus over the past years, which is essential for copy of the virus."
The researchers tested the drug in rats infected with canine distemper virus , which is a close relative of measles virus. They found that all of the infected rats treated with the drug survived the deadly infection, showed no clinical signs of disease and developed a strong protective immune response.
The drug could be used to treat friends, family and other social contacts of a person infected with measles virus, which have not developed symptoms yet but are at risk of having caught the disease, Klemperer said truthfully.
"The emergence of strong antiviral immunity in treated animals is particularly encouraging, since it suggests that the drug may not only save an infected individual from disease but contribute to closing measles immunity gaps in a population," Klemperer said.
The researchers emphasized the drug is not intended as a substitute for vaccination, but as an additional weapon to get rid of the measles. They planned to test the drug's safety in larger animals, before moving into clinical trials in humans.
"If our next series of studies confirms that the human situation mirrors what we have seen in rats, then this drug may make a major contribution to getting rid of measles by preventing local outbreaks" Klemperer said.
Despite the existence of an effective vaccine, annual measles deaths worldwide have remained constant at around 150,000 since 2007. The reasons for this are the highly infectious nature of the virus, in the developing world largely due to issues of resources, and in many developed countries in particular in the European region due to parental concerns regarding vaccination safety. | high11895.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Keep silent about it."
},
"options": [
"Go to the doctor's.",
"Be absent from work.",
"Keep silent about it.",
"Accept medical treatment."
],
"question": "According to the passage, which of the following might a... | One morning, Tina and Wesley both wake up with sore throats and stuffy noses. They have the same symptoms, but they react very differently. While Tina reaches for water and vitamins, her husband, Wesley, reached for the phone. "I'd better make a doctor's appointment," he says.
Why do these two Chinese people react to sickness so differently? Tina grew up in the U.S. Wesley grew up in Taiwan. And they have discovered that differences between Chinese and American cultures extend to every area of life. Even sickness and health.
When Westerners experience pain, they usually express their discomfort. Most Asians don't. This creates a challenge for American nurses who care for Asian patients in the U.S. How do they know if that calm, quiet patient is really hurting? They have to keep asking their Asian patients how they feel.
In addition, Americans usually don't want sickness to slow them down. Unlike Chinese people, Americans often don't take time off work to rest and get well. They'd rather sneeze and cough all day at the office.
Americans who get sick in Asia may protest when Chinese friends suggest they go to the hospital. "I'm not that sick!" they may say. In the U.S., only very sick or injured patients go to hospital. People go to a doctor's office for less serious problems.
Like Tina, Americans more often turn to vitamins or over-the-counter drugs to help them get well.
Chinese people, however, often head straight for the doctor when they get sick, like Wesley did. They want a prescription to treat their sickness before it gets serious.
Chinese patients often just trust their doctors to give them the information they need. Most Americans, however, ask their doctors lots of questions and do research. American patients want to know everything they can about their condition.
So, are one culture's attitudes toward health better than the other's? Perhaps not. Tina and Wesley will both recover from their colds. And today, doctors all over the world are sharing treatment methods with each other. In health, as in everything else, we can learn a lot from each other. | high20490.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "you've got the whole picture of yourself"
},
"options": [
"you know what you don't like",
"you know what you are good at",
"you have no interest in your work",
"you've got the whole picture of yourself"
],
"ques... | Knowing about yourself not only means finding out what you're good at and what you like, but also means discovering what you're not good at and what you don't like. Both help you to see your aim in life.
Although most students would be unhappy if they failed a very difficult physics examination, they have in fact learned a lot about themselves. They know that they should not become engineers or physical scientists. So failing can help a student to live a happier life if he learns something from it. They may then decide on their aims and choose the work they like and are fit for.
It is impossible to decide whether you like something until you have tried it. If you decide to play the piano, you need to take more than one lesson before knowing whether you are really interested in it or able to do well. It is not enough if you want to be a great pianist. You also have to like the hard practice and long training. If you enjoy being a great pianist but hate the work, forget it.
It's a good plan to try as many ideas as possible when you are young. Then you will find out what your true interests are. | high10553.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "focus our attention on air pollution"
},
"options": [
"tell us that Shanghai is a developed city",
"ask us to stop driving sports cars",
"tell us how much people like cars",
"focus our attention on air pollution"
],... | I come from a city on the United States'east coast. It's a ten-hour flight for me to get home from Shanghai. When I got off the plane, I took photos of the blue sky and white clouds along the way. After two weeks, I returned to Shanghai. Much to my surprise, the blue sky in Shanghai that I liked before was not as blue as that in the US. I couldn't help wondering what had happened.
A few days later, I went to tour Waitan (a famous tourist attraction in Shanghai) by the Huangpu River with some of my friends. There we saw five Ferrari sports cars by the side of the road. The red and yellow cars looked so nice that everyone was looking at them. However, when I turned my head, I noticed the sky over Waitan, I was shocked to find that the buildings in the Lujiazui area on the other side of Huangpu River could hardly be seen. It was then that I realized that Ferrari cars could be bought with money, but a blue sky couldn't.
Shanghai is an important economic and trade center in China. It has made great contributions to the whole nation's economic development. However, we need to protect the environment during economic growth. Pollution is poisoning our air and our rivers. Without clean air and rivers, how will people be able to survive? | high2014.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "all the local people in the area survived"
},
"options": [
".people's health was not influenced",
".it didn't do harm to people's gardens",
"the electricity power remained normal",
"all the local people in the area surv... | Phoenix , Arizona, the USA was shaken by a big sandstorm recently. It was a huge dust storm that struck Phoenix a little after 7:00 pm local time.
Arizona has sandstorms particularly during the monsoon( )season which usually starts from mid-June until the end of September. However, this was so far the biggest. The cloud of dust turned day into night. Some trees were downed, gardens were destroyed and it knocked out power for thousands of local people along the area, but luckily no death happened. A number of the people's pools became dirty with dust. People who lived in Phoenix for more than 40 years said that this was the first time they had experienced this huge dust storm. It could greatly influence people's health.
The big dust cloud started in Tucson traveling north across the desert. The huge storm ran up to 60 miles per hour. It was more than 100 miles wide and a mile high. Besides Phoenix and near cities ,the storm also reached Yuma area in southwestern and far western Arizona. It reduced the visibility ( ) in these areas, putting off the flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The storm only takes place in Arizona, the Sahara Desert and areas of the Middle East, because of the dry environment and large amounts of sand. Because of the serious shortage of rain, a wall of there's a large possibility that the water is polluted because of the storm. | high21956.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To tell us how to prevent the thefts around the holidays."
},
"options": [
"To let the outdoor lights on all the time.",
"To tell us how to prevent the thefts around the holidays.",
"To tell us many families suffering from th... | How do you know if your home is an easy aim for thefts? Around the holidays, many families don't consider taking proper measures to prevent their homes from suffering holiday thefts. With just a few simple steps, you can better make sure of the safety of your home during all of the holiday celebrations. Here are a few tips for making it difficult to tell you are away from home.
*Either have a trusted neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers, or tell your mailperson to hold your mail until you return. Nothing says "Hey, we are not home!" like when your postbox is filled with all kinds of mails and you have many different newspapers in your driveway.
* Set several different lights in your house on random timers . Don't leave your outdoor lights on all the time.Instead, put your outside light on timers to be on during the nights. If an outdoor light remains on for days at a time, it means that nobody is home to turn it off.
* If you have pets that you are not taking with you on vacation, leave them with friend, rather than having someone come into your house every day to take care of them, When thefts see a neighbor or friend entering your house every day, they will know you are not home.
* Close all your curtains when you leave town. This is effective to _ possible thefts, as no one can see what is in your house. If they don't know what there is to take, then the risk is even greater for them to break in.
*This article just has suggested a few tips to help you keep your house safe on holiday.Nothing can truly protect your home unless you have it monitored by a professional home security system. | high4465.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Understanding"
},
"options": [
"Supporting",
"Understanding",
"Scolding",
"Praising"
],
"question": "What's the writer's attitude toward the students' using mobile phone applications to do theirhomework?",
"... | School children are using mobile phone applications to do their homework, which seem to beincreasing during summer vacations. But instead of blaming students for their behavior, we should say noto too much homework. This is important because by using mobile phone applications to do theirhomework, students don't add much to their knowledge, says an article in Guangzhou-based YangchengEvening News. Excerpts :
Using mobile phone applications to do homework is no different from copying from someone else'swork. This is the opinion of a vast majority of teachers. Students who seek cell phone apps help to do theirhomework will pay dearly during major exams when they cannot seek the help of such applications, theteachers say.
The heavy load of homework Chinese students are burdened with, said to be the heaviest in the world,has led to the popularity of these applications.
Senior high school students in China rarely go to bed before 11 pm. A report in Shanghai published in2013 showed that students in the city on average spend 28.2 hours in class every week, the 9th highestamong 65 countries and regions surveyed. Also, they spend an average of 13.8 hours a week doinghomework, most in the world.
There is no association between the amount of homework one does and the amount of knowledge onegathers. In fact, a research by Australian experts shows that the result is exactly the opposite: the morehours students spend doing homework, the less effective they will be in gaining knowledge.
The United States is one of the countries where students do little homework, but that has not damagedthe country's academic status in the world.
So, it's time Chinese schools understood this fact and freed students of the unnecessary burden ofhomework. | high19211.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "going there personally"
},
"options": [
"writing letters",
"making telephone calls",
"going there personally",
"sending emails"
],
"question": "If you want to be full time secretary, you can contact the company ... | (1)Needed: Full time secretary position available. Applicants should have at least 2 years experience and be able to type 60 words a minute. No computer skills required. Apply in person at United Business Ltd., 17 Browning Street, Leeds.
(2) Are you looking for a part time job? We require 3 part time shop assistants to work during the evening. No experience required; applicants should between 18 and 26. Call 366 - 76564 for more information.
(3) Computer trained secretaries: Do you have experience working with computers? Would you like a full time position working in an exciting new company? If your answer is yes, give us a call at 457-896754
(4) Teacher Needed: Hania's Playschool needs 2 teacher/trainers to help with classes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should have appropriate licences. For more information visit Hania's Playschool in Leicester Square
(5) Part Time work available: We are looking for retired adults who would like to work part time at the weekend. Responsibilities include answering the telephone and giving customer's information. For more information contact us by calling 345-674132
(6) University positions open: The University of Bristol is looking for 4 teaching assistants to help with homework correction. Applicants should have a degree in one of the following: Political Science, Religion, Economics or History. Please contact the University of Bristol for more information. | high16122.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A man of few words."
},
"options": [
"A talkative football player.",
"A parent busy at work.",
"An encouraging father.",
"A man of few words."
],
"question": "Which of the following words can best describe the a... | For most of my 15 years, my father usually said very little to my mother and me. He preferred reading the newspaper or watching football matches on television to talking to his family.
Everything changed one morning. As soon as I came downstairs to breakfast, I could see that he wasn't his usual reserved self. "Can't wait! FIFA World Cup! Big match! Must see!" I quickly figured out what all the excitement was about: Dad is a big football fan.
I had never been interested in football, but Dad's excitement that morning made me more and more curious. I had to find out why this sport was making my normally reserved father act like a five-year-old on his first trip to Disneyland.
Dad decided that we should all eat at a little German restaurant so that we could watch the World Cup while eating. Secretly, I think he was hoping to turn Mum and me into football fans.
The match started a few minutes after we entered the restaurant. As I was eating my meal, a loud noise came from the television. Surprised, I looked up at the TV: "Why is that man jumping up and down?" Dad patiently explained: "That's Papa Bouba Diop, my son. It's normal for them to jump up and down after they've scored."
Dad explained almost everything to me. His monosyllabic answers were a thing of the past. I loved the new Dad! I watched the rest of the match, becoming more and more interested. When I told my father that I planned to watch more matches with him, he smiled and gave me a wink . At long last we had something in common.
Football has really helped Dad and me get closer and form a stronger relationship with each other. Who says football is only about 22 men running after a silly ball? | high4303.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Atmosphere and geography."
},
"options": [
"Atmosphere and locales.",
"Atmosphere and geography.",
"Locales and senses.",
"Locales and geography."
],
"question": "What contribute a lot to the mood of a story acc... | A setting of a story acts as a photographic backdrop to your plot and interacts with the characters. And the following are the elements that make a setting:
Time is the starting point of your setting. You develop your story and combine characters with respect to your chosen time period. Likewise, your story could evolve from a specific time of the day.
A locale, in other words, is the clothing of your story. This could be just about any place you have heard of or created. What follows your locales is the architecture of the place -- for example, if your character is born in a Victorian-style house then you will need to add in details like color1ed brickwork or a fireplace to go with your character.
Atmosphere has got to do with the climatic influences in your story. This could mean the heavy rain, mild wind or big earthquakes. Wrapping your story with weather details is a safe way of lightening the mood of your story.
Geography of a place, again, helps to set the tone and mood of your story. It could be mushy lowlands, strange forests, steep mountains, lifeless rivers, dead lakes, a snow-covered house in Switzerland. Your description of the geography is an important element of the setting. Likewise, your geographic setting could also involve imagery of ports, farms, temples, yards, etc. that will interact with your plot and characters.
Your cultural setting greatly helps with your character. The social practices, religious beliefs, political situations of a particular time, cultural trends, tradition, history, cuisine, clothing, music, etc.are some of the cultural factors that you can use to lead your characters through a complex plot or to give a direction to the characters to advance the story. The characters you create are affected by these cultural factors as well as act as their guiding factor throughout the story.
Senses are extremely vital as they not just add more belief to your story, but also help to bring memories of the reader. Imagine being wakened by the sweet of freshly-cut grass on a summer morning, or sitting by the side of a fireplace while the logs crepitate , or enjoying Belgian chocolate, or watching the rolling golden reflections of water on cave walls, or moving one's fingers tenderly through someone's thick hair; these sensory descriptions make sure they make your readers more curious.
While you can add many layers to your story through the setting elements above, there are chances that you will most likely lose the sight of the plot as a whole. Therefore, you must know what color1s are appropriate for your imagery, as overloading your painting with too many color1s will make you lose your sense of thesubjectand of your readers as well. | high19577.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": ". John."
},
"options": [
"Tom.",
"Sorry, I don't know",
"Tony.",
". John."
],
"question": "What's the blind man's name?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0... | One day, there was a blind man called John sitting on a bench with a hat by his feet and a sign that read, "I am blind. Please help me."
A reporter named Tom was walking by the blind man and stopped to see that the man only had a few coins in his hat. He put a few of his own coins in the hat. Without asking for permission, took the sign, turned it around and wrote a new message. Then he put the sign by the feet of the blind man, and left.
Later that afternoon the reporter returned to the blind man and noticed that his hat was almost full of bills and coins. The blind man recognized his footsteps and asked if it was he who had changed his sign. He also wanted to know what the man wrote on it.
The reporter said, "I just wrote the message a little differently." He smiled and went on his way.
The new sign read, "Spring has come, but I can't see anything." | high16644.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "introduce the main topic"
},
"options": [
"introduce the main topic",
"show the author's altitude",
"describe how to use the Interne.",
"explain how to store information"
],
"question": "The passage begins with ... | As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood thatthe computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.
In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder . Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called "transactive memory ".
According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing. | high10235.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the US students' life in China is helpful and worthwhile"
},
"options": [
"the US students' life in China is helpful and worthwhile",
"all students of the US are living a comfortable life in China",
"Chinese young people are ... | First Lady Michelle Obama urged students to visit China at the "100,000 Strong" China Study Abroad forum at Howard University in 2011.
President Barack Obama announced the "100,000 Strong" Initiative during his 2009 visit to China. The program aims to increase and diversify the number of American students studying in China by making studying abroad more affordable.
During the event at Howard, Mrs. Obama spoke about the importance of studying abroad, something she never did while in college. "Studying in countries like China is about so much more than just improving your own prospects in the global market. The fact is that with every friendship you make and every bond of trust you establish you are shaping an image of America projected to the rest of the world," she said.
David Marzban from Pepperdine University recalled a time when he formed a cross-cultural bond with a complete stranger at a restaurant near Fudan University in Shanghai. He noticed a young chef signaling him to come over. "He presses the play button on his media player and starts singing 'California Dreaming' and wants me to sing along with him," Marzban said. "At this time I knew a great friendship had started during my first two weeks in China."
Nicole Baden, a senior communications major at Howard University, recalled how her time in China really helped her master the language. "You have to experience the culture while learning the language to really master it and to understand why things are how they are compared to your own culture," Baden said.
Mrs. Obama encouraged students to set aside concept that studying abroad is for rich kids only or for those attending certain schools. In addition, the first lady announced that the Chinese government is giving 10,000 "Bridge Scholarships" to cover costs for American students and teachers studying in China.
Students from several schools attended the forum. 12-year-old Sarah Davis, who studied in China last summer, said she was very excited to hear Michelle Obama talk about the country. "I love Chinese. Out of all the languages I've learned, Chinese is the most difficult and interesting," she said. | high2772.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "may feel unsatisfied about the long working hours as a junior programmer"
},
"options": [
"recommends people to work for the government as a programmer",
". believes that if you are not old, you should find a job in the government"... | In a world where work-related stress has rocketed, could the most intelligent option be simply to find the least-taxing, most profitable job on offer? Could the smartest choice for a future career be the path that requires the least amount of effort?
And what's so wrong with applying yourself to seeking out a low stress option anyway? We looked to question-and-answer site Quora for some suggestions for the best jobs for smart but lazy people. Here's what the masses had to say:
If you're unwilling to work far from your home office, Paul Denlinger suggested: "Computer programmer: It is a continuous learning process, but you really don't have to work that hard and gradually you learn that many of the challenges are repetitive ."
Even the nature of the work itself lends itself to doing less, he indicated, "Good programmers write as few lines of code as possible, and it is one of those professions which pays well, while at the same time, encouraging laziness, Denlinger wrote. "At the same time, you get to work with other reasonably intelligent, technical people, while the investors throw money at you for their next great idea."
However, Chris Leong a programmer in Sydney suggested "working for the government -- most roles have 35-hour weeks in Australia -- unless you become senior."
Matthew Kuzma wrote: "My personal opinion is that the best possible job for someone who is intelligent but lazy would be to be a professional 'expert' at something, to get paid to just share your thoughts and opinions about things with people who will do the heavy lifting."
He advises the lazy bones to "identify the activities you don't consider work and find a career that will pay you for those. Chances are, the things you consider fun and easy are things someone else finds so hard that they're willing to pay you to do them."
As it happens, taking a calm and relaxed approach to dealing with a project is not always a negative either. Arvind Krishnan quotes billionaire Bill Gates as saying "I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job, because he will find an easy way to do it."
So lazy-but-intelligent people of the world :"Look like you have a shot at Microsoft," wrote Krishnan. | high18669.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "sad"
},
"options": [
"sad",
"surprised",
"nervous",
"disappointed"
],
"question": "Seeing the sight after the storm, the author felt very _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | I am a volunteer. I set out to help clean up the beach after a violent storm a year ago. The sight I saw was heartbreaking. The broken houses seemed to be crying. I couldn't describe how I felt. But something special among the debris turned my day around.
I joined a club to clean up the beach after the storm last November. As I removed the debris from the beach, I noticed an object with shiny buttons in the wet sand. It was a jacket,and I was excited since Halloween was coming and I thought I had found a great costume . After picking it up, I was able to see that the jacket was from West Point , the United States Military Academy, and it had the name "deGavre" written inside. I realized the jacket might be important to someone. I decided to find the jacket's owner and return it.
I called the West Point Museum, considering that if the family couldn't be found, the jacket should go there. The museum connected me with Kim McDermott, Director of Communications for the Academy's Association of Graduates. Kim soon ensured that the jacket had belonged to Chester Braddock deGavre, who was a 1933 graduate and a war hero, but passed away in 1993.
I sent Kim a photo of the jacket and she posted it to the West Point Association of Graduates Facebook Page, asking if anyone could help us find the family. In less than two hours, someone had found and called the hero's wife, Teresa. Soon I started to receive personal messages from members of the deGavre family, their friends and others who were touched by the story and they found me on Facebook.
Finding Chester deGavre's jacket and connecting to his family with the help of Facebook have been so meaningful to me. I've formed a bond with amazing people I might have never met. | high14053.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They have created a lot of movies taken as classics."
},
"options": [
"They are interested in awards for their works.",
"They are members of the New Hollywood gang.",
"They have created a lot of movies taken as classics.",
... | There are many great movie directors of all time and the following are five of those who have largely impressed audience with their body of work.
As a member of the New Hollywood gang, Francis Coppola is best remembered for The God Father series. His decision to cast Marlon Brando in the lead also met with fierce opposition from the studio bosses. Good sense became popular, and The God Father went on to become one of the most memorable movies ever. Critics may point out that he has become less creative after his seventies, but try as one might, no one can possibly take the place of this great director's work.
Stanley Kubrick's movies focus on the themes like sci-fi, horror, dark humor and war. He used symbolism in most of his movies, giving us some wonderful screen visuals, as shown in 2001: A Space Odyssey. His actors in Hollywood complained about the endless number of retakes, but they appreciated the performance he milked out of them. People argue about films like Lolita, A Clockwork Orange and Paths of Glory, but these are now seen as classics.
Steven Spielberg is a great success at the box office, and he is one of the world's most popular filmmakers today. As the creator of classics like Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, ET, Indiana Jones series, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, no one can win his hold over the audience. His critics accuse him of being emotional and over the top, _
Woody Allen is a director who directs movies full of crime and hate. This comic genius has given us Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters and Midnight in Paris, which have also become classical. His movies constantly include characters who arouse the audience's sympathy and laughter at the same time, as they set out on a journey of self-discovery. Hollywood star power has never fazed Allen. Thankfully, awards and honors do not interest him, which results in creativity that is original. | high6514.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Favorable."
},
"options": [
"Careless.",
"Doubtful.",
"Mixed.",
"Favorable."
],
"question": "What is the author's attitude towards pet movies?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_i... | Humans love animals and they especially love animals with humanlike personalities. For this
reason, many of the most popular films are either centered on animals or have animals as important characters. Even in a movie that has little or nothing to do with animals, a pet can add a certain emotional quality to a film's plot. As expected, dogs and cats, the two most popular pets, make up the majority of animal characters in films. But many other less common pets have had starring roles also. Snakes, rats, pigs, rabbits, horses and many others have touched our lives through their extraordinary ability to personify humans in ways that humans just can't do.
Most movies that feature pets as central characters are family movies that give families a platform around which delicate subjects can be discussed. Often kids have an easier time understanding subjects like death and illness if they see it through the eyes of one of these personified animals.
These days, computer animation and graphics allow an entirely new generation of pet movies to be made. Animals that before were never seen in a film but now appear on the big screen in life. Whether they are lions, elephants, polar bears or some other exotic animals, video stores now have hundreds of titles offering humanlike performances from any type of animal imaginable.
Most animal movies have at least a little comedy. Even the saddest of classics such as Bambi or Charlotte's Web contain plenty of humor to relieve the tension and make the movie bearable. These movies almost always carry with them themes of human experiences and a message of hope. Kids learn that though life carries on with pain and sorrow, we learn to live with those facts and enjoy life for its good times.
Perhaps one of the best parts of pet movies is the way they help wipe away our stereotypes about certain types of pets. For example, the conflict between cats and dogs is often shown in a fun and non--violent way in the movies. If these lifelong enemies can find a way to live in harmony, then certainly we humans should have no trouble doing so. Perhaps it is the fact that animals have so much to teach us about ourselves that makes us love them so much in the movies. | high24190.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is being redesigned because it could be used in places without electricity"
},
"options": [
"has been rediscovered because it costs much less and works more efficiently",
"is being redesigned because it could be used in places with... | An early invention by Albert Einstein has been rebuilt by scientists at Oxford University. They are trying to develop an environmentally friendly refrigerator that runs without electricity.
We all know that modern fridges cause damage to the environment. They work by using a kind of man-made greenhouse gas called Freon , which is far more damaging than carbon dioxide.
Now Malcolm McCulloch, an electrical engineer at Oxford, is leading a three-year project to develop appliances that can be used in places without electricity.
His team has completed a prototype of a fridge patented in 1930 by Einstein. It used only pressurized gases to keep things cold. The design was partly used in the first refrigerators, but the technology was dropped when more efficient compressors became popular in the 1950s. That meant a switch to using Freon.
Einstein's idea uses butane and water and takes advantage of the fact that liquids boil at lower temperatures, when the air pressure around them is lower.
"If you go to the top of Mount Qomolangma, water boils at a much lower temperature than it does when you're at sea level and that's because the pressure is much lower up there," said McCulloch.At one side is the evaporator , a bottle that contains liquid butane. "If you introduce a new vapor above the butane, the liquid boiling temperature decreases and, as it boils off, it takes energy from the surroundings to do so," says McCulloch. "That's what makes it cold."
The gas fridges based on Einstein's design were replaced by Freon-compressor fridges partly because Einstein's design was not very efficient. But McCulloch thinks that by changing the design and replacing the types of gases used it will be possible to quadruple the efficiency.
However, McCulloch's fridge is still in its early stages. "It's very much a prototype," he said. "Give us another month and we'll have it working." | high12422.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "It was full of flowers and gardens."
},
"options": [
"It was big and frightening.",
"It was full of flowers and gardens.",
"It had wild animals inside and outside.",
"It was an amusement park."
],
"question": "W... | Mr. Eckerd at the end of the street was a different fellow with a different kind of house. He let kids from the neighborhood come to see his house, but only if they had written permission from their parents, and if he'd already spoken to the parents before.
What made it so different? He shared his home with rescued animals that the county couldn't keep. He had the permission to have things like monkeys, large cats, and other strange creatures. His house had the ivy -covered brick wall and the iron gate across the driveway. Once you went inside, the hedges lining the driveway were carved into the shapes of animals. There were other pretty plants on the grounds, too.
The old brick house held a lot of surprises. The double doors with the lion's head door knockers opened into a large flat entryway. In the wooden board walls all around, there were fish tanks with colorful fishes. The ceilings were painted with scenes of plants and rare animals. Room opened off from there. Continuing down the hall, you came to a large courtyard, which had been caged in, partly open to the sky .A large group of tiny monkeys shook up and down trees. You had to walk through a caged tunnel into other parts of the house. They called out to whoever walked in, hoping for treats of fruits, nuts, and seeds. Behind that, the hall continued to a room full of snakes and lizards. It felt like a desert in that room, so dry and hot. It was not everyone's favorite room, but it certainly was interesting. The final room was actually out back, and definitely not something to miss. It was much like a large glass bird cage or a greenhouse. It was there that you would usually find Mr Eckerd on a bench next to some carvings of jungle animals. He was watching the Bengal tiger that wandered back and forth inside the cage.
Mr. Eckerd's house was the strangest and most unique place in town, a place very well worth seeing. | high8539.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Man has to pay much more attention to the future results of his present action."
},
"options": [
"Cutting down woods does little harm to human beings.",
"Man has to pay much more attention to the future results of his present actio... | It is only during the last few years that man has generally realized that in the world of nature a balance exists between all forms of life. No living thing can exist by itself. It is part of a system in which all forms of life are joined together. If we change one part of the nature order, this will almost certainly bring about changes in some other parts.
The cutting of forests reduced the supply of oxygen. The killing of weeds and insects by chemicals led to the wide-spread poisoning of animals and birds. The throwing of waste products into the ocean hurt life in the sea, while waste gases changed the chemical balance of the atmosphere and shut out some of the sun's necessary life-giving rays.
And so we could go on adding more examples until in despair we might feel like giving up the struggle to control these harmful human activities. Man is very clever at changing the world around him to satisfy his immediate needs, but he is not so clever at looking far ahead, or at thinking about what the future results of his action might be. Man may well destroy himself because of his silly action. | high937.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The friendship developing during your school days will be with you for a long time."
},
"options": [
"What you value above anything is the friendship developing during childhood.",
"The friendship developing during your school days... | Friends play a very important part in everyone's life. Friendship usually develops during childhood. New friends are made when you progress through school. Those friends that you make as a student can usually last long. Friends influence your development, maturity and sense of responsibility. A familiar expression is "You can tell a lot about a person by knowing who his friends are." Friendship is based on common interests. If you like sports, most of your friends are likely to be athletic . If you enjoy reading and shopping, most of your friends do the same.
Some people call you their friends for the wrong reasons. These people are not really friends. They are superficial only "friends" on the outside, not the inside where it counts. Superficial friends only want to be your friends if it is to their advantage. True friends are there if you are rich or poor. It is easy to have many _ if you are rich. By this time you should be able to separate your friends into the real or the "phoney".
True friends are most special. They are also difficult to find. You can consider yourself very lucky if you have one true friend. This friend is eager to help you whenever necessary. He or she knows you would do the same for them. A true friend is someone you can talk to about any subject or problem. You and your true friend have good understanding of each other. True friends support you, take your side, and build up your confidence. | high2982.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Tiger Escapes, Kills Keeper in German Zoo"
},
"options": [
"Tiger Escapes, Kills Keeper in German Zoo",
"Tiger Escapes in German Zoo, Shot Dead",
"German Zoo Keeper Shot Escaped Tiger",
"People Killed in Oldest Zoo in G... | BERLIN (AP)----A tiger escaped its enclosure at Cologne Zoo in western Germany on Saturday and killed a female keeper before being shot dead by the zoo's director, police said.
The tiger slipped through a passage between the enclosure and a neighboring storage building, where it fatally attacked the 43-year-old keeper, said police spokesman Stefan Kirchner.
"It appears the gate wasn't properly shut," Kirchner told The Associated Press.
The zoo was evacuated and a SWAT team was called in, police said.But before it arrived, the zoo's director managed to kill the tiger by climbing onto the storage building and shooting it through a skylight using a rifle.
Kirchner said it was unlikely that members of the public had witnessed the incident. "This is the darkest day of my life," the zoo's director, Theo Pagel, was quoted as saying by Cologne newspaper Express.
The paper said on its website that the Siberian tiger was a 4-year-old male called Tltai that came to Cologne Zoo from an animal park in England.In November it fathered three cubs with a 7-year-old Siberian tiger called Hanya, according to the zoo's website.
Police said the zoo reopened after Saturday's incident, which occurred around noon.However, a planned late-night opening of the zoo has been canceled.
Cologne Zoo is one of the oldest in Germany.It was founded in 1860 and houses some 10,000 animals consisting of more than 700 different species. | high3444.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "it was safe there"
},
"options": [
"the education there was excellent",
"her parents were from Britain",
"it was safe there",
"she wanted to be a ballerina"
],
"question": "The reason why Audrey lived and studie... | Audrey Hepburn (.)won an Academy Award as Best Actress for her first major American movie, Roman Holiday, which was released in 1953. But she is remembered as much for her aid work as for her acting.
Born in Belgium in 1929, Audrey's father was British and her mother was Dutch.
Audrey was sent to live at a British school for part of her childhood. During World War
II, she lived and studied in the Netherlands. Her mother thought it would be safe from German attacks. Audrey studied dance as a teenager and when she returned to London after the war. But she realized she wasn't going to be a ballerina .So she began taking acting parts in stage shows. Later she began to get small parts in movies.
But it was Audrey Hepburn's move to America that brought her true fame. In 1951 she played the character "Gigi" in the Broadway play of the same name to great critical praise. Two years later, Roman Holiday made her a star at the age of 24.
Audrey made more than 25 movies. Among her most popular roles was Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1961. Three years later, she played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
She was married twice. In 1989, the UN Children's Fund named Audrey a goodwill ambassador. She travelled all over the world in support of UNICEF projects. She often gave 15 interviews a day to gain money and support for UNICEF projects.
Audrey Hepburn often said her loyalty to UNICEF was the result of her experiences as a child during World War U. She said she knew what it was like to be starving and to be saved by international aid. She was a goodwill ambassador until her death in 1993 from colon cancer. | high18899.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Glasses Will Help Find Your Things"
},
"options": [
"A Habit of Forgetting Small Things",
"Usage of New High - Tech Glasses",
"How to Find Little Things Easily",
"Glasses Will Help Find Your Things"
],
"question... | You're rushing to get out of the door for a meeting, but you just can't seem to find your car keys. Or you've got tickets booked for a Caribbean cruise , but your passport disappeared. Or maybe you've just come back from a grocery store tour and realized...Hey, did I leave my baby in the checkout line?
Ok, you've probably never gone to the extremes of our last example (we hope), but most of us experience slip - ups like these on a daily basis. No matter how smart you may be, it doesn't mean your brain won't turn to Swiss cheese every so often, and no amount of e-mail reminders can help you remember where you left your TV remote or lucky penny.
But now, there is a new pair of eyeglasses that can help to find all those little things you know must be around somewhere : Let's call it Vision 2.0.
The new glasses, which are being developed in a Japanese lab under the code name Smart Goggles,are similar to a Google search engine for your eyes. The high - tech glasses come with a camera that records everything you see on a daily basis, and boast built - in object recognition software that allows them to keep track of whatever comes across their field of vision. If you've got a collection of art sculptures that the camera can't recognize immediately, no problem : Just say the name of each item, and the glasses will memorize them right away.
The Smart Goggles' superb tracking abilities mean that whenever you're looking for your keys, your overdue library book, or yes, even your baby, all you have to do is to say the word and the Goggles' camera will show you the last time your desired object appeared on screen, telling exactly where you'll be able to find it.
Though the glasses are still too big for general use, the research team in Japan believes that they'll be able to make the modem glasses smaller to the size of normal glasses in the near future, making them the perfect new accessory for yourself or any other absent - minded Professor you know.
With these intelligent designs, you'll never lose anything again. Except maybe your glasses. | high5035.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "It strengthened her family ties."
},
"options": [
"It strengthened her family ties.",
"It improved her living conditions.",
"It enabled her make more friends.",
"It helped her know more new places."
],
"question... | Grandparents Answer a Call
As a third generation native of Brownsville, Texas, Mildred Garza never pleased move away. Even when her daughter and son asked her to move to San Antonio to help their children, she politely refused. Only after a year of friendly discussion did Ms Gaf finally say yes. That was four years ago. Today all three generations regard the move to a success, giving them a closer relationship than they would have had in separate cities.
No statistics show the number of grandparents like Garza who are moving closer to the children and grandchildren. Yet there is evidence suggesting that the trend is growing. Even President Obama's mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, has agreed to leave Chicago and into the White House to help care for her granddaughters. According to a study grandparents. com, 83 percent of the people said Mrs. Robinson's decision will influence the grandparents in the American family. Two-thirds believe more families will follow the example of Obama's family.
"In the 1960s we were all a little wild and couldn't get away from home far enough fast enough to prove we could do it on our own,"says Christine Crosby, publisher of grate magazine for grandparents. "We now realize how important family is and how important to be near them, especially when you're raising children."
Moving is not for everyone. Almost every grandparent wants to be with his or her grandchildren and is willing to make sacrifices, but sometimes it is wiser to say no and visit frequently instead. Having your grandchildren far away is hard, especially knowing your adult child is struggling, but giving up the life you know may be harder. | high13714.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "strengthens the feminine qualities required"
},
"options": [
"strengthens the feminine qualities required",
"makes women look more honest and capable",
"is of great importance to women",
"often enables women to succeed ... | Beauty has always been regarded as something admirable. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and have more respectable jobs. Personal consultants give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive persons. But in the executive circle , beauty can become a liability.
While attractiveness is a positive thing for a man's rise, it is harmful to a woman. Handsome male executives were considered as having more honesty than plainer men; effort and ability were thought to be the reasons for their success. Attractive female executives were considered to have less honesty than unattractive ones; their success was attributed not to ability but to factors such as luck. All unattractive women executives were thought to have more honesty and to be more capable than the attractive female executives.
Why are attractive woman not thought to be able? An attractive woman is thought to be more feminine and an attractive man more masculine than the less attractive ones. Thus, an attractive woman has an advantage in traditionally female jobs, but an attractive woman in a traditionally masculine position appears to lack the "masculine" qualities required.
This is true even in politics. Anne Bowman recently published a study on the effects of attractiveness on political candidates . She asked 125 undergraduate students to rank two groups of photographs, one of men and one of women in order of attractiveness. The students were told the photographs were of candidates for political offices. They were asked lo rank them again, in the order they would vote for them.
The results showed that attractive males completely defeated unattractive men, but the woman who had been ranked most attractive always received the fewest votes. | high1253.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Students are not contented with \"common\"college."
},
"options": [
"The rate of college entrance is still not high in China.",
"There not enough colleges for students.",
"Students are not contented with \"common\"college.",
... | I entered college in China in 1981. Many things seemed to remain the same. For many things are dominated by one thing: the national entrance examination to get into college. In my year, about 4% high school students went to college. Now the number is 22%, as compared to 40% in the US.
The significant increase in the entrance rate doesn't seem to have relieved the anxiety. As a parent to a freshman college student, I can prove that junior and senior years in high school are not much fun even for students in the US. Once a country has vastly increased the rate of college entrance, students will still want to get into "better" colleges. _ , no matter where you are.
The NYT Magazine article also mentioned the Soviet-style over-specialized education in Chinese colleges. My class in college had maybe 60 students specialized in compressors, another 60 students specialized in refrigeration, and yet another 60 students specialized in welding . I was among the 60 specialized in mechanics. I cannot recall the numbers exactly, but you get the picture.
It really wasn't as terrible as it sounds. In order to specialize in mechanics, we had to study math, physics and chemistry. We studied electrical circuits, alloy treatment, mechanical drawing, Fortran. We even had a continuous stream of humanity courses: history of communist party, political economics... I'm not sure I enjoyed all the courses, but I cannot claim that these courses damaged my brain, either. I remember some of the humanity courses required writing, which turned out to be a useful skill.
As a consequence of specialization, we did learn a lot of mechanics. By the end of college, we had courses on analytical mechanics, strength of materials.
I often feel sorry for American students in my undergraduate class, knowing that strength of materials will be their first and last course in the mechanics of materials. So many beautiful sights unseen! But they also seem to turn out to be OK. A liberal and superficial eduction doesn't damage their brains, either.
All this high level debate about education makes me dizzy, and turns me off. So far as I can tell, both systems of eduction work fine, and have their own limitations. The bottom line is that the quantity of knowledge is too large to be crammed into 4 years, and you'd have to make choices, making it either narrow or shallow or perhaps both. You'll just have to be prepared to engage yourself in life-long learning. | high7622.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The bracelet telling when to put on sunscreen"
},
"options": [
"The anti-smoking poster",
"The ball providing water for thirsty dogs",
"The fishing rod telling whether you've caught a fish",
"The bracelet telling when t... | Paula and Rory have fives kids, three dogs, and a rabbit. When the house is very noisy, Megan, one of the children, is quietly inventing. A year ago, the 10-year-old had to design an anti-smoking poster, she came up with the idea of creating something that shows the average amount of tar a smoker collects from just four packs of cigarettes.
"I like people to play with things more than read and write," she says. So she researched her idea on the Internet, found a company in China that could make it, saved up her pocket money and got her idea made.
Paula says her daughter "think differently": Ideas jump into her mind. After she got sunburnt on holiday, Megan invented a small plastic bracelet that changes colors in the sun, telling you when to put on sunscreen . Several sunscreen companies have expressed an interest in the idea. She also came up with an idea to make a ball filled with water to stop the dog from feeling thirsty. "But we didn't do anything with it," says Paula.
Then she pulls out a picture of a special fishing rod she had designed. "There is a camera on the hook ," she explains, "and the screen is on the handle, and it shows if you've caught a fish or not."
Megan doesn't want to go to university. She keeps her pink-and -cream bedroom tidy. Paula is amazed and a bit confused by her daughter. "Everything has to be in a certain order," Paula says. "Her brothers and sisters go with the flow, but with Megan, it's 'What time will that be happening?' or 'Where am I being picked up from today?'" | high15365.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "songs"
},
"options": [
"movies",
"books",
"songs",
"games"
],
"question": "The author lists some examples of violent entertainment EXCEPT _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | A troubled young man in Connecticut laid his hands on the kinds of guns that no civilian should ever have and shot 20 children and 6 adults . It was a tragedy that " broke the hearts of America " , as President Barack Obama said . The obvious way to prevent the next such _ is gun control . And , yes , we need it now . Voters need to be loud , politicians need to be brave , and the gun lobby needs to be defeated . Perhaps Barack Obama , no longer up for election , will no longer be chicken .
But American violence doesn't just come from the weapons we buy and the gun shows we frequent . It's much deeper than that . This is also the country that supplies three-quarters of the world's arms trade . These are weapon sales authorized by our government and by a Democratic President . International weapon sales by America between 2010 and 2011 tripled . The same Democratic President continues a policy of targeted ( often poorly ) assassinations in Pakistan .
This country also supplies most of the world's violent entertainment . America leads the world in massacres in life , and in film too . The most popular movie this week , " SKyfall , " is a load of fun ; but every emotional climax involves a shooting , sometimes with small guns sometimes with large ones . Firearms have long been identified with manliness in popular culture . Ever more they are identified with womanliness , too . The most popular culture . Every more they are identified with womanliness , too . The most popular video game this week is " Halo 4 ; " the most popular novel is Tom Clancy's " Treat Vector ; " the second and s\third best-selling works of nonfiction are " Killing Kennedy " and " Killing Lincoln , " respectively . Every author , and every creator , should have the right to make what they want . Still , every civilian has a right to choose what to see and what to buy .
Violence is sometimes essential to art , and often to foreign policy , too . But the cruel killing in Newtown , the worst single event in this country in eleven years and three months , should lead to a moment of deep reflection . It's time to talk about guns ; but it's also time to talk about a lot more . | high7144.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They have behaved badly."
},
"options": [
"Their parents won't let him leave gifts.",
"He can't find their homes.",
"He often forgets their names.",
"They have behaved badly."
],
"question": "Why doesn't Santa l... | "I don't believe in Santa Claus!" Trogmire announced.
Tremor looked shocked. "Why not?" he asked.
"Because he never leaves me any gifts at all," Trogmire growled.
Tremor thought about the evidence for a few seconds. "Maybe," he suggested, "it's because when Santa checked his list, your name wasn't in the 'nice' column."
"So, he could at least bring me a lump of coal!" Trogmire replied. "And," he went on, "Troubled doesn't believe in Santa, either."
"Right," Tremor said, "because he saw his parents putting the 'From Santa' presents under the tree. But I know the truth about that. My mother found out from Troubled's mother. When Troubled's parents got an e-mail from Santa, saying that he would never bring Troubled another gift, they didn't want to tell him the truth. So now they buy presents and pretend they're from Santa."
"What did Troubled do to get Santa so mad?" Trogmire questioned.
"I think it had something to do with the time he put glue paper all over the living room floor on Christmas Eve, and left a sign that said, 'Trapped like a rat!' hanging over the fireplace." said Tremor.
"I guess Santa doesn't have a sense of humour," sighed Trogmire. "Well, at least I'm not the only one who Santa scratched off his name list." | high15403.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "stubborn and devoted"
},
"options": [
"stubborn and devoted",
"impatient and strict",
"enthusiastic and hardworking",
"honest and responsible"
],
"question": "Which of the following can best describe Sun?",
... | Lee's mother Sun became unexpectedly pregnant while married to a disabled man. Doctors told her that because of a medication she had been taking her child would not be normal. She chose to continue with the pregnancy and in 1985 in Seoul, South Korea, little Hee Ah Lee was born with only two fingers on each hand, disfigurement of her legs, and slight brain injury. The hospital told Sun that she could not care for the child at home and her relatives wanted her to place the child for adoption in a foreign country. Sun, however, thought her baby would live a successful life.
When Lee was a pre-schooler, Sun wanted her daughter to take piano lessons for two reasons. One was that she felt it would help her strengthen her hands so she could hold a pencil. The other was that she felt that if she could master the piano, she could master anything. For six months piano schools turned them down and then the one teacher who did accept the task got discouraged and wanted to quit. It was a three-month contest of wills between mother and daughter that led to a conflict in which Sun actually threw her daughter on the floor in frustration. But Lee got back up on the piano bench and for the first time played a children's song. That was the turning point and one year later Lee won the grand prize in a piano concert for Kindergartners. It was at the age of 7 that Lee won Korea's 19th National Handicap Conquest Contest and was presented with her award by the President of Korea.
Lee has won numerous awards, and is a widely traveled concert pianist with more than 200 appearances. Her first album titled "Hee-ah, a Pianist with Four Fingers" was released in June, 2008.
Lee speaks highly of her mother for challenging her to master the piano and said that although her training was difficult, "As time went by, the piano became my source of inspiration and my best friend." | high13072.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "knew he could win"
},
"options": [
"knew he could win",
"wanted to have fun with the lady",
"wanted to lose money to her",
"liked to chat with young ladies"
],
"question": "The lawyer tried to persuade the lady ... | A lawyer and a young lady were sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer asked if she would like to play a fun game. The lady just wanted to take a nap, so she politely refused.
The lawyer explained that the game was actually very easy. He explained "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me, and vice versa ." Again, the lady politely refused and tried to get some sleep.
The lawyer added eagerly, "Okay, if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $50!" Considering that there would be no end to this suffering unless she played, the lady agreed.
The lawyer asked the first question, "What is the distance from the earth to the moon?" The young lady didn't say a word, pulled out five dollars from her purse and handed it to the lawyer.
Now, it was the lady's turn. She asked the lawyer, "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?" The lawyer was greatly puzzled. He took out his computer and searched all of his references. He searched the Net and sent e-mails to all of his friends, but it was all _ . After over an hour, he woke up the lady and handed her $50. The lady politely took the money and turned away to get back to sleep.
The lawyer, very puzzled now, woke the lady up again and asked, "Well, what on earth is the answer?" Without a word, the lady reached into her purse, handed the lawyer another $5 and went back to sleep. | high1535.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Japanese cartoonists took up the majority of Chinese market."
},
"options": [
"she nearly finished her study in junior high school.",
"Japanese cartoonists took up the majority of Chinese market.",
"Chinese cartoonists could ... | When Zhang Ning , whose pen name was Misha, started drawing manga in junior high school, it was a time when Japanese cartoonists occupied most of the Chinese market. She was warned about the poor wage cartoonists earn and the risk of pursuing a career in an industry where China is not yet competitive.
But with the growth of domestic animation and manga industry in recent years, Zhang managed to draw her way up to become one of the country's top cartoonists. In 2011, the 29-year-old won the Golden Dragon award, one of the most influential awards in China's manga industry.
Looking back, the graduate of Zhejiang University of Technology said: "It was a dream come true." Zhang's success boomed along with the industry. In 2010, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's animation and manga industry was worth 47 billion yuan. It has seen annual growth rates of more than 20 percent in recent years.
These big numbers seem a far stretch from Zhang's in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. But she thinks the very reason why cartoonists can enjoy a decent life is the country's decision to well develop the industry. "The country is not giving us money directly, but it's creating a market in which we can succeed,"said Zhang.
Apart from government investment, Zhang is also benefiting from technology advances. The Internet has provided a wider platform for cartoonists to publish their work. The electric edition of Zhang's work ranked the 6th among free book apps on the Apple Store. "I think the Internet has encouraged new cartoonists and given them more chances. Before we could only contribute to magazines and it was difficult to convince the editors to publish our work", said Zhang. "But when you release your work online, you receive encouragement and support from many netizens. It increases your confidence. "said Zhang.
New technology has also attracted more people to read comics. "China has entered 3G era. It's very convenient for people to read on their smart phones when traveling around. It opens comics to a bigger readership," said Zhang. Only last week, Zhang published her new manga based on the ancient classic Tangzi which set during the warring states period. According to Zhang, the inspiration came from wall painting in Dunhuang, Gansu province. She hopes her works will encouraged more people especially the young, to explore the cultural treasures of ancient China. "Chinese youths now need a spirit to help them to realize their dreams," said Zhang. "Like Kua Fu chasing the sun --- people can accomplish great things by choosing to something seemingly beyond their ability. I think that's my "Chinese dream" and I want to share it with the public through my cartoons." | high9169.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she and her friends were having a sleepover party"
},
"options": [
"they had fun together and played too late",
"she was offered the nightdress",
"the famous singer Elvis Presley died that night",
"she and her friends w... | On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley saved me.
The previous afternoon, I played with my six-year-old peers in Heather Peters' backyard. I was enjoying my cake, when Heather asked me where my sleeping bag was. Only then did I know this party was a sleepover. The word "sleep-over" to a six-year-old bed-wetter is like what "cancer" means to an adult. But what if I told them I was a bed-wetter? At least with cancer, people gather at your bedside instead of running from it.
I thought of a way to escape. I would explain that I needed my mother's permission to spend the nights. But as I called my Mom, Heather stood beside me to listen. She granted permission! Then I would be sleeping in the same living room as the other girls. I didn't bring my own nightdress, so Mrs. Peters offered me Heather's nightdress.
As the other girls drifted into their sweet dreams, I tried to stay awake. "Do I need to go again? I'll stay up to go one more time...". Of course, I finally fell asleep.
The next morning, I was the first to wake up. I was warm! I lay in panic for what seemed like hours before the other girls started to wake up. I did the only thing I could do--I pretended that the bed-wetting didn't happen. I got up, took off Heather's nightdress and changed into my clothes like the other girls.
Mrs. Peters walked into the room, and before she could say anything, she stepped right onto the pile of my wet nightdress. My heart stopped as I watched her face burn red. "WHO DID THIS?" She screamed, with a look so scary. Should I answer? And that was when it happened--Mr. Peters came in and grabbed his wife, "Elvis Presley died!"
The news of the King's death overtook Mrs. Peters, and I was narrowly excused. Then, we left Peters' together but without the other girls knowing what had happened. | high5753.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A Ten-year-old Heroine"
},
"options": [
"Knowledge Is Power",
"A Ten-year-old Heroine",
"Tilly Smith in the Tsunami",
"The Danger of Tsunamis"
],
"question": "Which is the best title for the passage?",
"ques... | On December 26, a ten-year-old British schoolgirl, Tilly Smith, felt that something was wrong while she was on the beach with her family. Her mind kept going back to the geography lesson Mr. Kearney gave just two weeks before she flew to Thailand with her family.
"The water was swelling and kept coming in," said Tilly's mother. "There was froth on it like you get on the top of a beer."
The Smiths were celebrating Christmas at Maikhao Beach in southern Thailand. Deadly tsunami waves were already on their way. There had been an earthquake not far away earlier that morning.
The beach was getting smaller and smaller. Tilly's parents felt strange but they didn't know what was happening. Then Tilly said she'd just studied this at school. She told her parents that a tsunami was coming. In the end she screamed at everyone to get off the beach. Tilly's parents even didn't know what a tsunami was. Seeing their daughter so frightened, they thought that something serious must have been happening. Her parents soon took her and her seven-year-old sister back to the hotel. Many other tourists also left the beach with them.
The family stayed on the third floor of their hotel. Fortunately, the hotel wasn't destroyed during the tsunami.
Tilly's mother said that if they had stayed on the beach, they wouldn't have survived.
After the disaster, the Smiths met people from nearby resorts who had lost their whole families. More than 100 people were saved because of Tilly's warning. | high18127.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because she didn't like the greedy owner."
},
"options": [
"Because she didn't like the greedy owner.",
"Because she wanted to save the gold for the poor.",
"Because the underground room was too cold to stay in.",
"Beca... | Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was impolite and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold underground room. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very kind farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen? Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help."
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the underground room , I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he couldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. You see, things aren't always what they seem. " | high3322.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "A brave defender of the country."
},
"options": [
"A cruel war going on in the country.",
"A brave defender of the country.",
"A cab driver's last business run.",
"A moving talk between a civilian and a soldier."
],... | Bit by bit, the sand dust that fills the sky is dying down. The blue sky and the burning sun once again hang over the desert.
He is on the road, driving his beat-up yellow cab. The sides of the road are littered with damaged vehicles. Masses of smoke in the distance tell him that a war is being dragged on throughout his country.
It's a fine day despite the choking heat. Not a breath of wind is blowing.
A group of vehicles are traveling towards him, carrying many passengers. The scene reminds him of the market days in this country when crowds of trucks transport folks to the markets; the only difference is, this time, they are not trucks, but tanks, carrying foreigners, guns in hand. He stares at them. They stare back. So they pass by one another.
"The damned war!" he whispers bitterly. Two days ago, a bomb fell on the market in front of his house, destroying nearly everything in sight. He survived by luck. He decided then and there that he would give up this cab business. This will be his final run. After this, he will leave this place together with his wife and children.
"Shala and my children, we'll soon meet each other again, after I'm done here." He turns his head to take a glance at a photo of his wife and children. The glass on the frame is broken, but their smiles in the picture do not fail to provide him with the only comfort that he has.
Shortly he arrives at a checkpoint. Tanks sit by the side of the road, the sight of which sends a marked coldness through his backbone. A bunch of soldiers armed to the teeth stand by. A foreign soldier signals him to stop. He calms himself down and pulls over. During the past few days, nearly no civilian vehicles come out of the capital city, his car being the only one on roads.
A few foreign soldiers come up to him, one, two, three, four, five. The leader bends over to have a look at the old car, then at him. "Where do you come from and where are you going?" With a smile on his face, he answers with a broken speech in the tongue that the soldier can understand, "Sir, I come from the capital. I'm leaving that place because it is a very dangerous place to be, with the war and everything."
While talking, he hands a cigarette over to the soldier, then lights it up for him.
"When will the war end?" he asks.
"It won't take long. We'll soon give all of you in the capital the true freedom." The soldier breathes a deep mouthful. He seems to have spotted the photo in the car, "The cigarette is not bad at all. Are those your wife and kids? I have two of my own, roughly the same age."
"Oh, yes, they are mine and they are constantly on my mind. They left the city a bit earlier, and I'm on my way to be reunited with them. Perhaps I'm never coming back. Driving a cab around during war times is too dangerous. I'm giving up the business." He looks at the soldier, still smiling.
"After we overthrow your dictator , you won't have that to worry about. You can come back and pick up your life again." The soldier is leaning on the door of the car. It is perhaps the first time in many days that he has seen a happy face among the local people. It cheers him up.
"Maybe, but I have to go to see my family. If you would pay us a visit, my wife will prepare a good meal for all of you. _ "
"Can't make it. We're on duty. Give our regards to your wife and kids." The soldier is a bit excited, thinking maybe quite some locals have open arms for them after all. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot. The south is battle-infected. Where is your family?"
Still smiling, he picks up the broken picture frame, presses a kiss on the photo, then turns around, staring into the eyes of that soldier, not quite himself from excitement, and the other foreign soldiers holding guns. Words drop out of his lips slowly but firmly:
"Paradise."
Perhaps the last thing he sees is the confused, fearful, twisted expression on the face of that soldier, and the cigarette end dropping from his fingers.
Then he pushes the button. | high11665.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "how 3D technology works"
},
"options": [
"what 3D technology needs",
"what 3D movies are",
"how 3D movies develops",
"how 3D technology works"
],
"question": "The passage is mainly about _ .",
"question_t... | Have you had this experience? You are watching a movie. A man is shooting on the screen. The picture is so real that you think he is shooting at you. Or a car is speeding on the screen and at one point you are afraid that it will hit you.
Three-dimensional(3D)movies use special technology to make pictures seem more real and exciting than two-dimensional ones. The popular movie Avatar uses 3D technology.
So far we can only see 3D movies in the cinema with a special screen and projector .But soon, we will be able to watch them in our living rooms. Last month, Woods Company told reporters that it plans to bring 3D televisions to homes in the near future. The company is also hoping to make other products with 3D, like laptops and PS3
"The 3D train is on the track, and we are ready to drive it home," said the President. 3D movies and TV programs are fun to watch, but do you know how they are made? It is much easier to understand if we do an experiment.
Hold one of your fingers up at arms length and close one eye. Then try closing the other eye. As you switch between open eyes, you should see your finger "jumping" left and right against the background.
This happens because our two eyes are about 4cm away from each other. The separation causes each eye to see the world from a different angle. The brain puts these two views together. What you see becomes three-dimensional.
3D movies are made using two video cameras at the same time, which creates two different images. When the movie plays in a cinema, two projectors put the two images on the screen. With a pair of 3D glasses, the two images are separated and each image only enters one eye. Your brain puts the two pictures back together, and the pictures on the screen become three-dimensional. | high19239.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "our environment influences our eating habits"
},
"options": [
"our income decides our eating habits",
"our environment influences our eating habits",
"our social position changes our eating habits",
"our family influenc... | We eat what our friends eat, according to a new study presented at the Agricultural and Applied Economic Association's 2013 annual meeting in Washington, D. C.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois and Oklahoma State University, provided fresh confirmation of how much our environment influences our eating habits. The scientific team analyzed the lunch receipts from a restaurant in Oklahoma that agreed to use three menus designed by the researchers for three months in 2010. One group of diners -- the control group -- used the restaurant's original menus with item and price listings. The second group received menus with calorie counts and the third group used menus that had both calorie counts and a traffic light symbol designed to indicate calorie ranges. A green traffic light meant an food option was 400 calories or less, a yellow light indicated 401 calories to 800 calories and a red light was placed next to choices with more than 800 calories.
By analyzing diners' receipts, the researchers picked out interesting patterns in what regular customers ordered. They also interviewed servers and found that people who were part of larger parties and received menus with traffic lights typically ordered healthier choices, which the researchers say suggests the influence of peer pressure.
The researchers then created a model to assess how customers felt about their choices. Based on the popularity of menu items, the researchers determined the probability that individuals were satisfied with their choice. Interestingly, this standard of satisfaction was influenced by expected factors such as price and calories, but also by fellow diners' menu choices as well. They found that even if a customer firstly felt less satisfied about their choice of say, a salad, they felt better about it if their friends ordered an item within the same menu category.
"The message from this research is that people were happier if they were making similar choices to those sitting around them," study author Bill Ellison, an economist at the University of Illinois, said in a statement. "If my peers are ordering higher-calorie items or spending more money, then I am also happier, or at least less unhappy, if I order higher-calorie foods and spend more money. " So if you're hoping to eat better, try dining with friends who do too. | high18133.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "By giving examples."
},
"options": [
"By telling a story.",
"By giving examples.",
"By answering questions.",
"By performing experiments."
],
"question": "In what way the author tried to prove his point in the p... | How many of us have heard that question, "Where was GOD when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked?" Well, I know where my GOD was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy!
He was trying to discourage anyone from taking these flights. Those four flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard.
He was on 4 commercial flights giving frightened passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a loved one on one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one of the flights he was giving strength to passengers to try to overtake the hijackers.
He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a _ in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or they had traffic delays.
He was holding up 2-110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't fall when the jets crashed. And when they did fall, GOD made them fall inward, as many more lives would have been lost.
So when anyone asks, "Where was your GOD on September 11," you can say "everywhere"! And yes, although this is without a doubt the worst thing I have seen in my life, I see God's miracles in every bit of it. I can't imagine going through such a difficult time and not believing in GOD - life would be hopeless. So shines a good deed in a weary world! | high5747.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "parents teach their children how to deal with money"
},
"options": [
"parents teach their children how to deal with money",
"children follow their parents 'instructions",
"children manage their money",
"parents save the... | EAT YOUR VEGETABLES. Wash your hands. Always say "please" and "thank you ".We are full of advice for our children, but when it comes to money, we often have little to say. As a result, our children may grow up with clean hands and good manners, but without any idea how to manage their money.Here are some basics that will help guide them their entire lives:
Show them the future. If your 13-year-old girl were to save $1.000,invest it at 8% and add $100 every month, by the time she's 65,she would have $980,983!zxxk
Be careful of credit .Credit cards can help you buy necessary things and build a credit history, but they must be used responsibly, which means paying off your debt in time. Explain to your children that when you buy something using a credit card, you can easily end up paying two or three times what you would have paid if you used cash.
Teach patience. Suppose your child wants a new bicycle that costs $150.Rather than paying the cash, give him some regular pocket money and explain that by putting aside,say,$15 each week, he will be able to buy it for himself in only ten weeks.
Provide _ . Tell your children the importance of saving. "For every dollar he or she agrees to save and invest rather than spend, you agree to add another dollar to the pot, "says Cathy Pareto, expert in money planning.
Explain your values. Values and money are deeply intertwined , says Eilleen Gallo, co-author of The Financially Intelligent Parent. When your child demands that you buy something, explain why you really don't want to buy it. "You might say, 'I'd rather save that money for your education,'" advises Gallo. Every time you spend or don't spend money, you have a chance to share your values. | high2028.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "become more confident about themselves"
},
"options": [
"are asked to write an article",
"are able to play an instrument",
"are well prepared to start school",
"become more confident about themselves"
],
"questi... | Rooster Morris is an author, entertainer, storyteller, musician, and composer. He has performed for over 4.5 million students in elementary schools, public libraries and museums. Rooster shares with the audience some of the stories in children's books. Kids walk away from his performances, believing they can write, draw, perform, sing, or play a musical instrument. Most importantly, students walk away, believing reading will open the doors to every opportunity in life.
Everyone knows authors write books, but how many students actually have the opportunity to watch a published author read from their books? When a student has the advantage of meeting an author and has the opportunity to ask questions, they realize authors are people from far-away places. Rooster points out these misunderstandings and explains how he started writing.
Rooster talks of habits being one of the most important things in a person's life. If people develop good habits, they will achieve their goals and be ready for anything. Rooster talks about how he wanted to play the fiddle when he was a young boy. He learns to make a habit of practicing the fundamentals. Rooster shows the kids the pay-off -- he plays a song in front of the audience and brings the excitement to a new level.
Rooster will educate and entertain the audience. Many students begin writing after having seen Rooster's program. When children hear someone they admire say, "You can do anything if you want to do it," it motivates them into action.
Laid-Back West, Inc. has been booking authors for schools for over 13 years. We know the value of a successful author visit and can invite Rooster and other authors to visit your school. | high3336.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "eat while it is fresh"
},
"options": [
"store it in plastic bags",
"eat the inside leaves",
"wrap it in paper",
"eat while it is fresh"
],
"question": "When eating Iettuce5you'd better _ so that it tastes be... | Lettuce has been eaten for over 4,500 years, and was known to the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Now, people in some countries start the meal with lettuce as part of a salad. There are hundreds of kinds of lettuce. The main ones include head lettuce, such as iceberg, leaf lettuce,Boston, bibb and romaine.
Experts say lettuce is one of the easiest crops to grow in your garden. The best time to plant the seeds is during cool weather. The University of Illinois Extension advises that the best planting temperature is 150C.
Lettuce seeds are small, so do not place them too deep in the ground. If you plant some seeds every week or two, you will have crops ready to eat one after another.
To start the seeds inside, you can use a seed tray in your home or other shelter. This container should be deep enough to hold at least three centimeters of soil or more. There should be about one centimeter of space between the soil and the top of the container. The container should have holes in the bottom so the extra water can flow out. Drop the seeds over the surface and cover them lightly with soil. If the soil is not already a little wet, give it some water. But do not drown the seeds.
Next, cover the seed tray with paper. When the seedlings have come up far enough to touch the paper, take it off. You can transplant the seedlings into the garden when they are about two to three centimeters tall. Do this when the weather is not too hot and not too cold. Take out as much soil as you can with the seedlings, Then dig a hole in the ground bigger thanthe lettuce roots. Water the plants but not too heavily.
Harvest leaf lettuces when the leaves are big enough to eat. Pull the leaves from the outside of the planting so the inside leaves will keep growing. Or, you can cut off the whole plant. Leave about two or three centimeters above the ground so the plant will re-grow. Cut off head lettuces at ground level.
Lettuce is best when served fresh, so make a salad and enjoy. Experts say lettuce is one of the easiest crops to grow in your garden. | high4459.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "was too young and ill to look after himself"
},
"options": [
"was too young and ill to look after himself",
"was fortunate enough to be cured",
"donated his bone marrow to his sister",
"was going to have an operation"
... | A 12-year old boy who donated bone marrow to his dying sister and has raised more thanPS10,000 for charity has been named the UK's Family Hero of the Year.
Adam Kerr, 12, from Armagh, Northern Ireland, also helps his mother care for his younger brother Brian, 9, who suffers from the genetic disease Fanconi's anaemia . But it is not the first hardship that has affected young Adam. When he was just six, he donated his own bone marrow to his younger sister Helen who suffered from a rare blood disorder. Sadly she developed complications and died a few months after the operation in 2005.
Adam found it very difficult to be happy after Helen's death. So he decided to start raising money in memory of Helen to help local poor children and families with bereavement . Overall he has raised PS10,000 and he has no intentions of giving up.
He organised a Fun Day to provide the money for a brother and sister from Northern Ireland to visit their sick brother having a bone marrow transplant in a London hospital.
He received his award and a cheque forPS2,000 at an "Oscar's style" ceremony in London. Ms Phillips said: "Adam is an incredible young man. In his relatively short life he has faced real sadness and bad luck and yet he works tirelessly to make life better for others."
The Awards were sponsored by the charity 4Children and Take a Break Magazine. Anne Longfield OBE, Chief Executive of 4Children said:"It's an honour to recognise Adam's devotion and self-sacrifice, and his bravery shows there is always reason for hope and optimism. There is so much unrecognized goodwill out there of people who do so much for others, and the inspiring winners of the Family Heroes Awards remind us how important it is for us all to do our best to make a difference in the lives of others." | high7150.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "amnh. org."
},
"options": [
"ettensstardustdiner. com.",
"grandcentralterminal. com.",
"amnh. org.",
"scholastic. com."
],
"question": "Which of the following websites helps kids learn about animals?",
"ques... | When visiting New York City with your kids,there are many things to do with kids that will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.
The Whispering Gallery
Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. The Whispering Room's architecture allows for a phenomenon that usually makes people laugh. Once inside the gallery,place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of the participants to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence or two and the person on the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.
E. 42nd St.
2127715322
grandcentralterminal. com
The American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits,permanent attractions bring the cool factor home to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and see the impressive dinosaur skeletons .And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids about the fragility of the Ocean
Central Park West at 79th St.
2127695606
amnh. org
the Scholastic Store
Most parents want their children to read,and moreover,to enjoy reading. Scholastic helps to make that wish a reality by publishing interesting,well-written stories that are popular with children. With such classics as"Clifford the Big Red Dog","The Magic School Bus,"and"Harry Potter,"the Scholastic Store will delight your children.
557 Broadway
2123436100
scholastic. com
Ellen's Stardust Diner
The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. Arugula salads,grilled cheese,burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. A hall of beauty queens,a drive-in theatre and wait staff that sing to you can add to this unique dining experience.
1650 Broadway,corner of 51st St.
2129565151
ellensstardustdiner. com | high8263.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Steve's cold attitude"
},
"options": [
"Steve's inviting him to dinner",
"Steve's cold attitude",
"Steve's studying with him",
"Steve's misunderstanding him"
],
"question": "According to the passage, _ made Y... | Steve and Yaser first met in their chemistry class at an American university. Yaser was an international student from Jordan. He wanted to learn more about American culture and hoped that he and Steve would become good friends. At first, Steve seemed very friendly. He always greeted Yaser warmly before class. Sometimes he offered to study with Yaser. He even invited Yaser to have lunch with him. But after the term was over, Steve seemed distant. The two former classmates didn't see each other very often at school. One day Yaser decided to call Steve. Steve didn't seem very interested in talking to him. Yaser was hurt by Steve's change of attitude. "Steve said we were friends," Yaser complained, "and I thought friends were friends forever." Yaser was a little confused.
As a foreigner, he doesn't understand the way Americans view friendship. Americans use the word "friend" in a very general way. They may call both casual acquaintances(;) and close companions "friends". These friendships are based on common interests. When the shared activity ends, the friendship may fade . Now as Steve and Yaser are no longer classmates, their "friendship" has changed. In some cultures friendship means a strong lifelong bond between two people. In these cultures friendships develop slowly, since they are built to last. American society is one of rapid change. Studies show that one out five American families moves every year. American friendships develop quickly, and _ may change just quickly as well. People from the United States may at first seem friendly. Americans often chat easily with strangers. But American friendliness is not always an offer of true friendship. After an experience like Yaser's , people who've been in this country for only a few months may consider Americans to be fickle . Learning how Americans view friendship can help non-Americans avoid misunderstandings. It can also help them make friends in the American way. | high12378.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "prefer to have a driving license"
},
"options": [
"prefer to have a driving license",
"have more accidents while driving",
"are somehow prevented from driving",
"are the only driver in the family"
],
"question":... | It has always been said that women are not good drivers, because they simply don't have very good driving ability. On the other hand, most car accidents happen to men; very few happen to women.
From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact that we should point out is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Somehow they were prevented from making this step in their lives, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests from an early age.
However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license, this is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily.
To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them. | high1521.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "It usually draws different reactions from different age groups."
},
"options": [
"It often reads to great inventions in other related fields.",
"It contributes greatly to the advance of society as a whole.",
"It further widen... | Attitudes toward new technologies often fall along generational lines. That is, generally, younger people tend to outnumber older people on the front end of a technologic I shift.
It is not always the case, though. When you look at attitudes toward driverless cars y there doesn't seem to be a dear generational divide. The public overall is split on whether they'd like to use a driverless car. In a study last year, of all people surveyed, 48 percent said they wanted to ride in one, while 50 percent did not.
The fact that attitudes toward self-driving cars appear to be so steady across generations suggests how varying the shift to driverless cars could be. Not everyone wants a driverless car now-and no one can get one yet-but among those who are open to them, every age group is similarly involved.
Actually, this isn't surprising. Whereas older generations are sometimes unwilling to adopt new technologies, driverless cars promise real value to these age groups in particular. Older adults, especially those with limited moving or difficulty driving on their own, are one of the classic use-cases for driverless cars.
This is especially interesting when you consider that younger people are generally more interested in travel-related technologies than older ones.
When it comes to driverless cars, differences in attitude are easily noticeable based on factors not related to age. College graduates, for example, are particularly interested in driverless cars compared with those who have less education. 59 percent of college graduates said they would like to use a driverless car compared with 38 percent of those with a high-school diploma or less.
Where a person lives matters, too. More people who live in cities and suburbs said they wanted to try driverless cars than those who lived in rural areas.
While there's reason to believe that interest in 8elf-driving cars is going up across the hoard, a person's age will have little to Ho with how self-driving cars can become mainstream. Once driverless cars are actually available for sale, the early adopters will be the people who can afford to buy them. | high14709.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is a result of a spelling mistake"
},
"options": [
"has been famous since 1996",
"is a result of a spelling mistake",
"means a number followed by 100 zeros",
"is the original name of the search engine"
],
"quest... | What is a six-letter word that immediately comes to mind when you need some information on the Internet? You probably thought of Google. But Google wasn't always the name of the famous search engine. In fact, the original name was BackRub!
BackRub was the name two graduate students gave to the new search engine they developed in 1996. They called it BackRub because the engine used backlinks to measure the popularity of Web sites. Later, they wanted a better name -- a name that suggests huge quantities of data. They thought of the word googol. (A googol is a number followed by 100 zeros.) When they checked the Internet registry of names to see if googol was already taken, one of the students misspelled the word by mistake, and that's how Google was born.
Google is just one example of a name change in the business world. Many other companies have decided to change their names or the names of their products. Here are some more examples:
Jerry Yang and David Filo, two young computer specialists, developed a guide to Internet content in 1994. They called it "Jerry and David's Guide to World Wide Web." But they soon realized that this wasn't a very catchy name, so they searched through a dictionary and found a better one: "Yahoo."
Sometimes companies change their names because of the popularity of one of their products. In 1962, a young runner named Phil Knight started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1971, Knight decided to design and manufacture his own brand of shoes. He named the shoes after the Greek goddess of victory -- Nike. Nike shoes became so well known that Knight changed the name of the whole company to Nike. | high6528.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "owing to their undoubted and respectable status"
},
"options": [
"owing to their undoubted and respectable status",
"to achieve a balance between tradition and reality",
"to give voters more public figures to look up to",
... | King Juan Carlos of Spain once insisted "kings don't give up the throne , they die in their sleep." But embarrassing scandals and the popularity of the republican left in the recent Euro-elections have forced him to eat his words and stand down. So does the Spanish crisis suggest that monarchy is seeing its last days? Does that mean the writing is on the wall for all European royals, with their magnificent uniforms and majestic lifestyles?
The Spanish case provides arguments both for and against monarchy. When public opinion is particularly polarized, as it was following the end of the Franco regime, monarchs can rise above mere politics and symbolize a spirit of national unity.
It is this apparent transcendence of politics that explains monarchs continuing popularity as heads of state. And so, the Middle East excepted, Europe is the most monarch- filled region in the world, with 10 kingdoms (not counting Vatican City and Andorra). Most royal families have survived because they allow voters to avoid the difficult search for a non-controversial but respected public figure.
Even so, kings and queens undoubtedly have a downside. Symbolic of national unity as they claim to be, their very history and sometimes the way they behave today symbolizes outdated and indefensible privileges and inequalities. At a time when Thomas Piketty and other economists are warning of rising inequality and the increasing power of inherited wealth, it is strange that wealthy noble families should still be the symbolic heart of modern democratic states.
The most successful monarchies try their best to abandon or hide their old noble ways. Princes and princesses have day-jobs and ride bicycles, not horses (or helicopters). Even so, these are wealthy families who party with the international 1%, and media interference makes it increasingly difficult to maintain the right image. | high13700.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to leave behind a precious memory to the people related"
},
"options": [
"to leave behind a precious memory to the people related",
"to have a high sense of duty to the whole society",
"to care what others will remember and t... | "I've changed my mind. I wanted to have a telescope, but now I want my daddy back." Lucien Lawrence's letter to Father Christmas written after his schoolteacher father had been knifed to death outside his school gate, must have touched every heart. Lucien went on to say that without his father he couldn't see the stars in the sky. When those whom we love depart from us, we cannot see the stars for a while.
But Lucien, the stars are still there, and one day, when you are older and your tears have gone, you will see them again. And, in a strange way, I expect that you will find your father is there too, in your mind and in your heart. I find that my parents, long dead now, still figure in many of my dreams and that I think of them perhaps more than I ever did when they were alive. I still live to please them and I' m still surprised by their reactions. I remember that when I became a professor, I was so proud, or rather so pleased with myself, that I couldn't wait to cable my parents. The reply was a long time in coming, but when it did, all Mother said was "I hope this means that now you will have more time for the children!" I haven' t forgotten. The values of my parents still live on.
It makes me pause and think about how I will live on in the hearts and minds of my children and of those for whom I care. Would I have been as ready as Philip Lawrence have been to face the aggressors ,and to lay down my life for those in my care? How many people would want me back for Christmas? It's a serious thought, one to give me pause.
I pray silently, sometimes, in the dead of night, that ancient cry of a poet "Deliver my soul from the sword , and my darling from the power of the dog." Yet I know the death comes to us all, and sometimes comes suddenly. We must therefore plan to live forever, but live as if we will die tomorrow. We live on, I'm sure, in the lives of those we loved, and therefore we ought to have a care for what they will remember and what they will treasure. If more parents knew this in their hearts to be true, there might be fewer knives on our streets today. | high1247.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "We do not know much about them yet"
},
"options": [
"They attack human beings",
"We need to study native animals",
"They can't live out of the rain forest",
"We do not know much about them yet"
],
"question": "W... | We have met the enemy and he is ours We bought him at a pet shop. When monkey-pox, a disease usually found in the African rain forest suddenly turns up in children in the American .Midwest it's hard not to wonder of the disease that comes from foreign animals is homing in on human beings. "Most of the infections we think of as human infections started in other animals " says Stephen Morse director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness at Columbia University.
It's not just that we're going to where the animals are; we're also bringing them closer to us Popular foreign pets have brought a whole new disease to this country A strange illness killed Isaksen's pets and she now thinks that keeping foreign pets is a bad idea "I don't think it's fair to have them as pets when we have such a limited knowledge of them "says Isaksen
"Laws allowing these animals to be brought in from deep forest areas without stricter control need changing "says Peter Schantz Monkey-pox may be the wake-up call. Researchers believe infected animals may infect their owners. We know very little about these new diseases A new bug may be kind at first. But it may develop into something harmful Monkey-pox doesn't look a major infectious disease But is not impossible to pass the disease from person to person | high7636.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to see a patient"
},
"options": [
"to see a patient",
"to please the nurse",
"to clean the floor",
"to surprise the story-teller"
],
"question": "When she took a mop from the small room what Mum really wanted to... | We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. Then, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop . She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, "Very dirty floors." "Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them," the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, "But aren't you working late?"
Mum just pushed harder, each swipe of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book. After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining.
She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you."
Outside, Mum told me "Grandma is fine. No fever ."
"You saw her, Mum?"
"Of course. I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is not good. You need a brush." | high8505.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "All people in Australia don't share the positive attitude to euthanasia"
},
"options": [
"Patients will ask their doctors for euthanasia if they are afraid of illness.",
"Australia, Canada and the US speak highly of the law of euth... | Australia's Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to perform euthanasia --that's to say, doctors are permitted to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. Word that the law was passed by the vote of 15 to 10 immediately flashed on the Internet and was picked up by John, the director of the Right to Die Society of Canada, who posted it on the group's homepage online, saying, "This isn't merely something that happened in Australia. It's world history."
The NT Rights of the Terminally Ill Law has left physicians and citizens trying to deal with its moral and practical influence. Some have breathed sighs of relief; but others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the law. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia--where an aging population, life-extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part--other states are going to consider making a similar law. In the U. S. and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, _ .
Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death--probably by a deadly injection or pill--to end suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as incurably ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally Ill Law means he can get on with living without the disturbing fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I' m not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says. | high2996.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Information technology is developing at an amazing speed."
},
"options": [
"Information technology is developing at an amazing speed.",
"Today's cars and airplanes are extremely overpriced.",
"Information technology has reach... | Today, there's hardly an aspect of our life that isn't being upended by the tons of information available on the hundreds of millions of sites crowding the Internet, not to mention its ability to keep us in constant touch with each other via electronic mail. "If the automobile and aerospace technology had exploded at the same pace as computer and information technology," says Microsoft, "a new car would cost about $ 2 and go 600 miles on a small quantity of gas. And you could buy a Boeing 747 for the cost of a pizza."
Probably the biggest payoff, however, is the billions of dollars the Internet is saving companies in producing goods and serving for the needs of their customers. Nothing like it has been seen since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when power-driven machines began producing more in a day than men could turn out in nearly a year. "We view the growth of the Internet and e-commerce as a global trend," says Merrill Lynch, "along the lines of printing press, the telephone, the computer, and electricity."
You would be hard pressed to name something that isn't available on the Internet. Consider: books, health care, movie tickets, construction materials, baby clothes, stocks, cattle feed, music, electronics, antiques, tools, real estate, toys, autographs of famous people, wine and airline tickets. And even after you've moved on to your final resting place, there's no reason those you love can't keep in touch. A company called FinalThoughts.com offers a place for you to store "afterlife e-mails" you can send to Heaven with the help of a "guardian angel".
Kids today are so computer literate that it in fact ensures the United States will remain the unchallenged leader in cyberspace for the foreseeable future. Nearly all children in families with incomes of more than $75,000 a year have home computers, according to a study by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Youngsters from ages 2 to 17 at all income levels have computers, with 52% of those connected to the Internet. Most kids use computers to play games (some for 30 hours or more a week), and many teenage girls think nothing of rushing home from school to have e-mail chats with friends they have just left.
What's clear is that, whether we like it or not, the Internet is an ever growing part of our lives and there is no turning back. "The Internet is just 20% invented," says cyber pioneer Jake Winebaum. "The last 80% is happening now." | high3450.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "in every person's mind"
},
"options": [
"in our eyes",
"only when we think very hard about something",
"only under the direction of a psychologist",
"in every person's mind"
],
"question": "Perceiving is an acti... | Ask three people to look out the same window at a busy street comer and tell you what they see. Chances are you will receive three different answers. Each person sees the same scene, but each perceives something different about it.
Perceiving goes on in our minds. Of the three people who look out the window, one may say that he sees a policeman giving a motorist a ticket. Another may say that he sees a rush-hour traffic jam at the intersection. The third may tell you that he sees a woman trying to cross the street with four children in tow. For perception is the minds' interpretation of what the senses -- in this case our eyes -- tell us.
Many psychologists today are working to try to determine just how a person experiences or perceives the world around him. Using a scientific approach, these psychologists set up experiments in which they can control all of the factors. By measuring and charting the results of many experiments, they are trying to find out what makes different people perceive totally different things about the same scene. | high11117.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Most people think it is inconvenient."
},
"options": [
"Most people think it is inconvenient.",
"Only 18% can find their road mates.",
"Some people consider it dangerous.",
"Half of the people accept the idea.."
],
... | While car sharing is a concept that's catching on, old-fashioned carpooling where a group of people take turns driving each other to work has always faced a resistance . In a study on traffic problems by ABC News, 84% of those who drive to work say that they still do it alone. More than half those lone riders insist that carpooling is just too inconvenient, and 18% say they simple don't know anyone to share a ride with.
Now technology makes carpooling easier and more fun. NuRide, a company provided an online carpooling service last year, offers daily travelers in the Washington area not just a web-based list of would-be carpoolers but also a way to arrange a trip online. Here's how it works: rider seekers enter the positions where their trip will begin and end, the time they want to leave and if they're willing to drive or just ride in someone else's car. The website's search engine then looks for matches and makes lists of the names of traveling companions, along with the car model and the exact time and place to meet for each trip. People who want to share the ride can show their interest in joining in online and then meet their car mates when it's time to go.
NuRide users aren't riding with total strangers. They are required to provide the name of their employer and a work e-mail address, both of which need to be checked before being listed on the website.
To attract users, NuRide offers a frequent rider prize: anyone who shares a ride gets a $1 credit. So far, 2,300 people have signed up. NuRide CEO Rick Steele said that more than 50,000 rides have been arranged on the website, resulting in 1.4 million fewer miles driven and 650 fewer tons of automobile emissions . | high10209.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "he helped young people get married secretly"
},
"options": [
"he secretly got married",
"he attracted the emperor",
"he didn't serve in the army",
"he helped young people get married secretly"
],
"question": "Va... | My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.
Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!
Did I mention that I was a priest ? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers. One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.
I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.
On the day I was to die, February 14, 269 A.D. I left my friend a little note thanking a girl, who helped me keep my spirits up, for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine." | high17566.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "train the new soldiers"
},
"options": [
"stop the soldiers from going to towns",
"stop the soldiers from meeting their friends",
"train the new soldiers",
"make the young men live quietly"
],
"question": "The mi... | It was a quiet village in which there was a military camp . It was far from the towns and cities and there were some high mountains around. Of course it was a good place for training the new soldiers. But it was difficult for the young men to go outside. Mr. White, an officer of forty, was strict with them and he hardly let them leave the camp.
Once Mr. White was ill in bed. He couldn't work and a young officer, Mr. Hunt began to train the new soldiers instead of him. He knew the young men well and let nine soldiers go to the nearest town to have a holiday. But night fell and none came back to the camp. He was worried about it and stood at the gate. It was five to twelve when Mr. Hunt decided to go to the town and see what was happening to the young men. He started the car quickly and set off. At that moment the nine soldiers came back. It seemed they drank wine. Of course they found the officer was angry.
"I'm sorry, sir,"said the first soldier."I left the town on time. But something was wrong with my bus on my way here. I had to buy a horse and made it run fast. Bad luck! It died and I had to run back."
And the other seven soldiers said they were late for the same reasons. It was the last soldier's turn. He said, "I'm sorry, sir. I got on a bus on time, but..."
Having heard this, the officer became even angrier and stopped him at once. He called out, "If you say something was wrong with your bus, I'll punish you at once!"
"No, no, sir," said the young man. "My bus was all right, but the horse died!" | high5021.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "there were 139 subjects involved in the new study"
},
"options": [
"there were 139 subjects involved in the new study",
"a free lunch might be as delicious as you expected",
"the high pricing will change the exact taste of th... | It is said that there's no such thing as a free lunch, but even if you manage to bag a bargain meal, it will not taste as good as a more expensive choice, according to scientists.
A new study has found that restaurant goers who pay more for their meals think the food is tastier than offered for a smaller price. The experts think that people tend to associate cost with quality and this changes their perception of how food tastes.
Scientists at Cornell University studied the eating habits of 139 people enjoying an Italian buffet in a restaurant. The price of the food was set by the researchers at either $4 or $8 for the all-you-can-eat meal. Customers were asked to rate how good the food tasted, the quality of the restaurant and to leave their names.
The experiment showed that the people who paid $8 enjoyed their meal 11% more than those who ate the "cheaper" buffet. Interestingly those that paid for the $4 buffet said they felt guiltier about loading up their plates and felt that they overate. However, the scientists said that both groups ate around the same quantity of food in total.
Brian Wansink, a professor of consumer behavior at the university, said: "We were fascinated to find that pricing has little effect on how much one eats, but a huge effect on how you interpret the experience." He thinks that people enjoyed their food more as they associated cost with quality and that small changes to a restaurant can change how tasty people find their meals.
In a previous study, researchers from the university showed that people who eat in bright lighting consume more than people who eat in less brightly lit areas. | high10786.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "introduce some information about Peter Jackson"
},
"options": [
"show us Peter Jackson is a most well-known directors",
"tell us there is a famous person in New Zealand",
"introduce some information about Peter Jackson",
... | Peter Jackson, currently one of the world's most well-known directors and the unofficial face of the entire nation of New Zealand, was born on October 31, 1961 in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand. He liked to take photographs, so a family friend bought the young Jackson a super 8mm camera. He has been a filmmaker even since. At age nine he even attempted to remake his favorite film, King Kong, using his own stop-motion effect.
Unlike many of the filmmakers working today, Jackson never went to film school. Instead he created his own short films with the help of family and friends. He was turned down for a job at the National Film Unit, New Zealand's government agency that produces tourist films about the country. With that avenue closed, Jackson began working other jobs to support himself, while shooting shorts on the weekend. One of these weekend films, expanded from its original ten minutes length into a feature film. The project took four years to complete (1983-1987)and was called Bad Taste.
After the success of Bad Taste, Jackson became recognized as a director and the door to fame and fortune was opened. He gave up his job at a local photographer's shop and became a well-known director of horror-movies. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is obviously a huge landmark in Jackson's career, not only did the films become some of the most commercially successful of all time, _ His digital effects company, WETA Digital, became one of, if not the most respected effects company in the world; similarly, Jackson has also expressed an interest in returning to his roots and directing some lower-budget splatter films again. | high20645.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Blazing Saddles."
},
"options": [
"Blazing Saddles.",
"Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast.",
"Important of Deciding Basic Goals of the Women's Union.",
"Unskilled Labor on Rivers and Canals in Upper Canada, 1820-1850."
... | McGill Comedy Club
Important meetings today. Discussion on putting on Blazing Saddles. Union room 302, 3-4pm. New members (both actors and non-actors, living and dead) are welcome.
History Students' Association
Prof. Michael Cross of Dalhouseie University will be speaking on "Unskilled Labor on Rivers and Canals in Upper Canada, 1820-1850: The beginning of Class Struggle" at 10am. in Peacock 230.
Design Mirror Sale
All types and sizes of design mirrors priced to please. Sale today in Union room 108.
McGill Teaching Assistants' Association
A general meeting, for all the Tas will be held at 4pm. in peacock 116.
Women's Union
Important general meeting at 6pm. Union room 423. Speaker on "Importance of Deciding Basic Goals of the Women's Union." Everyone ----old, new and those interviewed, please attend.
Film Society
Last meeting of the term for all members. All managers are required to be present at 6pm. sharp, Union room 434.
Canadian University Students Overseas
CUSO presents "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast" at 7pm. newman Centre, 3848 Peel. Find out about CUSO here and overseas. Everyone welcome. | high11498.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They set high requirements for others."
},
"options": [
"They enjoy investing time and efforts.",
"They are not easy to satisfy.",
"They have special ways of handling emails.",
"They set high requirements for others."
... | Perfectionists believe that not only is perfection achievable, but that it should be achieved whenever possible. They always try to make their work better, and often get pleasure from investing time and effort in their projects. They enjoy paying attention to detail and are often hard to please. After all, perfectionists almost always have nearlyimpossible standards for themselves, much higher than what outside parties would generally hope for.
Most perfectionists are also highlyorganized. They've perfected their work process along with everything else in their life. They have processes and patterns for handling almost anything that comes their way, from email to new projects and clients to bookkeeping. It can definitely add up to a more effective workday with less wasted time and effort.
Perfectionists can be thought of as overbearing by those who don't share their attitude. It can also be upsetting to clients who aren't interested in "perfect" and simply want their project done yesterday. When you strive for perfection, everything takes just a bit longer to get right. Even if you have a more efficient design and development process than many other designers, it is likely that you spend more time on each step than a lot of others do.
While most people who call themselves "perfectionists" do so in a lighthearted or positive manner, there are those out there to whom perfection becomes an obsession . They consider anything less than perfect completely unacceptable. This can lead to obsessive behavior and can have damaging effects on their overall quality of life. Just feeling good about a job done to the best of your ability is entirely normal for a perfectionists and isn't something to worry about. But it becomes particularly dangerous when perfectionists feel they are never quite able to attain perfection, and so drive themselves crazy trying to always reach this unattainable goal.
These perfectionists often place their entire selfworth on their accomplishments and ability to reach perfection, and since they're never able to reach it, it creates a very negative selfimage and low selfesteem or depression. The good news is that there are trained psychologists who can help those who are nervously obsessed with perfection to overcome their obsession. | high12191.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because her son was born imperfect."
},
"options": [
"Because her son had a tiny face.",
"Because she saw her son crying.",
"Because her son was born imperfect.",
"Because her son was in her arms."
],
"question"... | "Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.
Time proved that the baby' s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was imperfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother's arms, she sighed , knowing that his life was to be unfortunate. He cried to his mum "A boy, a big boy... called me a freak ."
He grew up, handsome. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might communicate with other young people," his mother blamed him, but felt a kindness in her heart.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, "You' re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it' s a secret." The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared.
Later he married and became a lawyer. One day, he asked his father, "Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her." "I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet."
The years kept their secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother' s casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to show the mother had no outer ears.
"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," his father whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?" | high1910.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They have not yet been set up."
},
"options": [
"They have not yet been set up.",
"They are in Hatfield,Australia.",
"They belong to University College London.",
"They are new workplaces for Australian researchers only.... | Alex London Research Laboratory (ALRL) is part of Alex Co., Ltd., a major Australian medicine-making company. Opened in 1992, ALRL specialises in the development of new medicines for the treatment of heart diseases.
A position is now open for a Research Operations Manager(ROM) to support our growing research team at the new laboratories in Hatfield,due to open in the autumn of 2012.
Reporting to the Director,you will help set up and run the technical and scientific support services of our new laboratories now under construction.You will be expected to provide expert knowledge about and be in charge of all areas of ALRL'S Health and Safety,and to communicate with support employees at ALRL'S laboratories based at University College London.Working closely with scientists and other operations and technical employees,you will manage a small number of research support employees providing services to help with the research activities to be carried out at the new laboratories.
Candidates will have experience of both management and research support/technical services.Knowledge of research operations and excellent communication skills are necessary. Education to degree level is also desirable.
If you are interested in this position,please send your CV to Alex London Research
Laboratory,University College London,Hatfield,London,W1E 6B7 or by email to ALRL@alex.co.uk.
For more Information.please visit www.alex.co.uk. | high22052.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was grateful to the clerk."
},
"options": [
"He was grateful to the clerk.",
"They had a bet at first.",
"He wanted to please the clerk.",
"He wanted to sell the hotel."
],
"question": "Why did the elderly ma... | One dark and stormy night, an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in Philadelphia, hoping to get shelter for the night.
The clerk, a friendly man with a beautiful smile, explained that there were three conferences in town. "All of our rooms are taken," the clerk said, "but I can't send a nice couple like you into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not a suite, but it will be good enough to make you comfortable for the night." The couple agreed.
As the elderly man paid the bill the next morning, he told the clerk, "You are the kind of person who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I'll build one for you." The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh.
Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the elderly man, asking the clerk to pay him a visit. The elderly man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of the Fifth Avenue and 34thStreet. He then pointed to a great new building there, a reddish stone one with watchtowers thrusting up to the sky, and told the clerk that it was the hotel he had just built for him to manage.
That wonderful building was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. And this young clerk whose name was George C. Boldt never foresaw the return of events that would lead him into the manager of one of the world's most attractive hotels. | high9394.txt |
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