questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "His grandma's storytelling"
},
"options": [
".His love for reading",
"His grandma's storytelling",
"His family problems",
"A feeling of loneliness"
],
"question": "What was the main reason for Langston's first a... | Langston Hughes was born in prefix = st1 /Joplin,Missouri, in 1902. His parents got divorced. He spent most of his childhood with his grandmother inLawrence,Kansas. She told him stories about their family and their fight to end slavery. Her storytelling filled him with pride in himself and his race. He first began to write poetry when he was living with her.
In 1919, he moved to Cleveland,Ohio, to stay with his mother. He attended Central High School inCleveland. Langston was named Class Poet one year. He published his first short stories while still in high school.
Langston Hughes struggled with a feeling of loneliness caused by his parents' divorce. He developed a love for reading books as a way to deal with the lack of time his parents spent with him. His love for reading grew into a desire to write. He wanted to reproduce the powerful effect other writers, like Walt Whitman, had made upon him.
After graduating from high school in 1920, Langston moved to Mexico Cityto live with his father for one year. His father did not offer much warmth to him. Yet, Langston turned the pain caused by his family problems into one of his most famous poems," The Negro Speaks of Rivers." In this poem, he speaks of the strength and pride of black people in ancient African civilizations and inAmerica.
Langston arrived in New Yorkat 19. Later, he left school, broke with his father, and began traveling. Traveling was a lifelong love that would take him throughout the world before he died.
In 1922, Hughes took a job on a ship and sailed to Africa. He wrote poems and short stories during his travels. His experiences while traveling greatly influenced his work. He sent a few of his writings back home. They were published, and readers found a totally new and fresh style in his poems. | high24209.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "five times"
},
"options": [
"three times",
"four times",
"five times",
"six times"
],
"question": "The little dog went to the butcher's _ altogether during the two days.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions... | It was Monday.Mrs.Smith's dog was hungry,but there was not any meat in the house.
Considering that there was no better way,Mrs.Smith took a piece of paper,and wrote the following words on it "Give my dog half a pound of meat." Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently,"Take this to the butcher,and he's going to give you your lunch today."
Holding the piece of paper in its mouth,the dog ran to the butcher's.It gave the paper to the butcher.The butcher read it carefully,recognized that it was really the lady's handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to.The dog was very happy,and ate the meat up at once.
At noon,the dog came to the shop again.It gave the butcher a piece of paper again.After reading it,he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
The next day,the dog came again exactly at noon.And as usual,it brought a piece of paper in the mouth.This time,the butcher did not take a look at paper,and gave the dog its meat,for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers .
But,the dog came again at four o'clock.And the same thing happened once again.To the butcher's more surprise,it came for the third time at six o'clock,and brought with it a third piece of paper.The butcher felt a bit puzzled.He said to himself,"This is a small dog.Why does Mrs.Smith give it so much meat to eat today?"
Looking at the piece of paper,he found that there were not any words on it! | high7593.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "who invented the first car"
},
"options": [
"how the first car was made",
"who invented the first car",
"about Henry Ford's family",
"Henry Ford's interest in cars"
],
"question": "This passage mainly tells us ... | The car was invented just a century ago. You may know all kinds of cars' names, but many people don't know who was the inventor of the first car.
The first car was invented not by an Englishman, but by an American. His name was Henry Ford.
Henry was born in a poor family, He was the eldest of the six children. When he was a boy, he became interested in watches and machines. When he was twelve years old, his mother died. Soon he had to work in a machine shop for two dollars and fifty cents a week. In the evenings, he repaired watches for another hour for another dollar a week. The hard life made him strong and able. At that time, there was another interest in the life of the young boy. He hoped to make a machine. It could run without horses. He overcame a lot of difficulties and in April, 1893, the "horseless carriage" was invented at last. It was the first car. Later, Henry Ford set up the Ford Motor Company. He was the really first inventor of car in the world. | high22678.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The author himself."
},
"options": [
"Amanda.",
"The author's parents.",
"Maggie.",
"The author himself."
],
"question": "Who is responsible for this situation?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
... | I suddenly felt like drinking some wine last night, because I had a tough decision to make. It's been too long for me to live in the shadow created by myself! Darkness has taken me but fortunately, I finally woke up and decided to make my way out.
Amanda bought me a bottle of wine which tasted as bitter as the life I had been undergoing. I told her what I had experienced. It is I who chose to be like this! It's my own choicer. Had I not come back from Singapore, not decided to leave FX, not divorced with Maggie, I would not have met you! There are too many things, which are not supposed to happen, but happened to me!
My job is stable but not well-paid, interesting but not challenging, relaxing but not what I want. There's nothing about the job I am proud of, except that I can be the interpreter for the vice mayor sometimes. But is it a big deal? No, I don't think so!
There are now two options in front of me. I can either choose to stay in government or leave for foreign companies. I asked Amanda for advice, who suggested me to stay still in the government, and my parents also asked me to be patient! But my mind is totally blank now, and I don't know which to choose. I'm confused!
Neither option is convincing, in terms of payment and long-term improvement. Working for the government will give me a stable career life. I won't need to worry about my sales targets and whatever insurance. But I will never be rich again! Working for a foreign company will bring good salaries and bonus to me. But I will be under great pressure to achieve whatever goals made by the company! I'm no longer a young salesman. My confidence is no longer as strong as before!
God, it's so hard to make the decision! | high21371.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Go to the concert."
},
"options": [
"Go to the concert.",
"Return to Cambridge.",
"Go shopping.",
"See the Crown Jewels."
],
"question": "What did the writer plan to do after lunch that day?",
"question_type... | A trip to London
My family had dreamed of a trip to London for a long time.Luckily it was possible for us to realize our dream because all of us were free on the weekend.
We planned to drive into Cambridge and caught the 7:34train to Liverpool Street Station.Then my wife and I would separate from Joan,my wife's sister,to do different things and finally meet again for lunch.And after lunch,we would go to the concert.
But we were late because of a thick London fog.The train had to move along so slowly that it was not until 10:30that it got there.In spite of our late arrival,Joan decided that she would go to see the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London while we went shopping.It was only after her sister had disappeared into the fog that my wife realized that we hadn't decided where we should meet for lunch.Since I had our three tickets for the concert in my pocket,this was indeed a problem.We didn't have any mobile phones at that time.There seemed to be nothing we could do except taking a taxi to the Tower of London,and try to find her there.Needless to say,we didn't find her.
It was now one o'clock,and the concert began at 2:30."Perhaps she will think of waiting outside the concert hall,"said my wife hopefully.By this time the fog was so thick that road traffic had to stop,and the only way to get there was by subway.Hand in hand we felt our way along the road to where we thought the nearest station should be.An hour later we were still trying to find it.Just when I was about to become angry,we met a blind man tapping his way confidently through the fog.With his help we found the subway station which was just fifty meters down the road.
By now it was far too late to get to the concert hall before the performance began at 2:30,so we decided to return to Cambridge.It took seven hours instead of the usual two to make that journey.Nor were we able to get any food and drink on the train.We were tired and hungry.
We finally reached home at ten.Opening the door we were amazed to find Joan at home; she had seen the Crown Jewels,had managed to get another ticket for concert,and had had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant.Of course,she managed to get home,too.Oh my god! | high19836.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "it is a fun social experience"
},
"options": [
"it is a fun social experience",
"it has been developing for over 1,000 years",
"it involves many unique ingredients",
"it keeps people warm in winter and it is creative"
... | Why do Chinese people love hot pot so much? As the winter months begin to settle in, I find myself wondering what it is about this traditional meal, which has existed for more than 1,000 years, that makes it a Chinese food favorite.But it seems that the answer lies beyond the dish itself.
Hot pot isn't just designed to keep you warm during the cold months; it's also a social experience.It's a "theater" cuisine that turns a meal into an event.There is a lot of fun for everyone to have in adding ingredients to the hot pot.
Hot pot is eaten over two to three hours.For this reason, it is often, considered an evening's entertainment, and time to spend with friends and family.However, many westerners would be _ by the idea of other people sticking chopsticks in their food.When we come to eat at the table in the UK, we tend to have our own individual portions , although the experience is still a social one.
A similar experience to the hot pot one can be found in Korean barbecue restaurants, which let you cook your own meat.This allows people to have their meat done however they want.
For most Westerners, the idea of going to a restaurant to cook their own food is bizarre .But having given hot pot a go, I find it's now one of my favorite meals in Beijing.The steam from the pot left my clothes smelling of food when I got home, but perhaps this is also part of the experience.When the chilly wind is blowing outside, just grab some chopsticks, some good friends, and dig in.For me it's like throwing a dinner party where my taste buds and my appetite are equally satisfied in the warm company of friends. | high5384.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a most popular baby name"
},
"options": [
"family tradition",
"cultural customs",
"a most popular baby name",
"their fathers' names"
],
"question": "Parents name their sons according to the following EXCEPT _ ... | Every year, more than four million babies are born in the United States.
Some parents named their children based on family, cultural or religious traditions. Girls are often named after a family member but rarely their mothers. Sons, though, are often named after their fathers.
Every year the Social Security Administration releases a list of the most popular baby names in America. Last year, Jacob was the most popular boy name and Emma the number one name for girls.
These days, the choice of a baby name seems to be guided as much by individual desires as by tradition. This is shown in the fact that the most popular baby names are not as popular as they used to be.
Researchers at San Diego State University in California did a study. They found that thirty-two percent of boys received one of the ten most popular names in 1955. The same was true for twenty-two percent of girls. By 2007, however, the numbers were down to less than ten percent of boys and only eight percent of girls.
"People are more and more interested in finding unusual names. And now since we have the information on the Internet of what the most popular names are, the percentage of kids who get them actually is going down because people are able to avoid them much more successfully than they did before," said Cleveland Evans, a professor of psychology at Bellevue University.
Parents can find plenty of advice on the Web and in bookstores about choosing a baby name. A lot has also been written about the possible effects that a name might have on a child's future.
There are studies that suggest children with unusual names are more likely to be teased. Other studies suggest that as adults, they might be less likely to get called for a job interview. Yet other research suggests that giving a child an unusual name might help build character. What all this adds up to is a big responsibility for parents to consider what's really in a name. | high18296.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the sixth grade"
},
"options": [
"the fourth grade",
"the sixth grade",
"the seventh grade",
"the eighth grade"
],
"question": "If the author didn't skip, he should study in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze... | I felt excited, curious and nervous at the same time. I was excited because I would be skipping two grades. I was curious because I didn't know how high school students were taught. However, I was most nervous at the idea that I would be doing high school homework.
I had just walked into the class when the bell rang. This wasn't a good start. But the kid in front of me looked very friendly. Luckily, since it was the first day of school, my teacher talked for about half of the period and we just had the rest of the period to start the class. I didn't know what he was saying at first, but when I saw the problems on the paper, I knew what to do.
The next day, the kid said hi and I said hi back. We got into a conversation. It seemed that whenever I was talking to my friend, everyone stopped staring at me. Then the class started. It was easy. But I was still uncomfortable because I couldn't look around without meeting others'eyes, so I just kept my eyes on the whiteboard and on my textbook.
However, my friend didn't show up the next day, and the eighth graders just kept on staring at me. I didn't know why.
The next day everything changed. My friend was back to school. I was praised for my homework. Everyone stared at me less. Some started to be a little friendlier towards me. I felt at home at last here. My teachers also seemed pretty nice. | high4924.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "impress the listener"
},
"options": [
"make fun of the listener",
"impress the listener",
"please the listener",
"interest the listener"
],
"question": "The main reason why people lie about reading is to _ ."... | It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama's Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of the current US President. The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words, "a wonderfully written book." However, he then _ to talk about Mr. Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar .
And it seems that he is not the only one. Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven't. In The World Book Day survey, Dreams From My Father is at number 9. The survey lists top ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading. As I'm not one to lie too often, I'll admit here and now that I haven't read the entire ten books. But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one, George Orwell's 1984. I think it's absolutely outstanding.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to. This could be difficult if the conversation became more in-depth!
The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it. It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and so on. But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, they named JK Rowling, Jilly Cooper, and Stephen King. Forty-one percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story.
So which books have you lied about reading --if any -- and which is your favorite? | high3093.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "An unusual species of migratory bird"
},
"options": [
"A new device used to follow birds",
"A recent research on endangered birds",
"A unique migration route of birds",
"An unusual species of migratory bird"
],
... | The great Snipe is a little shore bird-not one that would be considered a great athlete. However, a recent study has shown that these slightly fat birds not only fly nonstop for long periods of time during their annual migration, but do so at record speeds.
The brown migratory birds that are about the size of a pigeon spend their summers in Eastern Europe and winters in Central Africa, a distance of about 2,800 to 4,000 miles. In May 2009, a team of researchers led by Dr. Raymond Klaasen from Sweden's Lund University fitted ten Great Snipes with tiny geo-locating devices that allow scientists to figure out when and where the birds travel, and let them loose. The following year they found three of the birds and took back the devices. What they discovered was quite _ .
All three birds had flown nonstop to Central Africa in August of 2009-one had flown 4,225 miles in just 3.5 days. The second one had covered a distance of 3,833 miles in three days, while the third had managed to fly 2,870 miles in a mere 48 hours or two days. Even more surprising was that these birds had traveled at speeds that averaged about 50 miles per hour-making it the fastest known migration ever.
While many birds migrate longer distances, they do so over a period of a few months, resting and feeding in between. However, despite the fact the Great Snipe has plenty of opportunities, it does not stop. And they do the entire flight with their own power, with no assistance from the wind. The tiny bird is able to make this unbelievable direct flight because of all the fat it gradually gathers in its body, which it then uses as fuel.
Native no North Eastern Europe, Great Snipes live in marshlands and wet meadows . But they are also on the list of endangered animals because of loss of habitat. | high21417.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Search for Life"
},
"options": [
"Magic Class",
"Science with Me",
"Secret of the Dragon",
"The Search for Life"
],
"question": "Alec is strongly interested in space life. He may go to _ .",
"question... | July is a month of fun-filled activities for kids and teens as long as you know where to find them. When you want some fun activities for July, consider these ideas happening in this month.
Secret of the Dragon
Time Monday, July1, 2014, 10:30 a.m.
Cost Adult:$7.40 Children(under15): half
Booking Phone the booking office:34032578
Address Brisbane Botanic Gardens
Note Secret of the Dragon is a magical story about 2 children who are taken on a dragon ride to explore the universe.
The Search for life: Are We Alone?
Time Thursday, July4, 2014, 2:00 p.m.
Cost Adult:$14.50 ,Children(under15):$8.70
Booking Phone the booking office:34037689
Address Brisbane Botanic Gardens
Note Are we truly alone in space? Is there any life out there? These are the questions asked in this show.
Magic Class
Time Friday, July12, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
Cost Free
Booking Please call 34038470 to book your Place.
Address Centenary Community hub, 171 Dandenong Rd
Note Would you like to be a magician? Then join David, the magician, to learn about real magic with playing cards, coins, ring ropes and DIY projects and be able to become the life of the party.
Science with Me: Making your own guitar
Time Saturday, July20, 2014, 3:00 p.m.
Cost Free
Booking Please call 34031226 to book your Place.
Address 10, Egginton Close
Note Do you want to make a guitar with Katy and her mum? Science with Me is going to be with you. Please remember to bring a piece of wood, a hammer, some rubber bands and some nails with you. | high19188.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "2007"
},
"options": [
"2005",
"2006",
"2007",
"2008"
],
"question": "We can infer that the passage was written in _ .",
"question_type": "summarization_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_in... | Listening to music can help me focus better. Since I discovered it two years ago,I've used music to get through boring work or to focus creatively. I've found that it can make even the dullest jobs enjoyable and help clear mental blocks to creativity.
I first noticed the good effects of music while playing video games. It was a few days before Christmas in 2005 and I was playing online video games. My parents had just given me a new MP3,so I decided to listen to music through the headphones while I played. After a few minutes I noticed a great change in my style of play. I was playing more naturally. The music relaxed me,and,to a certain extent,distracted me from the game,allowing my subconscious talent to come through. The music also helped me block out the outside world. With those headphones on I was like a machine,moving from one task to the next without unnecessary thoughts or actions.
Music can also have a great effect on mood. If I'm in a bad mood at work,I'll listen to some of Bob Marley's and get down to business. It always takes my mind off what I'm doing and makes me a happier person. The same is true for classic rock. One summer,I did a boring job collecting bottle openers by hand. Without a radio playing classic rock in the background,I would have hated life.
Listening to music with relaxing rhythms and a positive message helps you forget your work and think happy thoughts. But the results you see will depend heavily on your personal tastes. Experiment with the types of music you listen to during certain tasks. By trial and error you'll finally discover your best choice.
I'm always looking for new concentration aids,so I'd love to know what type of music works best for me. | high1684.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "conventional playtime"
},
"options": [
"enrichment activities",
"conventional playtime",
"structured activities",
"educational activities"
],
"question": "From the passage we can see that today's children really... | (Natural News)Many parents have tried to gave their children a head start on education with get-smart videos and enrichment activities as early as infancy, but free play is often sacrificed, so the American Academy of Pediatrics says that the best medicine for busy children is an increase in traditional "playtime".
A number of studies suggest that unstructured play can help children become creative, discover their own interests, develop problem-solving abilities, and relate to others socially, according to a report prepared by two academy committees for release Monday at the group's annual meting. On the contrary, a lack of such playtime can create stress for both children and parents, and it can also cause obesity when children spend too much time sitting in front of educational videos. The report notes lack of playtime could even lead to depression in many children.
The report thinks the lack of playtime lies in the fact that parents want to have super-smart children and safe places for children to play is decreasing. A balance between free playtime and educational activities should be struck, the report states.
"In the current environment, where so many parents feel pressure to be super parents, I believe this message is an important one," said Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, the report's lead author and a pediatrician at The Children's prefix = st1 /HospitalofPhiladelphia.
Noted pediatrician, author, and presenter of cable TV's "What Every Baby Knows," Dr. T. Betty Brazelton agreed. "Children with structured activities" are missing the chance to dream, to make their own world work the way they want it. That to me is a very important part of childhood. | high23200.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "students may well make greater achievements with parents' attention"
},
"options": [
"parental involvement makes up for what schools are not able to do",
"teachers and students themselves do not put in enough effort",
"parent... | It is found that American students spend less than 15% of their time in school. While there's no doubt that school is important, a number of recent studies reminds us that parents are even more so. A study published earlier this month by researchers at North Carolina State University, for example, finds that parental involvement -- checking homework, attending school meetings and events, discussing school activities at home -- has a more powerful influence on students' academic performance than anything about the school the students attend. Another study, published in the Review of Economics and Statistics, reports that the effort put forth by parents (reading stories aloud, meeting with teachers) has a bigger impact on their children's educational achievement than the effort devoted by either teachers or the students themselves. And a third study concludes that schools would have to increase their spending by more than $1,000 per pupil in order to achieve the same results that are gained with parental involvement.
So parents matter. But it is also revealed in researches that parents, of all backgrounds, don't need to buy expensive educational toys or digital devices for their kids in order to give them an advantage. They don't need to drive their offspring (,)to enrichment classes or test-preparation courses. What they need to do with their children is much simpler: talk.
But not just any talk. Recent research has indicated exactly what kinds of talk at home encourage children's success at school. For example, a study conducted by researchers at the UCLA School of Public Health and published in the journal Pediatrics found that two-way adult-child conversations were six times as potent in promoting language development as the ones in which the adult did all the talking. Engaging in this reciprocal back-and-forth gives children a chance to try out language for themselves, and also gives them the sense that their thoughts and opinions matter.
The content of parents' conversations with kids matters, too. Children who hear talk about counting and numbers at home start school with much more extensive mathematical knowledge, report researchers from the University of Chicago. While the conversations parents have with their children change as kids grow older, the effect of these exchanges on academic achievement remains strong. Research finds that parents play an important role in what is called "academic socialization" -- setting expectations and making connections between current behavior and future goals. Engaging in these sorts of conversations has a greater impact on educational accomplishment. | high5385.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "their children are too busy to stay with them"
},
"options": [
"their children don't like to stay with them",
"they don't have pet dogs",
"their children are too busy to stay with them",
"they don't have robotic dogs"
... | Old people are easy to feel lonely because their children are busy with their work and have little time to spend with them.Most of them have to be companied by pet dogs.However,it is sometimes impossible for some old people to keep pet dogs because they are too old or ill to take care of pet dogs.
Experts are studying the influence of robotic dogs on old people's depression ,physical activity,and life satisfaction.Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to see whether they can improve the quality of life for old people.Alan Beck,an expert in human-animal relationship,said,"Old people should be more active,challenged,excited.The problem is how we promote that,especially for those without friends or help.A robotic dog could be a solution."
In the study,the robot,called AIBO,is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone.These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activities before and after AIBO.Researchers will collect basic data for six weeks.Then,the researchers will review the data to decide if there are any changes in the life of its owner.
"I talk to him all the time,and he responds to my voice,"says a 70-year-old lady."When I'm watching TV,he'll stay in my arms until he wants down.He has a mind of his own."
The AIBOs respond to certain orders.The researchers say they have some advantages over real dogs,especially for old people.Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it.A robotic dog needn't any exercise and feeding concerns.
"At the beginning,it was believed that no one would prefer the robotic dog because it was metal and not furry ,"Beck says."But it's amazing how quickly we have given up that belief."
Hopefully,these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper.They will record their masters'blood pressure,oxygen levels,or heart rhythms.AIBOs may even one day have games that can help exciting older people's minds. | high19837.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "to tell the result of a research on sleepy gene."
},
"options": [
"to tell the result of a research on sleepy gene.",
"to tell us the importance of plenty of sleep.",
"to inform the harm of lacking sleep.",
"to announce... | Some people can stay up all night and still get work done the next day. I'm not one of them. After a night without enough sleep, I feel bad-tempered. I have trouble remembering things. And all I want to do is go to bed.
How do you feel after you've stayed up late to finish schoolwork or the day after an overnight party? Scientists now say that your answers to these questions may depend on your genes.
New research suggests that a gene called "period 3" influences how well you function without sleep. The "period 3" gene comes in two forms: short and long. Everyone has two copies of the gene. So, you may have two longs, two shorts, or one of each. Your particular combination depends on what your parents passed on to you.
Scientists from the University of Surrey in England studied 24 people who had either two short or two long copies of "period 3". Study participants had to stay awake for 40 hours straight. Then, they took tests that measured how quickly they pushed a button when numbers flashed on a screen and how well they could remember lists of numbers.
Results showed that the people with the short form of "period 3" performed much better on these tests than the people with the long form did. In both groups, people performed worst in the early morning.
After the first round of experiments, participants were finally allowed to sleep. People in the group that performed well on the tests (those with the short form of "period 3") took about 18 minutes to nod off.
While people with the long "period 3" gene fell asleep in just 8 minutes. They also spent more time on deep sleep. That suggests that people with the long form of the gene need more and deeper sleep to keep their brains working in top form.
I think I must have the long form of "period 3". What about you? | high21370.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "their answers seldom satisfied him"
},
"options": [
"they often angered and disappointed him",
"their answers often astonished him",
"their answers seldom satisfied him",
"he often misunderstood them and gave them bad m... | There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all.
The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK.
Then the professor asked about the cure for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right.
"Good," said the professor, "and how much will you give the patient?"
"A full spoon," answered the student.
"Now you may go out and wait for what you can get," said the professor. At the same time the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. "A full spoon is too much," he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, "Mr Professor, I've made a mistake! A full spoon is too much for the patient. He can take only five drops."
"I'm sorry, sir," said the professor coldly, "But it is too late. Your patient has died." | high22679.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "illegal behavior of Wall Street"
},
"options": [
"the decline of average family income",
"illegal behavior of Wall Street",
"wider gap between the very rich and everyone else",
"the protest movement called Occupy Wall S... | The protest movement called Occupy Wall Street has struck a nerve.The demonstrators' goals may not be obvious but their complaints are very real.
The truth is that millions of Americans lost their jobs, their homes and their life savings because of the greed and illegal behavior of Wall Street.Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bemanke also said the protesters hold the view that the financial institutions are responsible for "getting the US into this mess", and added, "I can't blame those protesters."
Where do we go from this movement? How do we calm the protesters' anger?
For starters, we should break up the super financial institutions.Left to their own selfish will.Wall Street bankers will continue to gamble with other people's money.There also is a sound economic argument against too few owning far too much.The idea that six super financial institutions (Bank of America, CitiGroup, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs) can take control over the economy frightens anyone who believes in a competitive free-market system.Good Republican presidents like William Howard Taft and Teddy Roosevelt broke up Standard Oil, the Railroad Trusts .and other huge companies a century ago.
Real unemployment is more than 16%.Average family income has declined by $3,600 over the last decade.A record 46 million Americans live in poverty.The gap between the very rich and everyone else, the widest of any major country, is growing wider.Now is the time for us to end the financial oligarchy that has been so harmful to our economy.If a bank is too big, it is too big to exist. | high6854.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the Castle is a good place to go in Scotland"
},
"options": [
"the queen is rich in tour experience",
"the Castle is a good place to go in Scotland",
"tasting whisky is better than going fishing",
"1873 is a special yea... | There is no better way to enjoy Scottish traditions than going fishing and tasting a little bit of whisky at a quiet place like the Inverlochy Castle. When Queen Victoria visited the castle in 1873, she wrote in her diary, "I never saw a lovelier spot ," And she didn't even go fishing.
Scotland is not easily defined. In certain moments, this quiet land of lakes and grasses and mountains changes before your very eyes. When evening gently sweeps the hillside into orange light, the rivers, teeming with fish, can turn into streams of gold . As you settle down with just a fishing pole and a basket on the bank of River Orchy, near the Inverlochy Castle , any frustration will float away as gently as the circling water. It's just you and purple, pink, white flowers, seeking a perfect harmony. If you are a new comer to fishing, learning the basics from a fishing guide may leave you with a lifetime's fun. For many, fishing is more than a sport; it is an art.
Scotland offers interesting place where you can rest after a long day's fishing. Set against a wild mountain and hidden behind woodland, the beautiful Inverlochy Castle Hotel below the Nevis is a perfect place to see the beauty of Scotland's mountains. Ben Nevis is the highest of all British mountains, and reaching its 1343-metre top is a challenge. But it's not just what goes up matters; what comes down is unique. More than 900 metres high, on the mountain's north face, lies an all-important source of pure water. Its name comes from the Gaelic language "usquebaugh" or "water of life"; and it is the single most important ingredient in Scotland's best known drink: whisky. | high477.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Mobile phone rule."
},
"options": [
"How to use a mobile phone.",
"Mobile phone rule.",
"The disadvantages of mobile phones.",
"Mobile phones -- making them work for us."
],
"question": "What is the best title f... | The mobile phone rule is just common polite behavior. Most people today have a mobile phone. In fact, many people can't imagine how they ever get along without them. However, many people also complain about mobile phone users. People complain about other people loudly discussing personal matters in public places. They complain when mobile phones ring in movie theaters and concert halls. They complain about people driving too slow, and paying no attention to where they are going because they are talking on a mobile phone. And they complain about people walking around talking to people who aren't there.
Whenever a new communication technology becomes popular, it changes the way in which society is organized. Society has to invent rules for the polite way to use the new devices . Our rules of politeness for mobile phones are still evolving(;).
The mobile phone rule applies to most public places. Always try to have your phone ring as low as possible or put your mobile phone on the vibration mode, so _ does not distract the people around you. The basic mobile phone rule includes:
1. Switch it off: Turn it off when you have meetings, worship, and so on.
2. Be brief: When you get a call and you're with friends, keep the call short.
3. Permission: Often, it is correct and polite behavior to inform others at the beginning of the meeting that you are expecting an important call and get their permission.
4. Be polite: Don't scream -- speak in a lower-than-normal voice.
5. Don't distract: Avoid talking where you may be distracting to others.
6. Driving: It is not only very dangerous, but also unlawful in most countries to drive and talk on your mobile phone. | high8879.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "fourteen to fifteen"
},
"options": [
"fifteen to eighteen",
"fourteen to fifteen",
"eleven to thirteen",
"nine to eleven"
],
"question": "According to the text, a two to twelve-month-old baby needs _ hours o... | Every person is unique and so are our sleep needs. But in today's busy world, how much sleep should we be getting each night? Research suggests that most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Children and teens need even more sleep than adults. The following is a breakdown of the recommended number of hours of sleep people need by age:
INFANTS
(0 to 2 months): .........................15 to 18 hours
(2-12 months): ...........................14 to 15 hours
CHILDREN
(12-18 months): ........................13 to 15 hours
(18 months-3 years): .................12 to 14 hours
(3-5 years): ................................11 to 13 hours
(5-12 years): ...............................9 to 11 hours
TEENS
(13-19 years): .............................8.5 to 9.5hours
ADULTS
(more than 20 years): .................7 to 9 hours
As children grow, they go through many changes, including changes in sleep. Children and teens, like adults, need a regular sleep and wake timetable, even on weekends. Sleep should follow a relaxing bedtime plan. The bedroom should be cool, dark and quiet. Getting a good night's rest may become more difficult as they grow older because of more responsibilities and activities, the influence of TV, computers and so on. However, sleep is still an important part of teens' health and overall quality of life. So, how do teens measure how much sleep they need? If a teen has trouble staying awake during school, they probably are not getting enough quality sleep.
Most sleep problems are treatable. If teens are having trouble in getting enough sleeps they need, it is important to see a doctor or other health experts. | high24208.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because the birth rate of the nation is at a very low level."
},
"options": [
"Because the Japanese are afraid of the changing environment.",
"Because Japan will be destroyed by a serious earthquake.",
"Because the birth rate... | On Friday, Japanese researchers announced a population clock that showed a dangerous situation that the Japanese nation would disappear in 1,000 years if the falling birth rate kept the present level. Researchers in the northern city of Sendai said that Japan's population of children aged up to 14, which now stands at 16.6 million, was falling at the rate of one child per 100 seconds. It would lead to a terrible result that there would be no children left in Japan in 1,000 years.
"If the rate keeps falling at that rate in our country, there will only be one child who is able to enjoy the following Children's Day left on May 5th, 3011," said Hiroshi Yoshida, a professor at Toholu University. "But 100 seconds later, a national disaster that there are no children left in Japan will happen," he added, "The nation's people will disappear for the birth rate has fallen to the level that every woman has no more than two children, which started in 1975." Yoshida said they created the population clock to make Japanese people pay close attention to that problem for their nation's future.
Another study showed that Japan's population was expected to fall to one third of the present population amount: 127.7 million in the next century. The Japanese government predicted that the birth rate would just become 1.35 children per parents within 50 years.
At the same time, Japanese life expectancy which is expected to ascend from 86.93 years in 2010 to 90.93 years in 2060 for women and from 79.64 years to 84.19 years for men has already been one of the highest in the world. More than 20 percent of the Japanese are aged 65 or over.
It means that Japan has become one of the countries with aging populations in the world. The problem of aging populations is a headache for the government and the Japanese economy because there are fewer and fewer workers who can make money for the country. However, the government has to face the terrible situation that it needs to offer a growing number of pensions. | high23567.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "feel less responsible for negative than for positive outcomes"
},
"options": [
"always try to hide their shame or embarrassment.",
"are only willing to take the credit when things go well",
"feel less responsible for negative... | While most of us are happy to take the credit when things go well, few of us are willing to take the blame when things go wrong. Rather than trying to hide our shame or embarrassment, experts found that we are simply less aware when our actions result in a negative outcome.
The research may explain why we often feel it hard to take the blame for our actions. "Our result suggests that people may really experience less responsibility for negative than for positive outcomes," said Patrick Haggard, leading researcher and professor of the institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London.
In a series of tests, participants were asked to press a key. A sound then followed, either disapproving, neutral or approving, and they were then asked to estimate the time between the action and when they had heard the sound.
Researchers found that individuals experienced different levels of responsibility depending on the outcomes. They also discovered they were significantly slower to recognize if their actions had resulted in a bad consequence, compared to when they had done well.
"Effectively, we have found that we experience a negative outcome differently, not just retell it differently. We make a weaker connection when there is a bad result. And respond much more strongly when something good happens," said Professor Haggard. When something goes right, everyone wants to take the credit, and when things go wrong, nobody is interested in putting their hands up.
The researchers said our brain is "very much concerned" with reward, as good results are key to survival. Although our own perception of whether we are guilty of something or not is changed by the outcomes, this does not provide a defense if we have done something wrong. "Our experience of our own responsibilities can be misleading and can be strongly colored by the outcomes of our actions," said Professor Haggard. "We have to take responsibility for what we actually do, not just for how we experience things." | high12962.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "The first Homeless World Cup took place in 2003."
},
"options": [
"The first Homeless World Cup took place in 2003.",
"The Homeless World Cup was held every other year.",
"The host country of the 9th Homeless World Cup was Au... | The Homeless World Cup is an international football event, where teams made up entirely of people who are homeless compete. The event has been held annually since 2003.
It was at the end of 2001 that Mel Young, a famous expert in the media inDustry, came up with the idea of the Homeless World Cup. 18 months later the first event took place in Austria. It was such a success that people decided to do more.
There are some interesting and special rules of the event. For example, players(male or female at least 16 years old) must have been homeless at some time after the previous year's World Cup or make their main living income by selling newspapers in the street or be asylum seekers . Anyone can take part, regardless of his or her abilities. There are at most 4 players per team to compete in the field. Games are 14 minutes long.
In 2007, 48 nations, 500 players took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their countries for true spirit and glory in Copenhagen, Denmark. The winner in 2007 was Scotland. The 2008 Homeless World Cup took place in Melbourne, Australia. And in 2009 it was held in Milan. The latest Homeless World Cup was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September 2010. Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup takes place August followed by the Mexico City 2012 Homeless World Cup.
The success of the competition has been in two aspects--to attract the world's attention to the problems of homelessness and also to help participants live a better life.
According to a survey by the Homeless World Cup Organization after 2006 Homeless World Cup, 92% of the players had a new motivation for life, 93 players successfully got rid of their dependency on drugs and alcohol, 44% improved their housing situation and 72% continued to play football. | high1685.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they are unwilling to accept higher energy costs"
},
"options": [
"it is not the best way to solve such problems",
"they don't realize the risks of carbon emissions",
"it would probably harm human welfare in the long run",
... | Global emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning jumped by the largest amount on record in 2010. Emissions rose 5.9 percent in 2010, according to an analysis released on Sunday by the Global Carbon Project.
Scientists said the increase was almost certainly the largest absolute jump in any year since the Industrial Revolution. The increase solidified a trend of ever-rising emissions that will make it difficult, if not impossible, to stop severe climate change in coming decades.
The burning of coal represented more than half of the growth in emissions, the analysis found. In the United States, emissions dropped by a remarkable 7 percent in the year of 2009, but rose by over 4 percent in 2010, the new analysis shows.
"Each year, emissions go up, and there's another year of negotiations, another year of indecision," said Glen P. Peters, a researcher at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research. "There's no evidence that this path we've been following in the last 10 years is going to change."
Scientists say the rapid growth of emissions is warming the Earth and putting human welfare at long-term risk. But their increasingly urgent pleas that society find a way to limit emissions have met sharp political resistance in many countries because doing so would involve higher energy costs.
The new figures show a continuation of a trend in which developing countries have surpassed the wealthy countries in their overall greenhouse emissions. In 2010, the burning of fossil fuels and the production of cement sent more than nine billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere, the new analysis found, with 57 percent of that coming from developing countries.
On the surface, the figures of recent years suggest that wealthy countries have made headway in stabilizing their emissions. But Dr. Peters pointed out that, in a sense, the rich countries have simply exported some of them.
The fast rise in developing countries has been caused to a large extent by the growth of energy-intensive manufacturing industries that make goods that rich countries import. "All that has changed is the location in which the emissions are being produced," Dr. Peters said.
Many countries, as part of their response to the economic crisis, invested billions in programs designed to make their energy systems greener. While it is possible, the new numbers suggest they have had little effect so far. | high311.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He changed much during his career."
},
"options": [
"He once ranked No.1 in the world rankings.",
"He won 60 titles.",
"He changed much during his career.",
"He won 8 major championships."
],
"question": "Accord... | Sports are all about change. A team gets better. A kid practices more and swims a personal best or learns a new move on the basketball court. In 2006, two things happened that got me thinking about change--in sports and in life.
One of them is tennis champion Andre Agassi, who retired in 2006. Agassi was a terrific player who won 60 titles, including eight major championships . But his greatest accomplishment might have been how much he changed during his career.
When he was young, Agassi was a show off who seemed to care only about himself. He didn't train very hard, but he won matches because of his tremendous talent.
Eventually, though, injuries and his bad attitude caught up with him. He fell from No.1 in the world ranking to No.141.
So Agassi changed. He trained harder and became a world-class player again. More importantly, he changed as a person. He was nicer to fans and opponents . He stopped thinking just about himself and started thinking about others. Through his Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, he raised more than $60 million to help disadvantaged kids around his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. He even started a school, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, for at-risk kids.
At the start of a new year, lots of people promise themselves they will change. They might _ to get in good physical shape, do better in school or be nicer to others.
Changes such as those can be difficult. But they do happen. Just remember Andre Agassi: It wasn't easy, but he changed, and changed for the better. | high10813.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "low home-ownership increases the mobility of job market and economy."
},
"options": [
"low home-ownership rate at about 30% is most favourable for economy",
"home-ownership mainly decides a country's citizens' mental health.",
... | Today, home-ownership has reached extremely high levels. Modern generations tend to believe there is something wrong with them if they rent. However, is high home-ownership really as rosy as people imagine? Staring at data first, we realize that the most successful, stable, attractive country in the Western world is Switzerland. It has tiny unemployment; wealth; high happiness and mental-health scores. Does it have high home-ownership rates? Absolutely not. In Switzerland, about seven in ten of the population are renters. Yet, with Europe's lowest home-ownership rate, the nation thrives. Now go to the other end of the misery distribution. Spain has approximately the highest home-ownership rate in Europe (at more than 80%). But one-quarter of its population are unemployed.
A likely reason is that high levels of home-ownership mess up the labour market. In a sensibly functioning economy it is easy for people to move around to drop into the vibrant job slots thrown up by technological change. With a high degree of owner-occupation, everything slows. Folk get stuck. Renters can go to new jobs. In that way they do the economy a favour. As Friedman said, the rate of unemployment depends on the flexibility of the housing market.
Next we come to economic breakdown. Most analysts accept that at heart it was the housing market--obsessive pursuit of homes, the engendered mortgage lending and an unavoidable house-price crash--that sank the Western world. Germany, say, with its more efficient rental market, had a far smoother ride through trouble.
As for the monetary system, in the past few decades, in the hope of getting untaxed capital gains way above their true labour earnings, many people threw their spare cash into buying larger houses or building extra bedrooms. TV programmes about how to make easy money, beautiful rising house prices, and most importantly, our falulty tax system encouraged that. When at some point market broke down, everyone suffered. Our countries ought, instead, to design tax systems that encourage people to invest in productive real activities and in innovation. Renting leaves money free for better purposes.
That also points to the role of sensible budgeting over a person's lifetime. Why should we think that when we die it is necessary to have paid off an entire house? Our children do not deserve it. Let them pay for themselves. We should rent--and enjoy our lives with the money saved.
Finally, moderation usually pays off. Our scientific understanding of how economies function is horribly limited. This suggests that the golden rule should be to avoid extremes. A 50-50 mix of home-ownership and renting, not the 70-30 split that is now observed in so many Western nations, makes sense. | high19189.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "their bodies can produce new blood soon"
},
"options": [
"it causes no pain to their body",
"being a blood donor is a great honor",
"their bodies can produce new blood soon",
"people have a mature research on it"
],... | Every year, World Blood Day is celebrated by blood services worldwide on 14 June, the birthday of Nobel Prize winner Karl Landsteiner, the man who discovered the ABO blood group system. If you have every thought of becoming a blood donor, just register to do it. And you should never worry about the donation.
Just under a pint (around 470ml) of blood is taken at one sitting. This amount is no more than 13 percent of your total blood volume, and is quickly replaced by your body.
It may come as a surprise, but whole blood is only rarely used. Different blood components are used to treat a range of conditions. None goes to waste. Read blood cells are frequently used to replace heavy blood loss after an accident, surgery or childbirth. White blood cells and antibodies are used to help people fight infections if their immune system doesn't appear to be responding to antibiotics . Plasma ,the straw-coloured fluid which carries the blood cells and contains proteins, are used to treat burned patients.
First-time donors should be aged between 17 and 65, weigh at least 50kg and be in good health. If you have donated before, you can start being a donor again up to your 70th birthday.
Although most people are able to give blood, some people who pose health risks or are at a higher risk of having come into contact with an infectious disease are no tasked to be donors. Pregnant women or those who have had a baby in the last 9 months should not donate blood.
Blood has a very short shelf life. Some blood components can be kept longer than others, for instance red blood cells will keep for 35 days but platelets for only five. Remember, you should wait at least 16 weeks before donating blood again. | high21416.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Recharge it outside."
},
"options": [
"Buy a scratch card.",
"Recharge it outside.",
"Buy another solar cell.",
"Return it to the company."
],
"question": "What should the user do when the electricity in the bat... | Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to _ this. In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity, a battery that can deliver a three amp current to store this electricity, and a lamp whose bulb is a light-emitting diode . The firm thinks that this system, once the battery is fully charged, is enough to light two small rooms and to power a mobile-phone charger for seven hours. Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.
The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card--for as little as a dollar--on which is printed a reference number. The keeper sends this reference, plus the serial number of the household solar unit, by SMS to Eight19. The company's server will respond automatically with an access code to the unit.
Users may consider that they are paying an hourly rate for their electricity. In fact, they are paying off the cost of the unit. After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards--which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months--the user will own it. He will then have the option of continuing to use it for nothing, or of trading it in for a bigger one, perhaps driven by a 10-watt solar cell.
In that case, he would go then through the same process again, paying off the additional cost of the upgraded kit at a slightly higher rate. Users would therefore increase their electricity supply steadily and affordably.
According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers. The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil--enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps--plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper. | high3092.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "His experience as a volunteer in a special summer school."
},
"options": [
"His teaching experience in a summer holiday.",
"How to make a difference in others' lives.",
"His experience as a volunteer in a special summer schoo... | When I wake up on summer mornings, I know I am going to my favorite place to volunteer and make a difference in someone's life just by being with him or her -- a summer school for autistic children.
By helping the kids read or do math, I am not only teaching important skills but also helping them feel like any other kid. There are many wrong ideas about autism. The kids I work with can think and feel. They need help only in certain areas.
Of course, each kid is special. For example, some kids like to draw, and others like to sing.
At the school, the kids learn through about 20 activities. These activities can help them learn skills they will need later in life.
The very first day I volunteered, a boy came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said "Hello". From then on, I knew I could make a difference.
Another boy loved to have me read books that can help him learn to read. Sometimes he could be encouraged to read a few words or sentences. Finally, one day during reading practice, he read nearly 220 words himself!
Summer school is also a time for fun, Last summer, bagpipe players came to perform. Most of us had our hands over our ears because they were so loud. When they asked for a volunteer from the audience, one girl raised her hand as high as she could, got up on stage, and even tried the bagpipes in front of everyone.
Through these experiences, I realize that the challenges these kids face do not stop them from doing many amazing things. I'm teaching them, but they are teaching me more. | high4925.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "serves as a way to make a fortune"
},
"options": [
"calls for a strong sense of dishonesty",
"serves as a way to make a fortune",
"is the toppest profession choice",
"cheats people out of their money"
],
"questi... | In January, a survey was conducted to ask readers what their professions of choice were. One of the top choices was investment banking. Lots of people see banking as a way to move up the social ladder and make a lot of money. But it is important to remember that money can't buy happiness.
Just ask Greg Smith. The former executive director of the top US investment banking firm, Goldman Sachs, resigned his job last week. On the day he quit, he wrote an article in the New York Times describing the "toxic" culture of the company for which he had worked for 12 years.
Smith revealed that over the years, Goldman Sachs often took advantages of its clients. The company tried to make as much money as possible for the firm instead of working for the best deals for their investors.
"The firm has turned so far from the place I joined right out of college that I can no long in good conscience say that I identify with what it stands for," Smith wrote. "It makes me ill how coldly people talk about ripping their clients off.
Smith also criticized the company's promotion policy. People used to be promoted because they showed good character and leadership skills. Now, Smith said, promotion is based on how much money you earn for the company. The way you treat your clients and colleagues does not matter.
"Goldman Sachs today has become too much about shortcuts and not enough about achievements. It just doesn't feel right to me anymore." Smith wrote.
The rewards are great for those who succeed in investment banking. But perhaps it is worth thinking about how your career will affect your character and how others see you. If Smith is right, success in this career requires a high level of dishonesty.
Those hoping to make a career in investment banking might want to think twice about the culture of the finance field. A fat bank is all very well, but do all those banknotes add up to happiness? | high18297.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "$24."
},
"options": [
"$48.",
"$60.",
"$ 12",
"$24."
],
"question": "How much will your parents save if they attend the Mini Hoover Dam Tour?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Mini Hoover Dam Tour
ONLY $48 per person LIST PRICE $60
This tour begins with beautiful sights as you travel by coach through famous Las Vegas towards Boulder City, Nevada. As you leave Boulder City on your way to the famous Hoover Dam, you will see in the distance Lake Mead. Created by the Hoover Dam, it is one of the largest and most beautiful man-made lakes in America!
When you arrive at Hoover Dam, you can visit the museum, watch a movie on the Dam's construction and see Oskar J.W. Hansen's famous sculptures on the Nevada side.
Experience the excitement of this man-made wonder with great views that will create memories of a lifetime!
Tour Highlights
* Free hotel-to-hotel pick-up and drop-off
* Coaches with windows for your viewing pleasure
* Beautiful views of man-made Lake Mead
* Experience the Hoover Dam from two states
* Hoover Dam Discovery Tour
* Time for souvenir shopping
* Relax and enjoy our return journey by coach to Las Vegas | high20708.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the importance of seat belt use"
},
"options": [
"how to drive safely on the road",
"different forms of seat belts",
"the history of seat belt development",
"the importance of seat belt use"
],
"question": "This... | Many countries have passed safety laws that require seat belts in vehicles. A modern three-point seat belt, also called a safety belt, is a harness to prevent the driver or a passenger from flying forward and hitting hard against the interior of a vehicle during a collision. A modern seat belt will help to position you properly to gain maximum benefit from your car's airbags that will inflate during a collision. Using a seat belt also prevents you from being ejected from a car into the path of oncoming traffic. Research shows that when you wear a modern seat belt, you reduce the risk of death or serious injury by 70% or more during an auto accident.
Seat belts have existed in different forms since the early days of automobiles, and they have changed from a single lap belt to the three-point seat belt we use today. In 1911 the first airplane seat belt was installed. Then, in the 1920's they were used in racecars. By the 1930s, a group of American physicians created lap belts for their own vehicles and urged vehicle manufacturers to provide seat belts on all vehicles.
Dr. C. Hunter Shelden made a major contribution to our safety with his article in the November 5, 1955 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). He strongly encouraged the manufacture and use of door locks, airbags, and retractable seat belts, like the ones we use today. The modern three-point seat belt, including a lap belt and a shoulder belt, was introduced as standard equipment on Volvo cars in 1959.
In 1970, the state of Victoria in Australia made the wearing of a seat belt compulsory for every car driver and front-seat passenger. Today many countries have also mandated the use of five-point safety harnesses for carefully designed child safety seats that can protect a child during a serious car accident.
An airbag is a Supplemental Restraint System, or SRS, and consists of a rapidly inflatable restraint cushion that works together with a seat belt to protect you during a collision. Modern cars often contain several airbags in various locations. Since airbags can only inflate once and will quickly deflate after the initial impact, they will not provide any protection for you during a secondary collision.
The inflation of airbag can protect or hurt you. The risk zone for a driver's airbag is the first 8 centimeters from its pre-inflation location. While driving, you should remain about 25 centimeters from the airbag in the center of the wheel. As a driver, wear your seat belt and make sure children correctly use their seat belts. Failure to wear a seat belt properly means the airbags in your car might injure or even kill you during an accident.
An essential part of your safe driving skills is the habit of making sure that you and each of your passengers are always properly positioned and wearing a seat belt. There are many wonderful benefits of being able to drive a car, but there are also severe consequences during an accident for anyone who chooses not to wear a seat belt. | high10807.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "predict the children's future according to their living backgrounds and environment"
},
"options": [
"help the children there with their study.",
"teach the children there because they had no teachers.",
"predict the children... | Years ago a John Hopkin's professor gave a group of graduate students this _ : Go to the slums . Take 200 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16, and investigate their backgrounds and environment. Then predict their chances for the future.
The students, after consulting social statistics, talking to the boys and working out data, concluded that 90 percent of the boys would spend some time in prison.
Twenty-five years later another group of graduate students was given the job of testing the prediction. They went back to the same area. Some of the boys--by then men--were still there. A few of them had died and some had moved away, but they got in touch with 180 of the original 200. They found that only four of the group had ever been sent to prison.
Why was it that these men, who had lived in a breeding place of crime, had such a surprisingly good record? The researchers were continually told: "Well, there was a teacher."
They pressed further, and found that in 75 percent of the cases it was the same woman. The researchers went to this teacher, now living in a home for retired teachers. How had she made this remarkable influence over that group of children? Could she give them any reason why these boys should have remembered her?
"No," she said, "I really couldn't." And then, thinking back over the years, she said thoughtfully, more to herself than to her questioners: "I loved those boys." This is just the reason. | high21402.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "taking a mountain climbing tour"
},
"options": [
"going to the cinema",
"going to the Chinese party",
"taking a historical walking tour",
"taking a mountain climbing tour"
],
"question": "You can do all the foll... | Social Program: 22nd--26th August 2011
Monday Evening--Study Centre or Sports Park
Study Center: The school will be open from 7.45 pm to 9.35pm.
Sports Park: Aerobics, Swimming or Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card).
Tuesday Evening--Cinema
Cinema: To get your free ticket, you must write down which film you would like to watch. See the leaflet on the board for this evening's UCI Cinema program. For more information about the films, visit the UCI website www.uci.co.uk or see the film section in this week's Time Out magazine.
Wednesday Evening--Study Centre of Tennis Coaching
Study Center: The school will be open from 7.35 pm to 9.35 pm.
Tennis Coaching: With former Junior Wimbledon tennis player Stuart Silvester.
Thursday Evening--Chinese Party
Chinese Party: Come along and enjoy the hospitality of the Chinese students! You can try delicious Chinese food and learn about Chinese traditions. Please note that you should eat your evening meal at your home-stay, as the food is a taster and not a full meal. Non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks will be served.
Friday afternoon--Historical Walking Tour or Sports Parks
Historical Walking Tour: This afternoon you will have the opportunity to visit parts of Norwich you may have otherwise missed, with a professional guide. In medieval times Norwich was the second most important city in England and this afternoon you can learn some of the interesting history of our fine city.
Sports Park: Badminton, Basketball, Fitness Training (with a Fitness Card), Football, Squash, Swimming or Volleyball.
Please sign early if you wish to play any of the sports listed above. | high3086.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "humor and love"
},
"options": [
"respect and harmony",
"humor and love",
"hope and expectation",
"confidence and imagination"
],
"question": "The whole passage is in a tone of _ .",
"question_type": "cl... | What Is a Boy?
Between the innocence of babyhood and the seriousness of manhood we find a delightful creature called a "boy". Boys come in different sizes, weights, and colors, but all boys have the same belief: to enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to fill the air with noise until the adult males send them off to bed at night.
Boys are found everywhere --- on top of, under, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers spoil them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers love them, and God protects them. A boy is TRUTH with dirt on its face, BEAUTY with a cut on its finger, WISDOM with chocolate in its hair, and the HOPE of the future with a snake in its pocket.
When you are busy, a boy is a trouble-maker and a noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly or else he becomes a wild creature destroying the world and himself with it
A boy is a mixture - he has the stomach of a horse, the digestion of stones and sand, the energy of an atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the imagination of a superman, the shyness of a sweet girl, the brave nature of a bull, the violence of a firecracker , but when you ask him to make something, _
He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday schools, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.
Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can put into one pocket a rusty knife, a half eaten apple, a three-feet rope, six cents and some unknown things.
A boy is a magical creature - he is your headache but when you come home at night with only destroyed pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with two magic words, "Hi, Dad!" | high2398.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "he was caught while stealing from a chain store"
},
"options": [
"he wanted some sweets from a chain store",
"stealing sweets from a chain store was illegal",
"he was caught while stealing from a chain store",
"the days... | The days of the sneak thief who stole a couple of apples or a packet of sweets from a chain store are actually over. I had a chance to say this to a young offender the other day, "Sweets from a chain store?" He said, "You must be joking. That's what kids do." I may add that he was aged 11. In other words, today's young criminals would find it laughable to risk being caught for petty theft of this description. They've got enough money in their pockets to buy the sweets they want, anyway. I think it's all too easy to put the blame on anyone but ourselves.
Faced as they are with a society that frequently gives them up on the grounds of color1, race or low learning ability, these children turn to crime as a means of showing off their self-respect. Nurtured on films and TV glamorizing the role of the criminal, they are quick to copy these anti-heroes. It is a matter of increasing concern to the police and government that the Children and Young Persons Act, 1969, is becoming improper to deal with the rise in young criminals. Because the emphasis has been placed on the cause and gentle treatment of their crimes, rather than on old-fashioned methods of punishment, the children themselves know well that there is very little that can be done to prevent them continuing to steal, damage and in some case even cause the death of those they choose to terrorize . I don't like the look of this situation any more than you do. In our own interests and in those of our children and grandchildren, we cannot continue to take the "it's nothing to do with me" attitude we have used for so long. We must unite in a common demand for harder and stricter methods against these young criminals. | high18283.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The teacher's neighbour."
},
"options": [
"Rupert's teacher.",
"The neighbour's teacher.",
"A medical school teacher.",
"The teacher's neighbour."
],
"question": "Who wrote the story?",
"question_type": "fac... | One day a few years ago a very funny thing happened to a neighbor of mine. He is a teacher at one of London's big medical schools, He had finished his teaching for the summer term and was at the airport on his way to Russia to give a lecture.
He had put a few clothes and his lecture notes in his shoulder bag, but he had put Rupert, the skeleton to be used in his lecture, in a large brown suitcase . At the airport desk, he suddenly thought that he had forgotten to buy a newspaper. He left his suitcase near the desk and went over to the shop.
When he got back he discovered that someone had taken his suitcase by mistake. He often wonders what they said when they got home and found Rupert. | high305.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Unhappy."
},
"options": [
"Dangerous.",
"Unhappy.",
"Natural.",
"Easy."
],
"question": "How would the author describe the animals' life in zoos?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer... | How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments-mostly for entertainment purposes-is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals.How ever, most zoos remain "collections" of interesting "things" rather than protective habitats .Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural bones.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species , but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals' natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty.Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species' name, diet, and natural range .The animals' normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don't usually take care of the animals' natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise.These results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoophobia.A worldwide study of zoos found that zoophobia is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages.Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered.Captive breeding of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild.Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out.In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers.Haven't we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them.Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals' natural habitats. | high1691.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "name and success"
},
"options": [
"name and unconsciousness",
"name and characteristics",
"name and success",
"sports and school achievements"
],
"question": "The new research is mainly about the relationship be... | Your name made you do it, though unconsciously, suggests new research that finds your name can negatively make you achieve less. Psychologists at Yale and the University of California, San Diego studying the unconscious influence of names say a preference for our own names and initials -- the "name-letter effect" -- can have some negative consequences.
Students whose names begin with C or D get lower grades than those whose names begin with A or B; major league baseball players whose first or last names began with K (the strikeout-signifying letter) are significantly more likely tostrike out.
Assistant professors Leif Nelson of UCSD and Joseph Simmons of Yale have conducted five studies over five years using information from thousands of individuals.
"The conscious process is baseball players want to get a hit and students want to get A's," Nelson says. "So if you get a change in performance consistent with the name-letter effect, it clearly shows there must be some unconscious desire operating in the other direction."
The researchers' work supports a series of studies published since 2002 that have found the "name-letter effect" causes people to make life choices based on names that resemble their own. Those studies by Brett Pelham, an associate professor at SUNY University, have found that people aredisproportionately likely to live in states or cities resembling their names, have careers that resemble their names and even marry those whose surnames begin with the same letter as their own.
The _ , Pelham says, is that he has believed the name-letter effect would apply only to positive outcomes. Nelson and Simmons, he says, are "showing it applies more so to negative things than positive things."
The researchers say the effect is definitely more than coincidence but is small nevertheless. "I know plenty of Chrises and Davids who have done very well in school," Simmons says. | high1849.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Some marketing experience."
},
"options": [
"A university degree.",
"Good appearance.",
"Good computer knowledge.",
"Some marketing experience."
],
"question": "Which of the following is required for marketing p... | Marketing Professionals
A major US corporation in the health and nutritional industry has announced the opening of its direct selling division in Taiwan.
The company offers the most lucrative compensation plan in the industry and has paid over NTD 3.5 billion in commissions in just 6 years in the US.We are a group of top earners.
Applicants should meet the requirements:
(1)Taiwan citizen
(2)Have experience in marketing
(3)Aggressive,energetic,and willing to learn
If you believe you have what it takes to develop this business,please dial 27426996.
Job B
An international company requires a
Service Technician
To service and maintain electronic medical equipment,applicants should have degree in electronics.The selected candidate will have a training program to be conducted by our manufacturer's trained technical personnel.
Interested candidates please apply immediately with a resume and mail to P.O.Box 594.Or telephone Ms Chang at 2945-0027 for an immediate interview. ,
Job C
Wanted:Reporters & Editors
Qualifications:
* Strong command of English language
* Chinese speaking and reading ability a must
* A university degree
* Journalism education and/or experience preferred
* Flexible working hours( 30 hours per week)
* Good work environment and medical insurance,etc.
Fax resume and work samples,if any,to The China Post at(03) 25957952. ,
Job D
Southeastern Travel Services
Tour Guides
Duties:To conduct escorted tours for foreign
visitors;to assist with travel and transportation arrangements.
Qualifications:Good appearance.High school diploma.
Good knowledge of English.Outgoing personality.
Dial 27032172 after 3:00 pm.Ask for Gary. , | high7586.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The color of its package."
},
"options": [
"The cost of its package.",
"The price of the product.",
"The color of its package.",
"The brand name of the product."
],
"question": "Which of the following may trick ... | Shopping is not as simple as you think! There are all sorts of tricks at play each time we reach out for that particular brand of product on the shelf.
Coloring, for example, varies according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packages in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors. Ice cream packets are often blue and expensive foods, like chocolates, are gold and silver.
When some kind of pain killer was brought out recently, researchers found that _ because they made the product look weak and ineffective. Eventually, it came on the market in a dark blue and white package because we think of it as safe, and white as calm.
The size of a product can attract a shopper. But quite often a bottle doesn't contain as much as it appears to.
It is believed that the better-known companies spend, on average, 70 percent of the total cost of the product itself on packaging.
The most successful producers know that it's not enough to have a good product. The founder of Pears soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to promote their goods, came to the conclusion: "Any fool can make soap, but it takes a genius to sell it." | high463.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "always swim under the ocean"
},
"options": [
"always swim under the ocean",
"find food to supply their energy",
"face the colder and colder water",
"travel to the lagoons without a break"
],
"question": "During ... | Every year gray whales swim a 10,000 miles round-trip, from the cold waters near Alaska, down the coast of North America to the warm waters near Mexico, and back again. It is one of the longest migrations of any mammal.
All day, all summer long, in the cold waters near Alaska, gray whales eat and eat.
Instead of teeth, gray whales have baleen, they are used to getting food from ocean water. They get big mouthfuls of muck from the ocean floor, then push that muck right back out through their baleen. The mucky water flows through, but tiny animals get trapped in the baleen and _ .
When the water starts to freeze, the whales begin their long trip south. They swim night and day, without stopping to eat or rest. During the long journey, migrating whales may push their heads out of the water to see where they are.
Two months later, the whales reach Mexico. Babies are born here in warm, shallow waters called lagoons. Ocean lagoons have no food for the adults, but the babies are safer here than in the open seas. All winter the babies grow big and strong.
In spring first the dads and teenagers leave the lagoons, then the moms with babies. Migrating gray whales swim close to shore, especially moms with babies. The ice is melting up north, and it's time for the hungry whales to make the long journey back to their summer feeding grounds. | high23573.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The state of Maine has many cities named after European cities."
},
"options": [
"In the state of Maine there are many different European cities.",
"You can drive to many European cities from the state of Maine.",
"All the se... | Where is it possible to drive from Rome to Moscow, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, and Stockholm without going to Europe? The answer is in the state of Maine!
Throughout the United States there are many towns and cities that have been named after not only European cities but other countries as well, such as China, Poland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Just how many New World place names are recycled from the Old World names has never been _ , but one researcher found forty-one Londons, fifty-six Berlins, twenty-four Dublins, thirty-two Athenses, and twenty-seven Moscows, among others!
Reasons for European place names differ. Some were in memory of settlers' former homes, others in honor of historic events. Founded in 1818 by John Coffee, Robert Beaty, John D. Carroll, and John Read, Athens is one of the oldest incorporated cities in the State of Alabama. The town was first called Athenson, and the name was then shortened to Athens, after the ancient city in Greece. More interestingly, some names were given by mistake. For instance, the people of Moscow, Kansas, wanted their city to follow the name of the explorer Moscoso. They shortened his name to Mosco, and an official in Washington, thinking the Kansans couldn't spell, added a 'W'. | high6698.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Personal letters."
},
"options": [
"E-mails.",
"Blogs.",
"Personal pages.",
"Personal letters."
],
"question": "Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"a... | Loma just had to get in touch with someone:"I had to tell my best friend something important. I tried calling her but I couldn't get through. So I sent her an e-mail and then I spoke to her on MSN. Without technology I would not have been able to tell her. "
Staying connected with friends and family is important for us. That's why we asked our readers to tell us how cell-phones, e-mail, blogs, text messaging, and personal pages help them keep in touch. More than 1,500 responded.
Most of them told us they couldn't live without technology:80%of teens said they need technology to stay in touch. Almost 30%said they'd be completely out of their friends without their cell-phones and other methods of communication.
What do they do when they've got news they need to share now? Most teens say they try to reach their friends by phone. But if they don't reach them, they use QQ, e-mails, and text messaging to _
Lots of people use one way of communication--like text messaging--to get a friend's attention and then use another where they can talk more. "My friends and I always tell each other everything that happens. So I send them text messages to tell them to come online so we can talk about it," said Sabeiha.
"When planning to get together with friends", Julian said, "the easiest and fastest way I know is to send a text message to my contact group." Jocelyn said. "If I want to go to see a movie with a few friends, I usually send text message to them. By telephone, you have to call every single friend one by one. But text messaging allows you to send the same message to as many as you'd like, which saves a lot of time. | high12976.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "women's less negotiating"
},
"options": [
"social bias",
"women's poorer working ability",
"women's worse academic background",
"women's less negotiating"
],
"question": "According to this passage, what causes t... | Men and women are still treated unequally in the workplace. Women continue to earn less, on average, for the same performance. Research has shown that both conscious and subconscious biases contribute to this problem. But we've discovered another source of inequality: Women often don't get what they want and deserve because they don't ask for it. In three separate studies, we found that men are more likely than women to negotiate for what they want.
The first study found that the starting salaries of male MBAs who had recently graduated from Carnegie Mellon were 7.6%, or almost $4,000, higher on average than those of female MBAs from the same program. That's because most of the women had simply accepted the employer's salary offer; in fact, only 7% had attempted to negotiate. But 57% of their male counterparts--or eight times as many men as women--had asked for more.
Another study tested this gender difference in the lab. Subjects were told that they would be observed playing a word game and that they would be paid between $3 and $10 for playing. After each subject completed the task, an experimenter thanked the participant and said, "Here's $3. Is $3 OK?" For the men, it was not OK, and they said so. Their requests for more money are nine times as many as the women's.
The largest of the three studies surveyed several hundred people over the Internet, asking them about the most recent negotiations they'd attempted or started and when they expected to negotiate next. The study showed that men place themselves in negotiation situations much more often than women do.
There are several reasons accounting for the phenomenon. First, women often are taught from an early age not to promote their own interests and to focus instead on the needs of others. The messages girls receive--from parents, teachers, other children, the media, and society in general--can be so powerful that when they grow up they may not realize that they've made this behavior part of them, or they may realize it but not understand how it affects their willingness to negotiate. Women tend to think that they will be recognized and rewarded for working hard and doing a good job. Unlike men, they haven't been taught that they can ask for more. | high5391.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "knowingfactsbeyondthestatement"
},
"options": [
"knowingfactsbeyondthestatement",
"lookingformoreevidencesforthestatement",
"findingoutadifferentmeaningfromthestatement",
"addingsomefactstothestatement"
],
"ques... | The art of reading fiction is largely a matter of inferring meanings. To infer means to understand facts which are not directly stated---only suggested. Inference is one of the commonest ways of knowing things: a child holds his knee and cries; this action implies his feeling; an observer infers that the child is hurt. To infer accurately in everyday life requires caution in observing; to infer skillfully in fiction requires caution in reading; both require disciplined imagination.
The short-story reader can expect to find certain basic elements in any story. For example, all stories involve a person or persons, in a particular setting, faced with a demand for a response. The response called for may be a physical action, such as defeating an adversary or escaping from a danger; or it may be a mental action, such as adjusting to others or within oneself. In either case, the short story is a description in two ways: first, it shows the motives for a given human action; second, it makes a point about the general human situation. Such descriptions, however, rather than being stated directly, usually are implied by the elements of the story.
When the reader of a story understands all the facts and their interrelationships, he is ready to infer the significance of the story as a whole---its comment on the human situation. This comment, or theme, is the seed from which the story grew. It is also the idea by which all the separate elements of the story are governed, while these in turn further shape and modify the theme. In addition to action, character, and setting, these elements include structure, mood, tone, and point of view.
Fiction reading requires an awareness of all the ways in which a story communicates. It also requires attention to detail. What the author provides is a network of points which serve as clues to his meaning. He invites the reader to develop the meaning by inference, actually to create much of the story himself and so make it part of his own experience. | high3938.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The Marsdens."
},
"options": [
"The bear.",
"The Bridger-Teton Forest Service.",
"The Marsdens.",
"The Fish and Game Department."
],
"question": "Who is mostly to blame in the bear's death according to the write... | Bear Story
Campers Gene and Marie Marsden took pride in being good citizens when in the wild.While driving miles to the Green River Lakes area,they instructed their children in the rules they'd learned in the bear safety handbook put out by the Bridger-Teton Forest Service.The number-one rule was"Don't feed the bears!"-whether intentionally or not.Warning the kids not to go anywhere near a bear,the Marsdens had no problem with the intentional part,but the unintentional part was not as easy to avoid as they thought.
Mr.and Mrs.Marsden did their best to keep a tidy camp.While the handbook had said to hang all food at least ten feet off the ground,they did that and locked their food in their trailer at night.Afraid that the scent of the bait might attract a bear,they even locked up Marie's fishing pole.Being sure nothing was left out,they went to bed.
Gene says he now regrets not having taken their dog Spike into the tent at night,but they liked having him on guard.On the night of the encounter ,Spike would not stop barking,and Marie knew he must be sounding the alarm on something more dangerous.When she unzipped the tent and shone her flashlight,she saw a young bear.
They all piled into the car and drove quickly down the trail.They drove to a pay phone twenty miles away and called a Fish and Game Department ranger,who identified the bear by the white ruff the Marsdens had seen around his neck.The authorities informed the Marsdens that the bear was a young male that they'd been keeping an eye on.
The next morning,the Marsdens heard helicopters circling over the mountain and wondered if it might have something to do with the bear.After spending the night in the public campground,they drove back to their site.Wandering the area in search of clues,Marie came to a stop below a tallest tree.She slapped her head and shouted,"Oh no!"
"What is it?"Gene asked.
Marie pointed at the ground where Spike's dog food bowl lay upside down.
A week after their return home,the Marsdens read the headline in their local paper."Bear Euthanized in Wind Rivers."According to the article,the Fish and Game Department had shot the young bear because,having been rewarded for invading a human campsite,it would likely do so again.
The Marsdens knew they had been lucky in the encounter,yet much to their shame and sadness,they also knew that the bear had not. | high19823.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "In 1920."
},
"options": [
"In 1909.",
"In 1920.",
"In 1933.",
"In 1947."
],
"question": "When did Miep Gies move to the Netherlands?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"ans... | Miep Gies, the woman who hid the Dutch girl Anne Frank's diary from the Nazis to become one of the world's most-read books, died after a brief illness at the age of 100.
It was Gies who guarded Anne's diary, and presented it to the girl's father, Otto, when he returned from the Auschwitz concentration camp at the end of World War II--the only one of his family to survive.
In her diary, Anne Frank wrote about her teenage life hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944, when the Nazi police discovered her and her family's hiding place. The diary, first published in 1947, has been translated into 70 languages.
Anne Frank expressed a great wish to live on after death. Miep Gies saw it as her duty to help in making this happen.
Born in Vienna in 1909, Gies moved to the Netherlands at the age of 11. In 1933, she began working for Otto Frank at his trading company. At great risk to her own safety, she and four other helpers brought food and supplies to the Frank family hiding in a secret office building for more than two years.
When she turned 100, _ . "I'm not a hero," she said. " It wasn't something I planned in advance. I simply did what I could to help."
Every day she received letters from all over the world with questions about her relationship with Anne Frank and her role as a helper. Gies received many honors for her role, including from the Netherlands, Germany and Israel. | high22645.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "At ten past nine."
},
"options": [
"At ten.",
"At ten to nine.",
"At ten past nine.",
"At thirty past nine."
],
"question": "When was it that Selena arrived at the lowkey coffee shop?",
"question_type": "fac... | Selena Gomez and I are scheduled to meet at a lowkey coffee shop in Encino. Not wanting to keep the superstar waiting, I arrived at nine, 20 minutes early. As I was catching up on emails, Selena quietly scooted into the seat next to me. No bodyguard. Not even a drop of makeup. She was ten minutes early and no one else in the restaurant looked up so much. Selena was wearing Bebe shorts. She had a baby face and ordered a hot chocolate.
After making small talk about what she wore for the shoot, she dived into the subject of her career. Selena declared 2012 the year of movies. She filmed three: Spring Breakers, a drama; The Getaway, an action flick; and Hotel Transylvania, a comedy. Each is a marked move away from the teen style that made her a household name.
Now that her Disney days are behind her, Selena is at that unstable point in a child star's career where she is trying to grow up--both as a person(she turned 20 in July)and as an artist. "Being part of the Disney Channel was such a blessing, and I'm super happy with what my show accomplished, but acting is something I would like to take on more seriously." She continued, "I don't necessarily feel accomplished. I want to create a whole different person when it comes to acting."
Selena has been working fulltime since she was seven years old and scored a role on Barney&Friends. In 2007, when she was offered the lead in Wizards of Waverly Place, Selena, her mother, and her stepfather _ from Texas to LA , where they are settling now. | high12786.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "change to a dearer route"
},
"options": [
"change their reservation",
"change travel date",
"receive their refund",
"change to a dearer route"
],
"question": "Travelers have to pay additional fees when they want... | Here are Important Travel Notices from United Airlines, March 20, 2016 7:12 AM. Information is updated as it is received.
* 1. Travel and the Zika virus
If you have a ticket for travel to a country affected by the Zika virus (as listed on the CDC website) and have concerns, please contact the United Customer Contact Center with any questions or changes to your reservation. Customers advised to avoid the affected regions based on CDC guidance may change their destination or travel date without a fee or may choose to receive a refund if their tickets were booked before February 29, 2016. The new travel date must be within the validity of the ticket. Additional charges may apply if there is a difference in fare for the new travel route.
* 2. Longer lines at security checkpoints
Procedural changes at TSA checkpoints throughout the United States may result in longer lines at security checkpoints. Please plan accordingly and allow for extra time at the airport. The TSA advises arriving at the airport two hours before your flight for US travel and three hours before for international travel. To save time at security, we encourage you to visit www.tsa.gov.com and apply for TSA pre-check.
* 3. Notice for flights departing the European Union, Norway and Switzerland
EU Regulation 261/2004 requires airlines to provide the following notice: If you are not allowed to board or if your flight is cancelled or delayed for at least two hours, ask at the check-in counter or boarding gate for the form, stating your rights, particularly about compensation and assistance. | high13498.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "report an incident and related information"
},
"options": [
"warn customers of the trap in buying",
"report an incident and related information",
"appeal to customers to defend their own rights",
"support Wang in dealin... | WUHAN - A 72-year-old woman, Wang Yulan, has started legal procedures against Carrefour after she was falsely accused of stealing in the supermarket.
Wang's lawyer Wen Jun said they filed a lawsuit at the Donghu district court, making two demands.
First, Wang wants Carrefour to make a public apology and the apology letter should be put up in the Carrefour store or in the media.
"We also demand 50,000 yuan in compensation for my wife's psychological injuries," Wang's husband, Yan Fucun, said, "We don't mean to _ money from Carrefour, but asked for it as a recognition of respect. Besides the money spent on lawsuit costs, I will donate the rest to charity."
Wang earlier said she went to the store's Guanggu branch to buy cereal. She picked up 20 packs of a particular brand and was given another four as gifts by a saleswoman. However, when she arrived at the checkout, the cashier insisted Wang pay for all 24 packs, which led to an argument. The saleswoman later denied she said the extra packs were free. A store supervisor led Wang to an office, accused her of theft and had her sign a form and pose for photos. Wang and her husband returned to the store the next day with the local media to demand an explanation.
Carrefour China then apologized for the incident on its Sina micro blog, saying the managers and staff members involved have visited Wang's home and apologized. The company also sent three apology letters to Wang in the following three days.
Eric Legros, president of Carrefour China, said,"We made a mistake and we apologized four times. Four times, you know. And Carrefour will not do anything more about it."
Wen Jun said the supermarket's management came with risks. For instance, Wen said the company would offer employees money if they caught a thief in the store. "I hope this case will be a warning for the staff who want to get money by such an immoral method," Wen said. | high8845.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Worthwhile."
},
"options": [
"Amazing.",
"Troublesome.",
"Adventurous.",
"Worthwhile."
],
"question": "What does the author think of the behavior of the children in the puddles?",
"question_type": null
},
... | "The really big concern over the last decade," according to Dr. David Whitehead, "is the relative loss of opportunities for children to engage in child-led play." That's true. One of the exhausting aspects of modern parenting is that everything, even doing nothing, has to be purposeful. Now that "parenting" has become a verb -- a state of doing, rather than simply being -- it can fed unnatural to leave your children to their own devices. Yet it creates spaces in which good things can happen. The psychology lecturer is responding to a survey showing that 80 percent of parents of small children feel under pressure to fill their days with "structured" activities. This, says Dr. Whitehead, is a mistake. Leaving your children to play on their own or with their peers enables them to develop "self-regulation abilities", which in turn leads to better academic achievement.
One afternoon last autumn, sitting on a bench doing no parenting at all, I suddenly felt I was getting the hang of it.
That afternoon, my sister and I took our children to the park. We had lots to talk about, so we sat down on a bench and drove the children away. After briefly complaining, the cousins wandered off and started jumping into puddles .
They jumped and jumped, and then one of them kicked some muddy water at the others. My sister and I, deep in conversation, didn't notice this. So my nephew became more adventurous. He scooped up a handful of mud and threw it on my son's head. My son caught his breath happily, wiped the mud out of his eyes, and threw one back. My nephew, who has a talent for naming things, puffed out his tiny chest and roared: "Let's play Muddikins!"
The rules of Muddikins are simple. You run around throwing mud at each other until everyone is so thickly coated that you can no longer be sure which child is whose. Nothing is learnt from it; nobody is improved. It is pure fun, of the sort that can only happen when parents drop the reins . They did it. " Whoa, that's so cool," said one. "I wish my mum was like you." | high9583.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Maasai people are a threat to elephants."
},
"options": [
"Maasai people are a threat to elephants.",
"Kamba people raise elephants for farming.",
"Both Kamba and Maasai people are elephant hunters.",
"Both Kamba and Ma... | It is easy for us to tell our friends from our enemies. But can other animals do the same? Elephants can! They can use their sense of vision and smell to tell the difference between people who pose a threat and those who do not.
In Kenya, researchers found that elephants react differently to clothing worn by men of the Maasai and Kamba ethnic groups. Young Maasai men spear animals and thus pose a threat to elephants; Kamba men are mainly farmers and are not a danger to elephants.
In an experiment conducted by animal scientists, elephants were first presented with clean clothing or clothing that had been worn for five days by either a Maasai or a Kamba man. When the elephants detected the smell of clothing worn by a Maasai man, they moved away from the smell faster and took longer to relax than when they detected the smells of either clothing worn by Kamba men or clothing that had not been worn at all.
Clothing color also plays a role, though in a different way. In the same study, when the elephants saw red clothing not worn before, they reacted angrily, as red is typically worn by Maasai men. Rather than running away as they did with the smell, the elephants acted aggressively toward the red clothing.
The researchers believe that the elephants' emotional reactions are due to their different interpretations of the smells and the sights. Smelling a potential danger means that a threat is nearby and the best thing to do is run away and hide. Seeing a potential threat without its smell means that risk is low. Therefore, instead of showing fear and running away, the elephants express their anger and become aggressive. | high3910.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "impersonal"
},
"options": [
"impersonal",
"enthusiastic",
"reflective",
"defensive"
],
"question": "The tone of this passage as a whole is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {... | When school was out, I hurried to find my sister and get out of the schoolyard before seeing anybody in my class. But Barbara and her friends had beaten us to the playground entrance and they seemed to be waiting for us. Barbara said, "So now you' re in the A class. "
She sounded impressed.
"What' s the A class? "I asked.
Everybody made superior yet faintly envious giggling sounds. "Well, why did you think the teacher moved you to the front of the room, Dopey? Didn' t you know you were in the C class before, way in the back of the room? "
Of course I hadn' t known. The Wenatchee fifth grade was bigger than my whole school which had been in North Dakota, and the idea of subdivisions within a grade had never occurred to me. The subdividing for the first marking period had been done before I came to the school, and I had never, in the six weeks I' d been there, talked to anyone long enough to find out about the A, B, and C classes.
I still could not understand why that had made such a difference to Barbara and her friends. I didn' t yet know that it was shameful and dirty to be a transient laborer and ridiculous to be from North Dakota. I thought living in a tent was more fun than living in a house.
I didn' t know that we were gypsies, really (how that thought would have excited me then! ), and that we were regarded with the suspicion felt by those who plant toward those who do not plant. It didn' t occur to me that we were all looked upon as one more of the untrustworthy natural phenomena, drifting here and there like mists or winds, I didn' t know that I was the only child who had camped on the Baumann' s land ever to get out of the C class. I didn' t know that school administrators and civic leaders held conferences to talk about the problem of transient laborers.
I only knew that for two happy days I walked to school with Barbara and her friends, played hopscotch and jumped rope with them at class intervals, and was even invited into the house for some ginger ale--a strange drink I had never tasted before. | high20052.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "show whether the food was fresh"
},
"options": [
"reduce the waste of food",
"show whether the food was fresh",
"show the safety of food",
"give a warming of food poisoning"
],
"question": "According to the text... | If you bought some candy months ago but never ate it, how can you tell whether it's still safe to eat? The easiest way is to check the "expiration date " printed on the wrapper. If that date has already passed, you're likely to throw the candy away. But is that really necessary?
According to a new report from the US Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), tons of food is wasted each year, largely because people don't fully understand what expiration dates, or "use-by dates", actually mean.
Food dating was introduced in 1970s because customers wanted more information about the things that they were eating. When they first showed up, use-by dates were only supposed to indicate freshness because producers wanted their products to be tasted in their best conditions.
But the truth is that these dates aren't related to the risk of food poisoning or food-born illness, according to Time News. However, most customers misinterpreted use-by dates and related them to the safety of the food, and they still largely do now.
Eggs, for example, can still be eaten three to five weeks after purchase even though the use-by date is much earlier. When their use-by dates pass, strawberry juice may lose its red color and biscuits may lose their crunch , but they are not harmful.
"It's a confusing subject, the difference between food quality and food safety," said Jena Roberts, vice president of National Food Lab, a US food testing company. "Even in the food industry I have colleagues who get confused."
This is why scientists are calling for a standard explanation to be printed following the use-by dates. "We want this to be clearly communicated so customers are not misinterpreting the date and contributing to a lot of waste," said Dana Gunders, a staff scientist with the NRDC.
But this won't be a mistake that is easy to correct since people have believed it for so long. Another problem is that the quality levels of different foods change differently-some are still eatable long after their use-by date while others are not.
As a result, food industry officials are now thinking of changing the use-by date to a date indicating when food is most likely to throw away. | high10191.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The natural setting, its unique history, and the various activities and attractions attract newlyweds."
},
"options": [
"More and more newly married couples like it.",
"Honeymooning there is a standard for millions of newly married... | Honeymooning at Niagara Falls has become a standard for millions of newly married couples. In fact, Niagara Falls is often fondly called the Honeymoon Capital of the World. This title, however, did not happen overnight. There are various reasons that explain why so many people choose to get married surrounded by a waterfall backdrop. These reasons often include the wonderful natural setting, its unique history, and the inclusion of various activities and attractions that please newlyweds.
The Niagara Falls is the waterfalls and twin cities of the same name located on the Niagara River. The waterfalls are situated in the international border between the United States and Canada and are part of both countries. The United States part of the waterfall is in New York state, while the Canadian section is part of Ontario. Both waterfalls are further divided into two major sections: the American Falls, located on the American side, and the Horseshoe Falls, which lies mostly on the Canadian side.
A number of tourists who have watched the rush of water falling down Niagara Falls have described the view using many terms, including magical, magnificent, and breathtaking. For many recently married couples, visiting the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is generally more popular, as it provides a better view of the rushing water of both waterfalls. Both sides, however, function as destination wedding sites and offer engaged couples the opportunity to exchange their vows at various churches and gardens located within the area. Some couples, however, may prefer to get married on the Canadian side to receive a honeymoon certificate signed by the city's mayor.
Another reason why couples state that they choose to celebrate their weddings at Niagara Falls is the sense of history and nostalgia associated with the area. The place first became connected with being a honeymoon destination in 1801, when Theodosia Burr, the daughter of Vice-president Aaron Burr, visited the region during her honeymoon. The French aristocracy is also believed to have been early fans of honeymooning at the falls. In fact, French prince Jerome Bonaparte supposedly traveled to the Ontario side of Niagara Falls after his own wedding in 1804 to an American heiress.
By the early 1900s, Niagara Falls had claimed itself as the Honeymoon Capital and began to advertise as such. In the 21st century, some young couples choosing to honeymoon in the spot have stated that doing so was a chance to visit the same location previously enjoyed by their parents or even their grandparents. The fact that the destination may also be less expensive than some more exotic wedding locations has also helped it attract a large number of visiting newlyweds each year.
Part of the charm of honeymooning at Niagara Falls might be the natural attraction's ability to combine old-fashioned romance with more contemporary attractions. Newlyweds seeking more private and separated activities may enjoy restaurants featuring candlelight dinners and dancing, quiet picnic areas surrounded by the signs and smells of nature, or a scenic lighthouse tour. On the other hand, couples seeking adventurous activities might find it appealing to visit a casino , take boat or air tours, or stay at a resort hotel. | high17826.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Those who just walk around the shopping malls."
},
"options": [
"Those who cannot control the amount of credit they use.",
"Those who just walk around the shopping malls.",
"Those who are occupied in too much shopping.",
... | Are you a problem shopper? The answer is "Yes" , if you or someone else thinks that you sometimes get carried away with shopping .In other words ,do you or does someone else think you are occupied in extreme shopping ? If people have regrets later about their shopping , or have an "out-of-control" feeling about the quantities of what they buy or the amount of credit they use , they may be considered to be problem shoppers.
Extreme shopping can lead to a more serious problem -addictive shopping . Addictive shoppers feel driven by the desire to shop and spend money . They experience great tension which drives them to shop and spend money and they feel a "rush" during the time they are occupied with the shopping activity.
Extreme or addictive shopping may result from long-time unpleasant feelings, of which anxiety ,pain and shame are common ones,. When we feel bad inside ,we often do something to make ourselves feel better . In this case ,we often go shopping .
A few people shop to relieve their boredom or emptiness .For some people ,the motivation is a desire for status ,power ,beauty or success .Some love to shop as it makes them feel valued in the eyes of the shop assistants .Others shop simply because it makes them forget , at least temporarily , tension ,fear or unhappiness in their life.
Besides ,shopping malls are designed to encourage continual shopping . For instance ,there are some malls where you can't see clocks displaying the time because they don't want you to become too aware of the time you spend there .What's more ,food courts, coffee shops and restrooms are provided ,so you don't have to leave the mall because of your physical needs.
Therefore ,once you become aware of how market forces work ,you will certainly come to control your shopping behavior .For example ,how much time you will spend an d what areas you will visit can be decided before you enter the mall. Keep a written account of what items you will buy and how much money you will spend . Make a plan for what you are going to buy before you feel the urge to shop and then stick to it . That is vital for gaining self0control. | high16286.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Whether it'll adjust itself."
},
"options": [
"What its structure is like.",
"How its workings are run.",
"What times it belongs to.",
"Whether it'll adjust itself."
],
"question": "In the author's view, what ca... | The structure and workings of the university are ever changing. The university of the past is not like the university of the present and the university of the present will not be like the university of the future. This "adaptation" to the times is what can make some universities great or make some universities among the worst in the nation.
In the past the university was very set in their ways. They did things the way they wanted them done. They paid no attention to the rest of the society and the way the ones paying the bills wanted them done. In the past the professors would lecture endlessly to the students, which often left the students bored and with no idea what was really said to them in the lecture. This is no way to try and teach students; students need interaction with the professors that are paid to teach them. As Paulo Freire believed there needs to be communication between the students and the professors and the class should not be totally memorization. This is the way that things were done in the past.
In the present many universities have either changed or are changing the way that they run their universities. The universities now are taking on many of the modern educational beliefs in order to make changes in the teaching methods. Universities are breaking down many of the divides between majors that they offer. By breaking these barriers the universities are becoming less specialized and more diverse. This goes along with the ideas of Berry who believes that the schools are over-specialized and that the universities are now just machines that are merely meant to produce workers. In the past few years the colleges have been lowering the standards of admission, which in turn lowers the standards of all the schools below the college level. The universities are now on the right track by increasing the standards of admission into their colleges. | high4919.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Driving cars has little effect on environment."
},
"options": [
"It's convenient to drive around the city.",
"They cannot count on buses.",
"It costs them much money to take trains.",
"Driving cars has little effect on ... | An upper class British lady once declared: " Anyone seen on a bus after the age of 30 has been a failure in life." This may sound arrogant and ignorant. Unfortunately, there are still people thinking that way. Some wealthy folk in the West look down on buses and boast about how many years it has been since they last travelled by one.
How sad is that? Our roads are packed with cars and the air is full of the pollution they emit. But still, many car users are unwillingly to get on a bus or a bike or a train to take themselves to work. It's convenient to drive, they'll say. Buses are so unreliable, they'll claim. And trains are expensive - at least in the UK. It's an attitude which may have to change. It doesn't make sense to drive a car in a city where there's a public transport system. Also, these rush hour commuters usually travel alone.
As a result, transport authorities in the UK are looking at solutions to city center congestion . One is to increase the number of parking spaces at out-of-town railway stations. More motorists can then leave their cars and travel into the city by train. Light rail or tramways are another environmentally friendly solution. Many cities across Europe have had light rail or tramway systems. The subway in London is used by everyone, rich and poor. It's the quickest way of getting around the city, whatever your bank balance. And then there are the cycle hire plans you find in many modern cities. In London and Paris, you can hire a bike by the hour to get you where you need to go.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is often pictured cycling to work. David Cameron, the British prime minister, cycled to the House of Commons before he became leader. | high17198.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He has been to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains."
},
"options": [
"He has succeeded in climbing to the world's 14th highest mountain.",
"He has been to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.",
"He has become ... | Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.
His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26,545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.
"It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous," said Viesturs. "There's no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches and ice falls that protect the mountain."
In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog's story was of frostbite and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was
right away.
Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done.
The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it," said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down."
What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure. | high15957.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A national exam."
},
"options": [
"A local exam.",
"A final exam.",
"A college exam.",
"A national exam."
],
"question": "What kind of examination are these rules probably for?",
"question_type": "factiod_qu... | Rules for the University Entrance Examination
*You must be at the examination center ten minutes before the examination starts. If you are more than ten minutes late, you may not enter the examination center. The examination takes place at the same time in different states.
*You must have proof of your name and grade as well as official examination number. Show these when you come to the examination center.
*Depending on which examination you are taking, you may bring certain items into the examination center. Mathematics examinations may allow you to use electronic calculators . Other subjects may allow you to use dictionaries and other reference material. Please read the notes sent with your timetable carefully.
*You must bring your own pencils. None will be provided for you. The following items are not allowed in the examination center: walkmans and radios, head sets, any food or drink, schoolbags, electronic equipment (unless specifically permitted for various subjects), and mobile phones.
*Once in the center, you must sit at the desk with your examination number on it. When you sit down, place your examination number at the top comer of your desk.
*You must remain silent during the examination. You must not disturb other people who are taking the test.
*If you need a drink or toilet break, you should raise your hand and wait for the supervisor to speak to you. You will be given water or the supervisor will take you to the bathroom. You are not allowed to talk with anyone during the break.
*You must write your answers in the official answer sheet. Your supervisor will provide extra paper if you wish to make notes.
*You may leave the examination room at any time if you do not plan to return. If you finish early and want to leave, please move well away from the examination center.
*The supervisor will warn you fifteen minutes, five minutes and one minute before the end of the examination. When the supervisor says that the time is up, you must put down your pencil and wait at your desk until you paper is collected. | high22123.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "follow the second advice"
},
"options": [
"follow the second advice",
"invite the boss to listen to the girl",
"stop working or do other things",
"report to the boss on time"
],
"question": "When Flustered's bos... | Dear Aunty,
I work at a supermarket, and another girl and I share tasks we must finish before leaving. But she takes half an hour to do something I can do in ten minutes. She always has a story to tell me and stops working when she does. My boss is angry at both of us, but It's not my fault. I don't want to rat on her, but what else can I do?
Flustered
Dear Flustered,
Let me propose a better way. Make a log of all the tasks you share, then suggest to your boss that for efficiency your duties could be divided into two separate checklists. If he's reluctant, go to plan B: the next time this girl starts telling you a story, stop working to listen and call your boss over to hear what a great storyteller she is. I'm sure he'll take it from here.
Aunty
Dear Aunty,
I'm a college student in the Philippines who wants to be wise with money. I'm not an economics or business major student and I don't know anything about stocks. But I really want to buy assets and invest. I receive about 15,000 pesos every school term from my education plan. I don't have any idea how I should spend it. I don't want to just buy new clothes, or hang out with my friends because it would not be wise. I want my money to grow. Please enlighten me.
Fastbreakplay
Dear Fastbreakplay,
Being wise with money is the No. 1 thing to learn. Start with a disciplined and systematic savings plan. When your savings reach a sizeable amount, then you may start investing. In the meantime, invest in yourself by reading up on stock markets and capital markets. Follow the news. Before I started investing during my senior high school years, I had already studied stock market data of the past century as I believe markets tend to repeat themselves. If you master this skill, you will master your reading of the markets.
Aunty | high23229.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "obey the rules of the school"
},
"options": [
"1earn to stay with their hosts",
"entertain and protect others",
"obey the rules of the school",
"take trips to and from school"
],
"question": "Boarding at school ... | Most kids go to school during the day and come home to their families or caregivers at night.Sometimes kids can't go home every night so they board or live at school during term-time.
Whatever the reason for going to boarding school, living with a group of people is very different from living with your family.You have to learn to get on with others, be responsible for looking after your own stuff and follow the rules that are there to make everyone's life pleasant and safe.
The following are some tips from boarders.
"Remember that the other new students are probably as shy as you are.If you don't talk first and try to make friends, it may not happen."
"Don't hold things back inside you.The more you talk, the easier it gets.You can talk to older boarders as well as adults.They understand what you are feeling--they've been through it too."
"Be respectful of others' space and give them privacy.Having people around all the time means you don't get much time to yourself."
"Join in sports and other afterschool activities.You'll meet lots of new people who are interested in the same things as you.And keeping busy will help you get over feeling homesick."
"If you are a weekly boarder or go home most weekends it can be harder to make friends, so see if you can organize to stay in for a weekend."
"Make friends with non-boarders too.It's good to visit someone's home sometimes."
"Boarding has its ups and downs, you get homesick and sometimes the food is not that great but most of the time it is like being in one big family.You make friends that you know you'11 keep for the rest of your life." | high14485.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "introduce them to the world of art"
},
"options": [
"take them to visit the museum",
"introduce them to the world of art",
"ask them to read about artists",
"show them different painting styles"
],
"question": "... | The summer I was ten, my mother decided to bring us to the world of art. My brother and I were not very excited when we realized what my mother meant. What she meant was not that we could take drawing classes or painting classes but that we would have to spend one afternoon a week with her at the Fine Arts Museum. Before each visit to the museum, she made us read about artists and painting styles. It was almost as bad as being in school. Who wants to spend the summer thinking about artists when you could be with your friends at the swimming pool?
First we had to read about ancient Egyptians and their strange way of painting faces and then go to look at them at the museum. My 12-year-old brother thought this was so funny, but I was not interested. Later we had to learn about artists in the Middle Ages who painted people wearing strange long clothing. We had to look at pictures of fat babies with wings and curly hair and with no clothes on flying around the edges of paintings. I certainly couldn't see what was so great about art.
On our last visit to the museum, something happened when I saw a painting by a woman called Mary. In it, a woman was reading to a child. The colors were soft and gentle, and you could tell by the mother's expression how happy she was just to be with the child. I couldn't stop looking at this painting! I wanted to see every painting Mary had ever made! It was really worth looking at so many paintings to find a painter who could interest me so much. | high1875.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because her daughter got used to smoking."
},
"options": [
"Because her daughter failed to go to college.",
"Because her daughter tried to kill her.",
"Because her daughter promised to smoke no more.",
"Because her daug... | Our 16-year-old daughter started to smoke last Christmas. It killed me to see that lovely girl with a cigarette in her mouth. I told her how I felt. Martha continued to smoke, saying, "It's my life," and so on. I told her if she didn't stop smoking, I wouldn't send her to college. She agreed to give it up.
Last night there was cigarette smell on Martha's breath. She had to say she had broken her word. Now I must do what I've said to punish her.
Martha is unusually bright and wants to teach children. I'm working full-time to put her older sister through school and would do the same for Martha. My husband's pay is good, but with prices going up all the time we could never educate the girls unless I kept on working.
My theory is that if smoking is more important to Martha than college, I'm a fool to work to put her through college. | high16292.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "May 7"
},
"options": [
"April 28",
"May 12",
"June 10",
"May 7"
],
"question": "When will China's Olympic flame probably reach Mount Everest's summit?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"ans... | KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) - Nepal has given its security personnel permission to shoot pro-Tibet demonstrators during China's Olympic flame climb to Mount Everest's summit early next month.
"About 25 soldiers and policemen have established camps on the mountain and they have been ordered to use force if necessary to stop any anti-Chinese activities," Mod Raj Dotel, spokesman for the home ministry, said Sunday. "This could mean shooting if necessary."
Security personnel will also check mountain climbers for non-essential expedition materials, Dotel added.
"If anyone is found with anti-Chinese material their permit will be canceled and returned from the mountain," he said.
Chinese climbers plan to take the Olympic flame to the top of the world's highest peak, at 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) as part of the global relay leading up to the August 8 opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Spring is the most popular season for climbing Mount Everest, which straddles the border between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.
The Nepali government has given permits to dozens of climbers from 30 expeditions this season.
But between May 1 and May 10, climbers are _ from going above 6,400 meters until the torch run is completed. China plans to take the Olympic flame to the summit sometime then.
Bad weather conditions allow only about two opportunities in May for a push to the summit.
The Chinese have not allowed any expedition to climb the mountain from the north side, according the Kathmandu representative of the Tibet China Mountaineering Association.
Almost every day in the past month, Nepalese police have arrested pro-Tibet protesters from in front of the Chinese Embassy and the United Nations offices. The demonstrators are released later in the evening.
Supporters of Tibet punish the government's attitude toward the autonomous region, and many believe China should not have been awarded the honor of hosting the Olympic Games.
Earlier torch relay stops in London, England; Paris, France; and San Francisco, California attracted tens of thousands of demonstrators. They led to attacks on the torch and relay participants, and prompted police to make dozens of arrests.
Subsequent stops in Argentina, Tanzania and Oman were trouble-free.
In Pakistan, authorities closed the relay to the public. And India shortened the relay and kept thousands of anti-Chinese protesters at bay by sealing off roads and shuttering buildings along the route.
The relay went smoothly in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday, amid heavy security and scattered protests along the route.
The flame arrived in Malaysia on Sunday. About 1,000 police officers will be on hand to watch for protesters during a relay in the capital city Kuala Lampur Monday. | high20720.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "8degC"
},
"options": [
"47degC",
"43degC",
"13degC",
"8degC"
],
"question": "The current temperature in New York is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0... | Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Hi 56degF/13degC 56degF/13degC 59degF/15degC 58degF/14degC 54degF/12degC
Lo 42degF/6degC 47degF/8degC 50degF/10degC 46degF/8degC 45degF/7degC
Mostly sunny Sunny to partly
cloudy Some sunshine
giving way to
clouds A couple of
morning showers Sun mixing
with high clouds
Other Locations
Place Conditions Temperature Humidity Pressure
Chicago Overcast 45degF/7degC 68% 30.12 in
London Partly Sunny 55degF/13degC 58% 29.77 in
Los Angeles Clear 52degF/11degC 25% 29.99 in
San Francisco Clear 42degF/6degC 84% 30.1 in
Tokyo Rain 50degF/10degC 87% 29.83 in | high20046.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "I found nobody to share my feelings with"
},
"options": [
"I was angry about my parents' quarrel",
"I found nobody to share my feelings with",
"I wanted to escape from the dark house",
"I planned to tell my friend about... | My parents were in a huge argument, and I was really upset about it. I didn't know who I should talk with about how I was feeling. So I asked Mom to allow me to stay the night at my best friend's house. Though I knew I wouldn't tell her about my parents' situation, I was looking forward to getting out of the house. I was in the middle of packing up my things when suddenly the power went out in the neighborhood. Mom came to tell me that I should stay with my grandpa until the power came back on.
I was really disappointed because I felt that we did not have much to talk about. But I knew he would be frightened alone in the dark. I went to his room and told him that I'd stay with him until the power was restored. He was quite happy and said, "Great opportunity "
" What is ?" I asked.
" To talk, you and I," he said. "To hold a private little meeting about what we're going to do with your mom and dad, and what we're going to do with ourselves now that we're in the situation we are in."
"But we can't do anything about it, Grandpa," I said, surprised that here was someone with whom I could share my feelings and someone who was in the same "boat" as I was.
And that's how the most unbelievable friendship between my grandfather and me started. Sitting there in the dark, we talked about our feelings and fears of life--from how fast things change, to how they sometimes don't change fast enough. That night, because the power went out, I found a new friend, with whom I could safely talk about all my fears and pains, whatever they may be.
Suddenly, the lights all came back on. "Well," he said, " I guess that means you'll want to go now. I really like our talk. I hope the power will go out every few nights!" | high3904.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "She wanted to protect nature and animals."
},
"options": [
"She majored in a relevant field.",
"She wanted to protect nature and animals.",
"She was uncertain about her life.",
"She intended to know about animal welfare... | Upon entering college, Yang Yi was uncertain about a lot of things. However, the 19-year-old international economics and trade student was certain about one thing: She wanted to participate in animal welfare efforts.
"I'm .always a nature and animal lover," she said. She joined the environmental protection association at her school. Now being president of a group of 25, she leads its efforts to help stray cats and dogs by raising money to buy them food and collecting old clothes to make them homes.
However, sometimes the association raises doubts. Some students have questioned whether helping stray animals breaks the laws of nature. "We tried to resolve the controversy," Yang said. "For wild animals, the best way to protect them is to preserve their environment and their natural habitat, and to let them live their own way. However, for animals that depend heavily on humans, such as dogs and cats, the proper way to treat them is to respect them and take care of them." Besides, if not accommodated properly, stray animals can bring threats to public health, as they are the main cause of rabies in cities. "Now, many young people in China have agreed upon the need to strike a balance between humans and nature. The only problem is how," said Yang. Yang and her fellow volunteers are cautious about what they do to help. For instance, sometimes people feed stray cats human food such as chocolate. But Yang and her friends point that such food can be dangerous to stray cats.
Yang also cooperates with Non-Governmental Organizations to spread animal protection knowledge. One of their recent exhibits was about animals in the entertainment industry. "We are still figuring out the best way to protect animals, but simple deeds such as saying no to animal performances can prevent wildlife from being captured and tamed. Step by step, we'll eventually reach our goal," she said. | high10185.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They have limited energy capacity."
},
"options": [
"They are not very stable.",
"They cannot hold enough silicon.",
"They have limited energy capacity.",
"The space between the graphene sheets is too big."
],
"... | Does it drive you crazy that your cell phone needs to be frequently charged for hours? A team of scientists led by professor Harold Kung at Northwestern University in the US may have solved your problem. They developed a lithium ion batery that holds 10 times as much power and charges 10 times more quickly than standard batteries, according to the BBC in a report on November 15.
Lithium ion bateries are rechargeable and are widely used in cameras, smartphones and laptops. They charge through a chemical reaction in which lithium ions are sent between the two ends of a battery. How much power the battery holds and how fast it charges are limited by two things:how many lithium ions it has and how quickly these ions move.
Current rechargeable batteries have an anode made of many carbon-based graphene sheets. To increase energy capacity, former experiments have tried to replace the carbon with silicon, which can hold far more lithium ions. However, this method did not work because the silicon was not stable enough.
Kung's team managed to stabilize the silicon. They put clusters of silicon between the graphene sheets like a sandwich so that the silicon could not move around freely and take away the energy.
The speed at which a battery charges is hindered by the shape of the graphene sheets because it takes a long time for the lithium to travel from one side of the sheet to the other.Sometimes a "traffic jam" occurs around the edges of the graphene.
To solve this problem, Kung's team used a special chemical process to create tiny holes of 10 to 20 nanometers wide in the graphene sheets so the lithium ions would have a "shortcut" and be able to travel directly to the other side. This reduced the time it took the battery to recharge. About 15 minutes of charging can last more than a week.
"Even after 150 charges, which would be one year or more of operation, the battery is still five times more effective than lithium ion batteries on the market today," said Kung.
The technology could be widely available within five years, the researchers said. | high17832.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "teachers"
},
"options": [
"porters",
"waiters",
"teachers",
"taxi drivers"
],
"question": "When you travel to the USA, you don't need to tip _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": ... | Different countries have different customs. When you travel to another countries, please follow their customs, just as the saying goes, " _ ."
Very often people who travel to the United States forget to tip. It is usual to tip _ who help carry your bags, taxi drivers and waiters. Waiters expect to get a 15% tip on the cost of your meal. Taxi drivers expect about the same amount.
In England, make sure to stand in line even if there are only two of you. It's important to respect lines there. It's a good idea to talk about the weather. It's a favorite subject of conversation with the British.
In Spain, it's a good idea to have a light meal in the afternoon if someone invites you for dinner. People have dinner very late, and restaurants do not generally open until after 9 pm.
In Arab countries, men kiss one another on the cheek. Your host may welcome you with a kiss on both cheeks. It is polite for you to do the same.
In Japan, people usually give personal or business cards to each other when they meet for the first time. When a person gives you a card, don't put it into your pocket right away. The person expects you to read it.
Don't forget to be careful of your body language to express something in conversation. A kind of body language that is acceptable in one culture may be impolite in another. | high8689.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "increase our experience of happiness"
},
"options": [
"helps us save some money.",
"spare time for other activities",
"increase our experience of happiness",
"give us more time to consider buying things."
],
"qu... | Do you know how to be happy? Here are six ways for you to find more pleasure in your life.
Play that song you love so much. As a preschooler can tell you, repetition can lead to pleasure. When you experience something more than once, you notice more details about it each time, and it increases your enjoyment. That's why you love revisiting that jazz club, favourite restaurant, and beloved old Woody Allen movie. Of course, you can overdo it.
Don't buy boxed sets of DVDs. Economist Tyler says that much of the joy we get from our buying lies in the experience of finding them out, getting them home, and opening them up. If you receive 18 DVDs in one package, you'll use up the excitement all at once. Buy things one a time and space out the pleasure.
Look outside. People long ago spent almost all of their time outside with trees, water, and sky around. The world in which most of us spend our time nowadays is unnatural and can harm the spirit. Even being close to nature for a short time can make us happy.
_ . Physical contact with animals works wonders. You can pet an animal. It increases the brain chemicals connected with pleasure and decreases those connected with stress . Even people without pets can get some of the effect by hanging out for a few minutes at a dog shelter.
Smile. Well, like it or not, smiling improves your mood. Here's why: people react better to you when you look happy, which in turn leads you to be happy. What's more, looking happy fools your brain into thinking that you are happy. | high22651.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "they can't adapt to the loud noises during the daytime"
},
"options": [
"they want to attract more birds of opposite sex",
"they are more likely to be discovered by their family",
"they can't adapt to the loud noises during t... | Birds in cities are damaging their health by trying to sing above the noise of urban life.
New research shows that male birds are trying to compete against traffic and city sounds.They are now singing louder and at higher frequencies,which could harm their vocal cords .Some birds are choosing to sing at night instead of during the day.This makes them more open to attack and also creates stress and exhaustion.
"The difference between urban and rural birdsong is becoming so big that the two groups could now be unable to communicate.This could lead to inbreeding and a weak gene poo1."said Dr Sue Anne Zollinger of the.University of St Andrews.
According to Zollingar,a bird group with a small gene pool might adapt less quickly to new diseases and could be wiped out.
A study of the dawn chorus found that birds in Berlin sang up to 14 decibels louder than those in the forest.The birds sang loudest on weekday mornings.
"By trying to sing over the sound of the city,birds ale rising vocal injury,"said Zollinger."All this puts the same strain on a bird's vocal cords as when a human need to shout to be heard--except that the birds are doing it all day,every day,"she said.
"Singing under such pressure means birds have less control over the sound they produce.Their songs may lose quality and become more rough--sounding."said Zollinger.This could make them appear less attractive to female birds.
Mark Constantine,author of The Sound Approach to Birding,said:"Birdsong is important for our quality of life and has been proved to reduce our blood pressure.When we live in the centre of large,urban areas,we get stressed and it's extremely good to have birdsong around us.The impact on humans of birdsong is massive.It harms us,as well as the birds,if their songs become louder and simpler. | high24220.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Why I Gave up My Job"
},
"options": [
"How Hard Life Is for Box Boys",
"Getting along with Customers",
"Why I Gave up My Job",
"The Art of Taking Tips"
],
"question": "What can be the best title for this text?",... | I'm seventeen. I had worked as a box boy at a supermarket in Los Angeles. People came to the counter and you put things in their bags for them and carried things to their cars. It was hard work.
While working, you wear a plate with your name on it. I once met someone I knew years ago. I remembered his name and said, "Mr Castle, how are you?" We talked about this and that. As he left, he said, "It was nice talking to you, Brett." I felt great, he remembered me. Then I looked down at my name plate. Oh, no. He didn't remember me at all, he just read the name plate. I wish I had put "Irving" down on my name plate. If he'd have said, "Oh yes, Irving, how could I forget you?" I'd have been ready for him. There's nothing personal here.
The manager and everyone else who were a step above the box boys often shouted orders. One of these was: you couldn't accept tips. Okay, I'm outside and I put the bags in the car. For a lot of people, the natural reaction is to take a quarter and give it to me. I'd say, "I'm sorry, I can't." They'd get angry. When you give someone a tip, you're sort of being polite. You take a quarter and you put it in their hand and you expect them to say, "Oh, thanks a lot." When you say, "I'm sorry, I can't." They feel a little _ . They say, "No one will know." And they put it in your pocket. You say, "I really can't." It gets to a point where you almost have to hurt a person physically to prevent him from tipping you. It was not in agreement with the store's belief in being friendly. Accepting tips was a friendlything and made the customer feel good. I just couldn't understand the strangeness of some people's ideas.
One lady actually put it in my pocket, got in the car, and drove away. I would have had to throw the quarter at her or eaten it or something.
I had decided that one year was enough. Some people needed the job to stay alive and fed. I guess I had the means and could afford to hate it and give it up. | high9597.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "great changes occurred between the 19th century and the 20th century"
},
"options": [
"great changes occurred between the 19th century and the 20th century",
"the world knew nothing about science, industry and moral philosophy",
... | Thanks to science, industry and moral philosophy, mankind's steps were at last guided up the right path in the past century. The 19th century of steam was about to give way to the 20th century of oil and electricity. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, only 41 years old in 1900, provided a scientific basis for the idea that progress was not to be stopped, determined by natural law. And almost everybody thought that the development would continue to be as slow as that in the 19th century.
Inventions like the railroad or the telegraph or the typewriter enabled people to live their everyday lives a little more conveniently. No one could have guessed that new ideas would storm the world with a force and frequency at an amazing pace. This high-speed attack of new ideas and technologies seemed to make people believe in the old dreams of a perfect life on earth, of a safe world in which natural disasters would be controlled. But the fast progress was accompanied by something against mankind's will.
Murders in Sarajevo in 1914 led to the Great War, which did more than destroy a generation of Europeans. The Great War was most commonly called so until the beginning of World War II when it was renamed World War I. Hitler rose to power in the 1930's. It was this very man who ordered the attack of prefix = st1 /Poland, only to meet with his failure whenGreat BritainandFrancemade war onGermany. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed the American naval base at Pearl harbor. Americans decided to enter the war, and World War II was now truly a world war.
But civilization was not crushed by the two great wars, and from the ruins people built a way of life again. The citizens of the 20th century felt free to reinvent themselves. In that task they were aided by two far-reaching developments-Psychoanalysis and the Bomb. | high22862.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "they couldn't bear the meaningless killing"
},
"options": [
"they couldn't bear the meaningless killing",
"it was the best way to avoid being killed",
"they feared that they would be caught",
"their enemies were from si... | It was December 25, 1914, only 5 months into World War I. German, British, and French soldiers, already sick and tired of the senseless killing, disobeyed their superiors and started socialising with "the enemy" along two-thirds of the Western Front.
German troops held up Christmas trees with signs, "Merry Christmas". Thousands of troops ran across the battlefields covered with dead bodies. They sang Christmas songs, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared food and even played football. Soldiers hugged men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if their officers forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high.
Fear ran through the military leaders on both sides. They felt that their power was being challenged: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals declared this unexpected peacemaking illegal and said that participating soldiers would face a military court. Those found guilty would be imprisoned or even shot. By March 1915 the socialising movement had been destroyed and the killing machine was back in full operation. Over the next three years more than fifteen million people died in the war.
Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce . On Christmas Day, 1988, a local radio host in Boston played "Christmas in the Trenches", a song about the Christmas Truce, several times and was _ by his listeners' response. Thousands of people called in, praising the song, with many moved to tears by the amazing events it described.
You can probably guess why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes against most of what we have been taught about people. It lets us see the world as it can be and says, "This really happened once." It shows us the potential we have as humans, and contradicts all of those TV and newspaper stories that tell us how mean and heartless people are. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really can be different. | high13467.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Making people without Internet enjoy the benefits of it."
},
"options": [
"Attracting more users for his social network.",
"Making people without Internet enjoy the benefits of it.",
"Establishing connections will affluent pe... | Fifty years ago, Martin Luther King dreamed of an America that would one day deliver on its promise of equality for all of its citizens, black as well as white. Today, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has a dream, too: he wants to provide Internet access to the world's five billion people who do not now have it. But the world currently faces a growing technological divide, with implications for equality, liberty, and the right to pursue happiness.
Around the world, more than two billion people live in the Digital Age. They can access a vast universe of information, communicate at little or no cost with their friends and family, and connect with others with whom they can cooperate in new ways. The other five billion are still stuck in the Paper Age in which my generation grew up.
Internet.org, a global partnership launched by Zuckerberg, plans to bring the two-thirds of the world's population without Internet access into the Digital Age. The partnership consists of seven major information-technology companies, as well as non-profit organizations and local communities.
A friend working to provide family-planning advice to poor Kenyans recently told me that so many women were coming to the clinic that she could not spend more than five minutes with each. These women have only one source of advice, and one opportunity to get it, but if they had access to the Internet, the information could be there for them whenever they wanted it.
Enlarging our vision still more, it is a hope that putting the world's poor online would result in connections between them and more affluent people, leading to more assistance. Research shows that people are more likely to donate to a charity helping the hungry if they are given a photo and told the name and age of a girl like those the charity is aiding. If a mere photo and a few identifying details can do that, what might _ with the person do?
Providing universal Internet access can also raise new risks and sensitive ethical issues, the distinctiveness of local cultures may be eroded, which has both a good and a bad side, for such cultures can restrict freedom and deny equality of opportunity. On the whole, though, it is reasonable to expect that giving poor people access to knowledge and the possibility of connecting with people anywhere in the world will be socially transforming in a very positive way. | high8662.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "He was in constant fear."
},
"options": [
"He was in constant fear.",
"He enjoyed it very much.",
"He had a better vision about life.",
"He missed his friends and relatives."
],
"question": "How did the author f... | Earthquake in Japan.Donald Trump is accused of planting story about actress's height after she rejected him. Mexico arrests ex-police chief in case of 43 missing students. Do you really need to know all these things?
Three years ago, I began an experiment. I stopped reading all newspapers and magazines. Televisions and radios were rejected. I deleted the news apps from my iPhone. I didn't touch a single free newspaper and deliberately looked the other way when someone tried to offer me any such reading material. The first weeks were hard. Very hard! I was constantly afraid of missing something. But after a while, I had a new understanding. The result after three years: clearer thoughts, more valuable ideas, better decisions, and much more time. And the best thing? I haven't missed anything important.
A dozen reasons exist to _ . Here are the top three: First, our brain reacts differently to different types of information. Shocking, people-based, fast-changing details all appeal to us. News producers capitalize on this. The result: Everything complex, abstract, and profound must be systematically singled out, even though such stories are much more relevant to our lives and to our understanding of the world. As a result, we walk around with a misrepresented mental map of the risks and threats we actually face.
Second, news is irrelevant. In the past year, you have probably consumed about ten thousand pieces of news. Be very honest: Name one of them, just one that helped you make a better decision--for your life, your career, or your business--compared with not having this piece of news. No one I have asked has been able to name more than two useful news stories--out of ten thousand. News organizations claim that their information gives you a competitive advantage. Too many fall for this. If news really helped people advance, journalists would be at the top of the income pyramid.
Third, news is a waste of time. An average human being spends half a day each week reading about current affairs. This is a huge loss of productivity. Take the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai. Let's say a billion people viewed the minute-by-minute updates and listened to the chatter of a few "experts" and "commentators." Thus our conservative calculation: One billion people multiplied by an hour's distraction equals one billion hours of work stoppage. News wasted around two thousand lives--ten times more than the attack.
I would predict that turning your back on news will benefit you as much as removing any of the other ninety-eight errors we have covered in the pages of this book. Read long background articles and books. Nothing beats books for understanding the world. | high15016.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "UK."
},
"options": [
"UK.",
"Australia.",
"America.",
"Belgium."
],
"question": "Not considering the exact number of the single-parent families, which country saw the fastest rise rate in 1999, compared with 199... | Across the globe, single parent homes are on the rise. In the US, the 2000 census showed 24.8 million, or nearly 24 percent of the nation's 105.5 million households, were traditional two-parent homes. By comparison, 9.8 million households, or 9 percent of all US households were headed by an adult raising a child alone. The 1990 census showed 26 percent of homes were led by a married mother and father, and 8 percent of homes were led by a single parent.
Similar increases occurred in other countries. In the UK, lone-parent homes increased from 3.3 percent in 1990 to 5.5 percent in 1999. Single parent households in Australia rose from 5.8 percent in 1990 to 7.6 percent in 1999. Belgium saw the increase from 1.8 percent to 2.7 percent during the same period of time. These countries tend to have greater acceptance of the single parent because there are fewer nearby family members to disapprove, Riche, a Census Bureau director, said.
Just as in the US, those changes raised new questions about how involved govenment should be in helping single parent families. Some research suggests children raised in two-parent families are better off than those who depend on one.
"The position of one-parent families in any country is very much a gender issue-women's opportunities, especially working-class women on low income," said Sue Cohen, coordinator of the Single Action Parents Network in England. | high7551.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "teachushowtofindahobby"
},
"options": [
"teachushowtofindahobby",
"explainhowahobbyisdeveloped",
"introducetheimportanceofahobby",
"provetheeffectofahobbyonaperson"
],
"question": "The purpose of writing this pa... | Having a hobby helps to make you a more interesting person and gives you something fascinating to talk about with others. It can also help you to avoid feeling bored and often provides the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests. Learning something new is always good for keeping the mind alert and active, as is maintaining a long-term interest in something that attracts you. This will also make your more of an interesting person than a person who is addicted to Facebook, watching TV, or doing other time wasting and unhealthy tasks.
Think of a hobby that might interest you. It might be an interest that you always wished you had time to explore, but never had the time or money required to pursue your interest.
Collect things for a fashion magazine. Look at the walls in your post office, and think about collecting stamps and what you might need to do to start and maintain a stamp collection. Think of other items you might like to collect, for example, coins, dolls or chocolate wrappers.
_ . Have you ever gone to a museum, looked at the paintings on the walls, and wondered if you could do the same thing? How about trying painting for yourself -- in oils or watercolors? Or maybe try drawing with charcoal or colored pencils.
Enjoy sport as a hobby. Watch soccer, basketball, golf, athletics or tennis tournaments on television or at your local sports ground. Do you feel that a sport is something that you would love to learn? Think about what it would cost, and the time it would take to learn and play. Do you have the funds available for this type of hobby? Would you have the patience it would take to really learn to play or train for any of these sports? Would you rather play a team sport or an individual sport? Maybe there are friends or family members who already have equipment and uniforms you can have, as well as tips for how to begin your chosen sport. Ask them about their experiences and listen to their suggestions. | high6897.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "news report"
},
"options": [
"description",
"argument",
"advertisement",
"news report"
],
"question": "The passage is likely to belong to a(n) _ ?",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer"... | After a 15-year ban on the sale of fireworks in Beijing, Kang Guoliang, 51, was able to start his old trade again yesterday.
As a salesman in Xinhui store in Dongcheng District, he is happy about the increasing number of buying fireworks wrapped in red paper -- a color standing for happiness and good luck.
"Fireworks are available for the first time in town for more than a decade," Kang said happily."People will buy them."
The store has 300 boxes of fireworks piled up and is open 24 hours at the moment.Residents are buying the fireworks and firecrackers for the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on February 18.
Citywide, 2,116 registered stores and retailers, 585 in the centre and 1,600 on the outskirts are trading fireworks in the Chinese capital.Sales of fireworks within the Fifth Ring Road started yesterday and will last until March 4, Xinhua reported.Among the stores, 117 stores are permitted to operate 24 hours.About 600,000 boxes of firecrackers worth more than 100 million yuan have been carried to registered stores.
The Chinese capital began a ban in 1993 to reduce fireworks-related deaths and fires during the holiday season.Last September the ban was removed in response to residents' fondness for fireworks when celebrating Spring Festival.
According to new rules, Beijing residents are allowed to set off fireworks within the Fifth Ring Road all day on Lunar New Year's Eve and Lunar New Year's day, from 7 a.m.to midnight every day from February 19 to March 4.
"Spring Festival without fireworks is not Spring Festival," said Sheng Hefei, who was buying fireworks in the store."It was fun to light the firecrackers when I was little," he said."The sound and view of fireworks make a real holiday." However, not all residents welcome the return of firecrackers because of injuries, pollution and noise."My child is scared of the sudden sound of firecrackers, and it is annoying to hear it all night long," complained Lu Jun, a local resident.
(China Daily02/11/2008) | high11270.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "how to make picnics on the beach"
},
"options": [
"how to make picnics on the beach",
"how to repair your surfboard",
"how to make Spanish wines",
"how to satisfy your taste at home"
],
"question": "Retro Beach ... | Come for Dinner by Leslie Revsin
Make every meal a feast and every moment with loved ones an occasion with Come for Dinner. Revsin, the former owner and chef of Manhattan's Restaurant Leslie, offers a collection of over 150 recipes designed for small get-togethers of friends and family. There are various ethnic dishes that draw from Asia,the Mediterranean, Latin cultures and more. Revsin believes cooking at home provides the opportunity to connect with friends and family on a good level.
Retro Beach Bash by Linda Everett
Grab your beach blanket and your surfboard -- it's time for a beach party! With more than 100 recipes for beach picnics and barbecues, Retro Beach Bash, is the beach lover's companion for fun in the sun.
Half information and half cookbook, you can browse the pages that are filled with beach fun tips and advice. The second half of this book is a cookbook, complete with delicious picnic and grilled foods to satisfy every taste on the beach.
Entertaining Edibles by Sidney Escowitz
You've seen them decorating plates at restaurants, admired them at weddings, and expressed great surprise at the chefs who designed them -- and now you can produce them at home.
Sidney shares lots of practical tips that will give your finished food sculptures a professional look and send you on your way towards creating your own original works of food art.
Recipes from a Tapas Bar by Olivier Said
If you're a fan of Spanish Tapas bars, this book is a must-have for your library. Even if you don't cook, you'll still want this book if you're a fan of Tapas bars, only for the lively discussions of the cheeses of Spain along with other Spanish wines and spirits. | high3737.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "By setting up a body of devoted people in every country."
},
"options": [
"By solving the cost problems",
"By solving the transportation problems",
"By setting up a body of devoted people in every country.",
"By relying... | When international aid is given, steps must be taken to ensure that the aid reaches the people for whom it is intended. The way to achieve this may not be simple. It is very difficult for a nation to give help directly to people in another nation. The United Nations Organization (UNO) could undertake to direct the distribution of aid. Here however rises the problem of costs. Also tied with this is time. Perhaps the UNO could set up a body of devoted men and women in every country who can speedily distribute aid to victims of floods and earthquakes.
More than the help that one nation can give to another during a disaster; it would be more effective to give other forms of help during normal times. A common proverb says, " _ " If we follow this wise saying, it would be right to teach people from less developed nations to take care of themselves. For example, a country could share its technology with another. This could be in simple areas like agriculture or in more complex areas like medical and health care or even in building satellites. Even small country is able to help less developed nations. Sometimes what is take for granted, like the setting up of a water purification plant or the administration of a school, could be useful for countries which are looking about to solve common problems. It does not cost much to share such simple things. Exchange students could be attached for a number of months or years and learn the required craft while on the site. They can then take their knowledge back to their homelands and if necessary come back form time to time to clear doubts or to update themselves. Such aid will be truly helpful and there is no chance of it being temporary or of it falling into the wrong hands.
Many countries run extensive courses in all sorts of skills. It will not cost much to include deserving foreigners in these courses. Besides giving effective help to the countries concerned, there is also the build-up of friendships to consider. Giving direct help by giving materials may be effective in the short run and must continue to be given in the event of emergencies. However, in the long run what is really effective would be the sharing of knowledge. | high4058.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Job creation should be made a key priority in policymaking."
},
"options": [
"Since 2007, the number of young people out of job has risen to 4 million.",
"Nearly 13% of the young people have no work.",
"Job creation should be... | Many skilled young people are being forced into part-time and unskilled work, the report says. It warns of a "crisis" with more than six million people so disillusioned they have given up looking for work. The ILO(International Labor Organization)wants governments to make job creation a priority. It wants more training schemes, and also tax breaks for employers.
"The youth unemployment crisis can be beaten but only if job creation for young people becomes a key priority in policymaking and private sector investment picks up significantly," said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, executive director of the ILO's employment sector.
Since 2007, the number of young people without jobs has risen by four million - up from less than 12%, the Global Employment Trends for Youth Report says. Almost 13% of people aged between 15 and 24 - or almost 75 million - have no work, although this is slightly down on its peak in 2009.
In the European Union, one in five young people are looking for work, the report claims. Some 27.9% of youths were unemployed in North Africa last year --a rise of five percentage points on 2010. In the Middle East, the figure stood at 26.5% in the report's regional breakdown. Even in East Asia, perhaps the most economically active region, the unemployment rate was 2.8 times higher for young people than for adults, the report said.
But, the ILO report reveals, the true picture of youth unemployment is even more pessimistic. Many young people are extending their time in higher education because they cannot find jobs. Others are taking part-time unskilled work because they cannot find work in the fields they trained for.
The ILO says that more than six million young people worldwide have given up looking for work and are becomingly increasingly detached from society. By not using their skills they are losing them, the report says, and if there is no improvement in the jobs market soon, they may be not only unemployed, but unemployable.
The ILO suggests offering tax breaks to businesses hiring young people and offering more programmes to help kick-start careers. | high5346.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because the author had pity on the man."
},
"options": [
"Because Christmas was drawing near.",
"Because the man had nothing to eat.",
"Because the author had pity on the man.",
"Because the man was looking for some foo... | Every day as I drove through town, I saw a one-legged man going through the dustbins next to McDonalds looking for food. It was only a month before Christmas, starting to get cold and I could not help thinking about him.
So I bought a brush, pack of cigarettes, cans of fish, and then I added a blanket and sweatshirts. I made a box up like a present and went in search of this man. I saw him hobble away from the dustbin. I pulled over, took the box and went up to him. I said, "I would like to give you a Christmas present, there are some food items in here and some things you might be able to use."
He sidestepped around me and said, "No, thank you. I just had lunch. I don't need anything." Then he hobbled on down the sidewalk, leaving me standing there in tears. I took the box down to a little shop that gave things out to the poor and homeless and told them what had happened and asked them to give the box to someone who could use it. The person there told me not to be upset and let my feelings be hurt as I was still crying. I told her I was not crying for me but for him because what I had done took away his dignity by treating him like a person in need. I was so ashamed.
A few years later I was able to volunteer in St. Anthony's Dining Room in San Francisco. These people had to stand in line for up to 6 hours to receive the only food they will get. We took one tray of food at a time, and treated them as if they were in a restaurant ordering a meal they were paying for.
From this I learned a great lesson. Accepting help is sometimes harder than giving it. | high17601.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Many students' first credit card is based on direct mail."
},
"options": [
"Many students' first credit card is based on direct mail.",
"it costs the banks little to mail out credit cards.",
"Students don't like to go to the ... | According to a study by SallieMae, 84 percent of undergraduate students have credit cards, and by the time they are seniors, they have accumulated US $ 4,100 in debt, on top of whatever student loans they may have taken out.
Credit cards are the most convenient form of payment, and they are aggressively marketed to college students.Reportedly, a typical college student carries 4.6 credit cards and US $ 3,173 in credit card debt.
Credit cards seem to be a fact of life, not just student life. In the long term, using a credit card properly and paying off the balance can help establish a card history and increase your credit score, which will _ when you need an important loan, for a house or car, for example.Your credit score can affect even unrelated things like insurance rates.Credit cards also offer more protection for users than debit cards .Under federal law, the credit card holder is only responsible for the first US $ 50in fraudulent purchases in cases of theft or loss.However, debit card users are responsible for the first US $ 500.
SallieMae found some good news in the fact that two thirds of students had discussed credit issues with their parents, but 84 percent said they needed more information.Those who didn't get any guidance were more likely to be surprised when they found out how much they owed.
While credit cards offer the easiest access to money, they make it easy to live outside your means.Less than a fifth of students surveyed paid off their balance every month, and carrying a balance brings finance charges, sometimes at a very high interest rates.
SallieMae found that almost 40 percent of students chose their first credit card based on direct mail, which is probably why students get credit card offers in the mail. But when the credit card offers flow in, be sure that you read the fine print.Offers of low or no interest rates can disappear, leaving you a debt that climbs beyond your ability to pay it off. | high2429.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the Hong Kong police cleared the roads at a cost"
},
"options": [
"the Hong Kong police cleared the roads at a cost",
"all the Hong Kong citizens are doubtful about the result of the clearances",
"all the illegal protesters w... | Hong Kong businesses hit by nearly two months of illegal street occupations breathed a collective sigh of relief on Wednesday. Police finally cleared illegal protesters camped at the main intersection in the Mong Kok district, arresting two student leaders.
More than 7,000 officers backed bailiffs (,)clearing occupied sections of Argyle Street and Nathan Road. The two-day operation saw 148 people arrested for various offenses, including contempt of court, resisting arrest, possession of offensive weapons, unlawful gathering and attacking police.
The Chief Leader Stephen Hui said 22 officers were injured during the clearances.
Police used pepper spray and batons to keep protesters from reclaiming cleared roads and from spreading the illegal occupation to neighboring streets.
Six-lane Nathan Road, which goes through the heart of Kowloon, was cleared after nearly five hours. However, comments on the Internet said protesters were looking to reoccupy roads later in the evening.
This week's actions mark the first time the authorities have successfully cleared one of the three main protest sites, which sprang up after demonstrators seized key intersections in late September to press for unconstitutional reforms.
Contractor Kwan Sui-sum, 55, said he wished the Nathan Road clearance had come earlier, as he has had to pay HK$20,000 ($2,580) after the protesters delayed building reconstruction work. The owner of the Chung Hing Duty Free drug store was cautiously optimistic and eager for his store at the corner of the cleared intersection to get back to business. Sales dropped by 40 percent during the occupation, he said.
"I'm not worried about the guess that the protesters will return. I trust in Hong Kong's rule of law and in the police," the man said, who wished to remain unknown as he fears attack from protesters.
But five stores at a cleared site owned by jewelry chain Chow Tai Fook were still closed hours later. A company spokesman said the outlets will remain shut while it continues to monitor the situation. | high10608.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Sports Section."
},
"options": [
"Sports Section.",
"Business Sections.",
"Lifestyle Section.",
"Science Section."
],
"question": "Which of the sections does this article probably appear in a newspaper?",
"q... | V. Stiviano says Donald Sterling's racist comments on an audio recording leaked to the public were not the first by the Los Angeles Clippers owner in conversations with her.
"There's been a number of occasions where Mr. Sterling and I had conversations just like this one. This was one of very many," Stiviano told Barbara Walters on ABC's "20/20" in an interview that aired Friday night. "Part of what the world heard was only 15 minutes. There's a number of other hours that the world doesn't know."
Sterling, who has been banned for life by the NBA for the remarks, also spoke for the first time since the scandal. "I wish I had just paid her off," Sterling told DuJour.com, referring to Stiviano. According to the person who conducted the interview, Sterling "expressed remorse."
Sterling told Stiviano in the recording that she should not post online photos of herself with black people, including basketball great Magic Johnson, or bring black people to Clippers' games.
The recording, which an attorney for Stiviano said was leaked by a third party, led to public outcry across the country and the NBA. Some sponsors dropped the Clippers and others re-evaluated their relationship with the NBA.
On Tuesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling for life, fined him $2.5 million, and urged league owners to force him to sell the team. A three-quarters vote by the NBA owners is required to force him to sell.
Though Stiviano told Walters that Sterling should " ly" apologize, she said she still loves him like a father figure and does not believe he is a racist.
"I think Mr. Sterling is from a different generation than I am," she said. "I think he was brought up to believe these things . . . segregation, whites and blacks. But through his actions he's shown that he's not a racist. He's shown to be a very generous and kind man."
Stiviano said that since the ban, Sterling has felt confused, alone, and not supported by those around him.
"I think he's highly more traumatized and hurt by the things that he said himself," she said. "I think he can't even believe or understand sometimes the thing he says, and I think he's hurt by it. He's hurting right now."
A real-estate mogul, Sterling has been accused of racial missteps before.
The billionaire had paid a $2.76 million settlement to resolve a federal lawsuit accusing him of systematically excluding blacks and Hispanics from his rental properties. He also won a wrongful termination lawsuit by general manager Elgin Baylor, who accused him of various slurs and slights. | high18254.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "You eat with that mouth?"
},
"options": [
"The exam was a piece of cake.",
"You will be paid under the table.",
"You eat with that mouth?",
"It rained cats and dogs yesterday."
],
"question": "Which of the follo... | What is an idiom? An idiom is a group of words which, when used together, has a different meaning from the one which the individual words have. For example, "---How do you know that Sid and Nancy have separated ?" "---I heard it on the grapevine ".
Of course, the second speaker does not mean he heard the news about John by putting his ear to a grapevine! He is conveying the idea visually of information spreading around a widespread network, similar to a grapevine. We use idioms to express something that other words do not express as clearly or as cleverly. We often use an image or symbol to describe something as clearly as possible and thus make our point as effectively as possible. For example, "in a nutshell" suggests the idea of having all the information contained within very few words. Idioms tend to be informal and are best used in spoken rather than written English.
One of the best ways to learn an idiom is by looking at the context in which it is used. This can be done by concentrating on the rest of the sentence and try to guess the meaning. Many idioms are not that difficult to understand when considered in their context. For example: We are going to have a surprise party for Tom tomorrow. It's a secret so please don't let the cat out of the bag.
'Let the cat out of the bag' is an idiom. Imagine you don't know what this idiom means; by looking at the words preceding, it should be easy to guess that the speaker does not want you to tell Tom about the surprise party. Therefore, 'let the cat out of the bag' must mean something like' reveal a secret' or 'tell a secret'. | high5420.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the late 1960's"
},
"options": [
"the late 1960's",
"her family education",
"the late 1970's",
"her fifth birthday"
],
"question": "Anne-Sophie's career dates back to_.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | Today, at 28, the young German Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is at the top. "She gives radiance to the music," wrote Geoffrey Norris in The Daily Telegraph, prefix = st1 /London. Mutter is also one of the world's youngest professors.
Born in Rheinfelden on June 29, 1963, Anne-Sophie grew up in Wehr, a small town just five kilometers from the Swiss border. Her father, Karl Wilhelm Mutter, and her mother, Gerlinde, considered music lessons part of a good education. Thus, their son, Andreas, began practicing the violin at eight, and his younger brother, Christoph, had piano lessons. It came as no surprise when Anne-Sophie said she wanted a violin for her fifth birthday.
Her parents thought she was too young for the violin, and persuaded her to start on the piano. But Anne-Sophie has always had a mind of her own. "I longed to play the violin," she says. "It seemed to me a much more interesting instrument." After six months, her parents gave in.
The famous violin teacher Erna Honigberger, who lived nearby, became Anne-Sophie's tutor. After only nine months of lessons, she entered the six-year-old in a nationwide competition for young musicians. With Christoph accompanying her on the piano, Anne-Sophie won first prize.
In 1974, Erna, Erna Honigberger died. Anne - Sophie's new teacher was Aida Stucki. She taught Anne-Sophie to develop her own ideas on how a piece should be played, not just to imitate others. This is one of the violinist's strongest most distinctive characteristics today.
Though the Mutters were short of money at time, they limited their daughter's performances to one or two a year. "We are glad we went the family road," says her father. "No outsider can ever have an effect on our daughter's career or push her into playing more concerts than she wants to." Later she was allowed to give six to eight concerts a year and make some recordings. Only when she turned 18 did she begin her professional career. | high17167.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "present the view that the first animals played an active role in oxygenating oceans"
},
"options": [
"present the view that the first animals played an active role in oxygenating oceans",
"introduce two opposite opinions on how the... | The evolution of the first animals may have oxygenated Earth's oceans. New research
led by the University of Exeter challenges the long held belief that oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans was a precondition for the evolution of complex life forms.
The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, builds on the recent work of scientists in Denmark who found that sponges the first animals to evolverequire only small amounts of oxygen.
Professor Tim Lenton of the University of Exeter, who led the new study, said: "We argue that the evolution of the first animals could have played a key role in the widespread oxygenation of the deep oceans. This in turn may have
the evolution of more complex, mobile animals."
Critical to determining oxygen levels in the deep ocean is the balance of oxygen supply and demand. Demand for oxygen is created by the sinking of dead organic material into the deep ocean. The new study argues that the first animals reduced this supply of organic matterboth directly and indirectly.
Sponges feed by pumping water through their bodies, "digesting" the tiny particles of organic matter, and thus helping oxygenate the shelf seas that they live in. By oxygenating more of the bottom waters, the first animals actually increased the removal of the essential nutrient phosphorus in the ocean. This in turn reduced the productivity of the whole ocean ecosystem, lowering oxygen demand and thus oxygenating the deep ocean.
A more oxygen-rich ocean created ideal conditions for more complex mobile animals to evolve, because they have a higher requirement for oxygen. These included the first predatory animals with guts that started to eat one another, marking the beginning of the type of food webs we are familiar with today.
Professor Simon Poulton of the University of Leeds, who is a co-author of the study, added: "This study provides a possible mechanism for ocean oxygenation without the requirement for a rise in atmospheric oxygen. It therefore questions whether the long-standing belief that there was a major rise in atmospheric oxygen at this time is correct. We simply don't know the answer to this at present, which is ultimately key to understanding how our planet evolved to its current habitable state. Geochemists need to come up with new ways to explain oxygen levels on the early Earth." | high16279.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "an educator"
},
"options": [
"a poet",
"an educator",
"an editor",
"a director"
],
"question": "From the passage, we know that the author is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer":... | My students often tell me they don't have "enough time" to do all their schoolwork. My reply is often brief -You have as much time as the president. I usually carry on a bit about there being 24 hours per day for everyone, and suggest that "not enough time" is not an acceptable explanation of not getting something done.
Once in graduate school, I tried to justify myself to one of my professors by saying that I was working. His answer to me was, " _ . What's important is the quality of your work." Since then I have had time to reflect on the "hard worker" dodge , and I have come to some conclusions - all relevant to the issue of how much time we have.
If you look at the matter analytically, you can identify two parts of the problem. There is, of course, the matter of "time", which we can think of as fixed. Then there is the issue of "work" during that time, which can vary in intensity. But, as my professor suggested, it's not diligence but the quality of the product that is important.
That led me to a new idea, the quality of work. That concept is perhaps best explained by a sign I once saw on the wall in someone's office - Don't work harder but work smarter! There's a lot of sense in that idea.
If you can't get more time, and few of us can, the only solution is to improve the quality of work. That means thinking of ways of getting more out of the same time than we might otherwise get. That should lead us to an analysis of our work habits. Since "work" for students usually means "homework", the expression "work habits" should be read as "learning habits".
Then, as a smart student, you will seek to improve those skills that you use in study, chiefly reading and writing. If you learn to read better and write better, there are big benefits that pay off across the board in all your studies. | high11516.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "ten"
},
"options": [
"five",
"eight",
"thirteen",
"ten"
],
"question": "The villa can be rented to a maximum of _ people at a time.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"an... | Villa Nicoletta, Genuine Relaxation
Somewhere in the world, there's a place where stress isn't allowed and peace and genuine relaxation are the only demands of the day. If you could go there, you would thoroughly enjoy yourself. There are not too many places in the world like this, but this is one of them. It's luxurious. It's ultra-private.
Welcome to Villa Nicoletta
Villa Nicoletta is a 4-bedroom luxury villa and an oasis of rest and rejuvenation in a land of unspoiled peace. Located on a 70-foot cliff overlooking the north shore of the island of St. Thomas and the pretty waters of Caret Bay, Villa Nicoletta offers the finest accommodations in the Caribbean for those seeking a vacation of elegance, peace and privacy. You'll see how the sun blankets the landscape and water in shimmering brilliance by day and how the sky twinkles like billions of bright diamonds at night.
Completed in 2000, the 3,300-square-foot Villa Nicoletta is fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronics.
When you book Villa Nicoletta, you shall book the entire villa.
Off Season: April 16 to December 14
4 bedrooms -- $5,700/week (8 people max)
Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $200/night
Peak Season: December 15 to April 15
4 bedrooms -- $6,300/week (8 people max)
Sleep sofa can add additional 2 people $200/night | high3051.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "carry germs"
},
"options": [
"kill germs",
"carry germs",
"protect germs",
"love germs"
],
"question": "According to the text, insects _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Germs are everywhere. You can't see them, but they are on your desk, on your computer, and even in the air!
Like people, germs move around the world. They fly with us on planes. When food, clothes, and other things travel around the world, germs travel, too. Some germs are safe, but some are dangerous. Germs cause illnesses like colds and the flu.
Warmer Weather Brings Germs
The world's weather is changing. Cooler countries are getting warmer, so insects from hot countries can move _ . Some of these insects, like mosquitoes, carry dangerous germs. These germs cause headaches, fever, and can even kill people.
Under Your Skin
Your skin protects you from germs. It stops some germs, but not all. They can enter your body when you eat, or when you have a cut. Germs are on your hands, too. They enter your body when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Fighting Germs
Your immune system protects you, too. When germs get inside your body, your immune system finds and kills them. Special cells move around your body and fight germs. They help you stay healthy. Other cells make antibodies. Antibodies help your body find and stop germs.
What can you do to fight germs? You should wash your hands with soap and water. Soap kills many germs, and water washes them away. | high20913.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "To help people keep fit by giving scientific directions in eating."
},
"options": [
"To help those who are not good at math to keep healthy.",
"To call on people to buy food with fewer calories.",
"To help people keep fit by ... | Worried about how many calories( ) you are going to get in that piece of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of chips? A new iPhone application that takes a picture of the meal with the phone and gives a calorie read-out almost at once, may help. The MealSnap was developed by DailyBurn, a fitness social network that has created several other fitness and diet-related iPhone applications.
Within minutes of taking a picture of a meal and matching it to the given information of some 500, 000 kinds of food, the application sends users a warning with a range of calories for the meal that was photographed.
To start with, we sent it something simple--a Braeburn apple. A couple of minutes later the application replied that it was between 64 and 96 calories.
Andy Smith, chief director at DailyBurn, said: "The database can also quickly help recognize the food, how many calories there are, proteins, fat, carbs, vitamins, whatever you may want to know."
Mr Smith added that it will take some time to complete calorie counting but the application makes it easier to record the calories in food. That is why it is so popular among those who are trying hard to lose weight.
"The pure act of recording something can cause a psychological change that can help people on their health and fitness plan. Just the simple fact of recording it makes me more understand what I'm eating," he said.
In addition, MealSnap can serve as a food diary, allowing users to keep a readable record of the meals they have eaten. Mr Smith said:"It's like a food journal, but easier. All you do is take the picture." MealSnap is available on the iTunes store for PS1.79, or $2,99 in the US. | high8104.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "How to Communicate with Anyone You Meet"
},
"options": [
"Preparation and Conversation",
"How to Communicate with Anyone You Meet",
"Personal attention and Communication",
"How to Keep Your Conversation Going"
],
... | Knowing how to communicate well needs very personal attention between you and another human being. Is there a better way to learn how to communicate effectively? Yes, there is. Please follow the 3 basic steps below.
1. Relax and Breathe.
Whether it's a business meeting or the first date, the first thing you must do in order to communicate is to relax. When you relax you are in control. You control your reactions and your reactions do not control you. Breathing is central to relaxation. Take a few deep breaths and your body will begin to be more at ease. This will help you apply what you already know about how to communicate well.
2. Think and you will be prepared.
Have you ever heard the old saying, "think before you speak"? Well, it is true. By thinking ahead about how the conversation might flow, you will be better prepared, more at ease and more confident.
3. Follow the flow of the conversation.
If you are uncomfortable, being silent will only make it worse and make the other person uncomfortable as well. So when all else fails, follow through with small talk until a common topic appears.
A good way to keep a conversation going is to ask the other person questions. People love to talk about themselves and if you do this they will think very highly of you.
. If you make an effort, you will succeed. | high15770.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "was in financial difficulty"
},
"options": [
"had a hopeless future",
"was in financial difficulty",
"suffered from a company crash",
"wanted to turn to their relatives for help"
],
"question": "We can learn fro... | We were moving to a new state after my husband had been out of work for many months and we had no money. In fact, we had to borrow money to reach our destination town. Anyway, it was my husband, two boys aged four and two, and myself, seven months pregnant , in an old Volvo station wagon. We had been driving for two days in the middle of winter (that car's heater didn't work), and we had taken a route that was very _ . There was nothing around for miles-no cars, buildings or signs of civilization. Suddenly, our car started losing power and the gauges went all out of order. We saw a light in the distance and managed to roll to a stop in front of this property that looked like a small simple house. Our cell phones had not gotten reception for many miles, and it was freezing outside, so I didn't know if we were going to make it out of this situation alive. My husband got out of the car to see if there was something he could do to get us rolling again, but it was not looking good. A short while later, a man came out of the house and spoke with my husband a bit before inviting us all into his home. He and his wife took us in, fed us, and made us feel at home as we struggled to find some way to get to our destination, which was still a few hours' drive away. We were able to call a friend and get a ride, leaving our broken car behind, but not before the couple gave us food and water for our journey. One week later, this dear sweet couple pulled our car all the way to our place and refused to take anything in return, except for us to pay it forward-and we have, and will continue to do it forever. | high7237.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the weather was so hot that they couldn't stand it"
},
"options": [
"there was no water to take a shower at home",
"the weather was so hot that they couldn't stand it",
"Mr Blickez invited them to his house for swimming",
... | It was an extremely hot day. My younger brother Walt and I had decided to go swimming in the stream behind Mr Blickez's house, because it would be the only way to cool ourselves down. Across his farm and through some woods was a deep swimming hole supplied by several cold springs .
The only problem with our plan was that this farm was guarded by a huge mean Hereford bull . Mr Blickez had told us that Elsie, the animal's name, was the meanest bull in town, maybe even the county, and we believed in him. But the hotter it got, the more we thought there was reason to doubt about what he said. For one thing, we remembered Mr Blickez liked telling tall tales; for another, Elsie seemed like a strange name for a bull. Finally, I talked Mom into asking permission for us to walk through the farm, and Mr Blickez finally agreed.
On our way across the farm, we stopped at the fence to admire the swimming hole. The sun shone brightly across the cool waters. We couldn't wait to get there. Suddenly, Walt shouted loudly. Elsie had run to him and was licking his back. I immediately hid under the fence. However, when I looked up, I saw that Elsie wasn't a big mean bull at all. She was just a friendly young cow, and she was going to keep licking my brother's back as long as he stood still.
When we discovered the truth, we were so happy. We then ran to the swimming hole and jumped in. The water was just as wonderful as we had dreamed. After that day, we had many good days and we often visited our secret swimming hole guarded by the so-called "big mean bull". | high13301.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "get one story or article published"
},
"options": [
"be a successful publisher",
"become a confident editor",
"get one story or article published",
"finish one work for publication"
],
"question": "When finishin... | Dear Friend,
The recent success of children's books has made the general public aware that there's a huge market out there.
And there's a growing need for new writers trained to create the $3 billion worth of children's books bought each year ... plus stories and articles needed by over 650 publishers of magazines for children and teenagers.
Who are these needed writers? They're ordinary folks like you and me.
But am I good enough?
I was once where you might be now. My thoughts of writing had been pushed down by self-doubt, and I didn't know where to turn for help.
Then, I accepted a free offer from the Institute to test my writing aptitude ,and it turned out to be the inspiration I needed.
The promise that paid off
The Institute made the same promise to me that they will make to you, if you show basic writing ability:
You will complete at least one manuscript suitable to hand in to a publisher by the time you finish our course.
I really didn't expect any publication before I finished the course, but that happened. I sold three stories. And I soon discovered that was not unusual at the Institute.
Since graduation, I have authored 34 nationally published children's books and over 300 stories and articles.
Free test and brochure
We offer a free aptitude test and will send you a copy of our brochure describing our recognized home-study courses on the basis of one-on-one training.
Realize your writing dream today. There's nothing sadder than a dream delayed until it fades forever.
Sincerely,
Kristi
Kristi Holl, Instructor
Institute of Children's Literature | high7223.txt |
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