questions list | article stringlengths 9 6.44k | id stringlengths 9 14 |
|---|---|---|
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Encouraging people to use the litter bins to keep Britain tidy."
},
"options": [
"Attracting passers'-by attention on celebrities.",
"Encouraging people to use the litter bins to keep Britain tidy.",
"Making fun of those who ... | Would the voice of Amanda Holden saying "your city had talent" encourage you to use a litter bin? Or maybe former Monty Python star Michael Palin telling you no one had expected "the Spanish bin-quisition"?
Organizers of a plan persuading celebrities to lend their voices to "talking bins"believe it can make a real difference to keeping Britain tidy. They hope that by using humor, they will succeed where fines and warnings have failed in keeping streets and parks clean.
A similar experiment in Sweden found a talking bin received nearly three times as much rubbish as an ordinary one because people were attracted by its quality of being new and unusual value.
Twenty-five specially adapted bins to be installed in the streets of London and Liverpool next month will use a sound card to play a themed message when litter is placed inside. For example,one near the Royal Opera House will play a "thank-you" message sung by Janis Kelly to the tune of Nessun Dorina. Bins installed in Liverpool will play Beatles-themed messages. For others,Britain's Got Talent judge Holden is expected to record the message:"This is Amanda, and this city's got talent."
The campaign,entitled Bin Thinking, is being organized by art group Sing London. If successful,talking bins could become a familiar feature on Britain's streets.
Colette Hiller, director of Sing London, said, " The idea is to reward people in a small way for changing their behavior and raise awareness through a sense of fun." | high1652.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Hiding their true emotions from their children."
},
"options": [
"Allowing their children chances to do things themselves.",
"Expressing their dissatisfaction with their children.",
"Hiding their true emotions from their chil... | When you're a parent to a young child, you spend a lot of time talking about feelings: about having to share, about being disappointed because you may not have a cookie instead of broccoli , about the great injustice of a parent pressing the elevator button before the child has a chance to.
And in a parenting culture that's increasingly concerned with centering children's needs above all else, mothers and fathers have become skillful at talking about their kids' feelings while masking their own. But new research suggests that parents who hide their negative emotions are doing their children, and themselves harm.
A study published this month says that when parents put on a faux-happy face for their kids, they do damage to their own sense of wellbeing and authenticity.
"For the average parent the findings suggest when they attempt to hide their negative emotion expression and overexpress their positive emotions with their children, it actually comes at a cost: doing so may lead parents to feel worse themselves," researcher Dr Emily Impett, says.
It makes sense that parents often fall back on amping up the positivity for the sake of their children--there are a lot of things in the world we want to protect our kids from. But children are often smarter than we expect and are quite in tune with what the people closest to them--their parents--are feeling.
There was a time about a year or so ago, for example, when I received some bad news over the phone; I was home with my four-year-old and so I did my best to put on a brave face. She knew immediately something was wrong though, and was confused.
When I finally let a few tears out and explained that Mom heard something sad about a friend, she was, of course, just fine. My daughter patted my shoulder, gave me a hug, and went back to playing. She felt better that she was able to help me, and the moment made a lot more sense to her emotionally than a smiling mom holding back sobs. I was glad that I could feel sad momentarily and not have to work hard to hide that.
Relaying positive feelings to your children when you don't feel them is a move the researchers called high cost -- that it may seem like the most beneficial to your child at the time but that parents should find other ways of communicating emotions that "allow them to feel true to themselves".
But this is also about children seeing the world in a more honest way. While we will want to protect our children from things that aren't age-appropriate or harmful, it's better to raise a generation of kids who understand that moms and dads are people too. | high13315.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "She pretended to be dead"
},
"options": [
"She pretended to be dead",
"She hid herself under the desk",
"She rushed out of the school building in time",
"She persuaded the shooter into not shooting her."
],
"que... | The only survivor of one of the two Sandy Hook Elementary School first-grade classrooms where Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children tricked the gunman by playing dead,the girl's pastor said.
"She ran out of the school building covered from head to toe with blood and the first thing she said to her mom was,"Mommy,I'm OK but all my friends are dead" Pastor Jim Solomon told ABC News' Lara Spencer this weekend
"Somehow,at that moment, by God's grace,she was able to act as she was already dead."he said.
The girl, a 6-year-old whose name is not being announced for privacy reasons,was the first student to appear from the lockdown at Sandy Hook,Solomon said.He said the young girl described the shooter to her mom in a way that only a young child can.
"Well, she saw someone who she felt was angry and someone she felt was very mad,"Solomon said. "I think it's impossible without the help of God. She has wisdom beyond her years, for sure''
Of the 20 children killed on Friday in the Newtown,Conn., school, eight were boys and l2 were girls Six staff members,all female, were also killed. The gunman,whose mother was also killed by him before he went to the schoo1 classrooms, was found dead at the present spot.
"The mom told me--and I thought this was very insightful --that she was suffering from what she felt was survivor's guilt because so many of her friends no longer have their children but she has hers," Solomon said how the girl's mother and father are handling the trauma ."I don't know whether l would have the type of faith that they have if the same thing happened to me." | high5434.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "She thinks they were great."
},
"options": [
"She thinks her high school years were full of regrets.",
"She doesn't remember what happened then at all.",
"She thinks they were great.",
"She regards her time in high scho... | I was reading a recent post on a bog I really like, and it got me thinking about my younger, more impressive high school self. So I decided to write a letter to my younger self.
Dear Kate-of-senior-year-in-high-school
I'm writing this letter from the future. Hey, stop laughing! A lot has happened. Some of it was sad, but most of it has been lovely. What I really want to talk about is where you're going. You've gotten a lot of advice from adults this past year. And I'd like to help you sort it all out.
Enjoy these last few months before graduation, because high school is the best time of your life.
Enjoy them, for sure. But that thing about high school being the best part? When I look back, I can't find a better memory than my high school days.
Stop being so idealistic; you can't change the world.
Okay...it's true that you're not going to change it all at once, so sweep away what you're imagining. But you can do your part, and you will do it best in a thousand little ways through the years. They add up, so keep believing, even when it doesn't work out right away.
Words are powerful.
This was from your English teacher Mr. Smythe, who said a lot of true things, as it turns out. All that stuff about the power of language and the potential for literature to bring people together, helping us understand ourselves and the world around us, so we can make a difference? All true.
You should keep writing. You're good at it.
You are. You won't always think so. As a matter of fact, there will be a lot of days when you decide you are perhaps the world's worst writer and deserve to have your laptop thrown down from a mountain. But that's part of being a writer, and you'll get over it. You'll go a long time only writing term papers and other things for school, and then only news stories for a few years. But one day, you'll come back home to poetry and fiction. You will keep writing, because you're good at it But more than that, because it makes you whole! Yes...keep writing. It will be a wonderful experience.
Yours,
Kate | high18240.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "people who have been unemployed for a short period"
},
"options": [
"people who are self-employed but now unemployed",
"recent graduates who have not held a steady job in the previous year",
"people who have been unemployed f... | The loss of a job can have a very serious impact on the individual. The immediate effect, of course, is a sharp drop in income. Unemployment benefits typically offer less than half the individual's previous earnings, and many people are not even entitled to these benefits-for example, the self-employed, recent graduates who have not held a steady job in the previous year, and people who have been unemployed for a long period. The economic pressure on the jobless is very severe, particularly for those who have young children or long-term commitments for expenses for houses and education.
But the effects of unemployment are not merely financial; they are also social and psychological. As one out-of-work teacher puts it: "It's difficult when you strip away all the things that supposedly hold you together in terms of an identity. Your work, your money, whatever is power to you, whatever is responsibility, whatever means freedom and choice." I had to ask myself, "Who am I now? What will I do now?" All too often, long-term unemployment may thrust the individual into boredom, despair, ill-temper, and perhaps, conflict with other family members. Even those who keep their jobs are affected by rates of unemployment, for they begin to fear for own future. Lacking the confidence that workers have in times of full employment, they negotiate less aggressively for improvements in pay or working conditions, for they and the employers know that if they do not like the job as it is, others will gladly take it. Unemployment is always accompanied, in fact, by underemployment-the situation in which people are working either for extremely low wages or at jobs below their level of skill. | high17173.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "the conflict between ads and cultural heritage"
},
"options": [
"restoration of cultural heritage",
"widespread commercialization",
"the conflict between ads and cultural heritage",
"the difficulty of restoring monument... | According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to appreciate the beauty of the city.
The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca - cola. Beyond the billboards, monuments are being restored. The money comes from advertising profits.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco, which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything," said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian. "The lesson that goes out is that a price is for everything."
"We couldn't stay quiet," said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association. "Too much is too much."
There needed to be rules, she added, rules that prevent the advertising billboards clashing with the monuments of the city.
City of officials, however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground," said Renata Codello, a Cultrue Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments, but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight.Of that amount,
$ 1.8 million was given to the entire Vector region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dotter Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale.It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste,
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs, handbags and jewelry, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"I take account of the fact that Venice is part of the real world... but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images.There arc intelligent sponsors, and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice, not Times Square," he said in a speech. | high11502.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "The Japanese were not really prepared for such a disaster"
},
"options": [
"Japan had a warning of such a serious earthquake",
"Japan has experienced the worst earthquake worldwide",
"the Japanese should have built higher sea... | A powerful earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan at 2:46 p.m. local time on March 11th. Japan's Meteorological Agency released its first tsunami warnings just three minutes later. The country has one of the best earthquake early warning systems in the world. More than 4,000 Seismic Intensity Meters provide information within two minutes of an earthquake happening.
There are also concrete sea walls around much of the Japanese coastline. But these measures proved no match for the powerful earthquake and tsunami.
Costas Synolakis is a tsunami expert in the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He says: "Japan is one of those most well-prepared countries on earth in terms of tsunami warning. They had a warning. I think what went wrong is that they had not anticipated the size of this event."
He says there are two reasons for this. First, scientists had not expected such a large earthquake. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake was the 4th most powerful earthquake ever recorded worldwide. It was also the worst ever to hit Japan. The tsunami waves reached as high as 13 meters in some areas.
Second, Japan's concrete sea walls were not built to handle such high waves. " In Sendai , they were about three meters. At least in that area they were not expecting such a sizeable wave because they would have built a higher seawall."
A tsunami wave can travel as fast as 800 kilometers per hour. To get to higher ground people would often have to travel for many kilometers. This can take more time than a fast traveling tsunami will permit. This is especially true in cases like Japan. The tsunami waves followed almost immediately.
Experts say early warning systems will continue to be limited by these facts until earthquakes and tsunamis can be predicted. | high20907.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Zhuge was able to tell a person's personality at first sight."
},
"options": [
"Zhuge was able to tell a person's personality at first sight.",
"No sooner did Xu receive the letter than he departed for Cao Cao.",
"Liu showed ... | Xu Shu was much valued by Liu Bei for his strategic talents. After several victories on the battleground against Cao Cao, Xu was made the chief military advisor. Cao Cao was greatly surprised at the news. "If you want this person," one of his advisors said, "you can bring his mother to Xuchang and send a forged letter in his mother's handwriting, asking Xu Shu to desert Liu Bei and come here. As Xu is well-known for a strong filial affection, surely he will come." This plot worked. For Xu, on receiving the letter, cried tearfully, asking Liu Bei for an immediate departure. Feeling sad, though, Liu persisted in his stay for another night, during which the two aired their sad feelings.
The next day Liu laid a banquet outside the city for Xu. Holding the latter's hand, Liu said, "After we separate today, only heaven knows when and where we will meet again." He wept bitter tears.
After setting off on his way, Xu suddenly turned his horse and returned. "I almost forgot an important matter." He said to Liu. "Ten kilometers from Xiangyang City, in a place called Long zhong, there is a talent called Zhuge Liang. Do you want to meet him?" Liu expressed his willingness at once, but also aired doubt about whether Zhuge Liang was as talented as Xu. "He tells positions of stars in the heavens," Xu assured him, "and recognizes everything on earth. He knows a person's real nature at the first meeting----the number one talent under the heaven. If you have him as your military advisor, you'll have the country under your name." Liu suggested a visit to Zhuge by Xu on his behalf. At this, the latter shook his head in disapproval. "You must go and offer your invitation personally, and his acceptance depends entirely on your sincerity." With these words said, Xu turned his horse and left. Later, Liu paid three trips to Zhuge's straw house, another favorite story among Chinese people. | high11264.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "more than 8 years old"
},
"options": [
"3-5years old",
"5-7 years old",
"7-8 years old",
"more than 8 years old"
],
"question": "The book is suitable for readers who are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_ques... | The One and Only Ivan [hardcover]
Katherine Applegate (Author)
Patricia Castelao (Illustrator)
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (117 customer reviews) / Like (58)
List Price: $16.99
Price: $9.34 (for total orders over 25.)
Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks.
Ships from and sold by Amazon. com.
Gift-wrap available.
Product Details
Reading level: Ages 8 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins
Languages: English
ISBN-10: 0061992254
ISBN-13: 978-0061992254
Shopping weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Book Description
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Age level: 8 and up
Grade Level: 3 and up
Ivan is an easy-going gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to human watching him. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango.
Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant, and she makes Ivan see their home--and his own art--through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it is up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art and hope. | high3723.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "let customers spend more time shopping"
},
"options": [
"let customers spend more time shopping",
"make customers and sales assistants relaxed",
"let customers enjoy the beautiful music",
"help customers find what they ... | Endless playing of songs like All I Want For Christmas in shops during the festive season doesn't just drive us mad--the songs also make us more careless with our money, research has warned.
While repeated performance of Jingle Bells may seem like an innocent attempt to raise customers' spirits during the nightmare of Christmas shopping, the songs also have a more delicate impact.[:ZXXK]
"Background music, or 'muzak', can be used by marketers to impose cultures--such as the commercialization of Christmas--onto consumers and influence their behaviour, "experts said.
Dr. Alan Bradshaw of Royal Holloway, University of London, said, "Festive jingles are force-fed to Christmas shoppers in a bid to change their mood, influence their sense of time and what sort of products they buy. In other words, this is an attempt to control your shopping habits in a way that you might hardly be aware of."
"Often we are told that we have the freedom to choose where we want to shop, but during Christmas the use of music in this way is so common that our freedom to choose disappears."
Dr. Bradshaw and Prof Morris Holbrook of Columbia University examined the phenomenon and found that retailers often "dumb down" the music played in shops to relax customers, meaning it is easier to control their behaviour.
It is thought that slowing down the rhythm of music in shops can trick customers into thinking less time has passed, and therefore spend more time examining the shelves, for example.
Some providers of background music have been known to promote their services by claiming they can boost profits by controlling the behaviour of customers.
"A common trick is to take a popular current song and record an instrumental version which can be slowed down or sped up at different time of the day to influence behaviour in different ways," Dr Bradshaw said.
Background music is often classed as "Muzak" in honor of the Seattle-based company which began producing its soft-sounding melodies in the 1930s. | high5352.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "They tried to educate him to do things for himself"
},
"options": [
"He liked to complain to them about his life",
"They expected him to learn from the singer",
"He always wanted to get everything he wanted",
"They trie... | The singer, Mick Jagger, of the Rolling Stones sings a song that tells people they can't always get what they want but if we try sometimes we can get what we need. The past years in my life my parents have told me this saying many times. I've always complained about the quote . Although over time I have told myself to learn from it.
This year my girlfriend flew off to college in West Palm, Florida. This has been a killer for me because I haven't been able to see her and she is having a rough time in school. The last two months have been hard but we are working through it. I have been trying to get my dad to buy me a plane ticket to go down there. My dad told me if I brought him some money he would help me pay for the ticket. I started to complain to him because I had no way of getting any money to give him. I spent several days and nights thinking of ways to earn money to go see my girlfriend. I finally came to the conclusion that I would get a job and work hard to earn some money to give to my dad. I applied to Safeway and I ended up getting the job.
I have been working at Safeway for about a month now and work hard to earn money to go see my girlfriend. The other day my mom had surprised me and told me that she asked her boss if she could use their business miles to buy me a ticket down to Florida for two weeks. I was very thankful and told her I would help pay for anything that I have to. The thought of me working hard and getting a job showed my mom that I really cared and was trying my best to be a successful person. I believe that you can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you get what you need. | high18526.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "she was concerned about her father's safety"
},
"options": [
"she couldn't afford a car herself",
"an accident once happened to her father",
"she was concerned about her father's safety",
"her father was too old to driv... | On Thanksgiving Day, nine years ago, I stole my father's car.
He was 88 years old and living in a retirement community in Ojai. The previous July, he had failed his driver's test, but he'd kept driving without a license, as if he had forgotten that he didn't have a license, or as if he hadn't cared, but something had to be done.
On Thanksgiving morning, I drove up to fetch him for a turkey dinner, and while he finished getting ready, I stole his spare car keys. So Dad spent the night at my house. The next day, after a long talk in which he still refused to relinquish his keys, I drove him home with a friend, who would drive my father's car back to my place. I was so nervous and eager for the whole thing to be over, so I got a speeding ticket on the way.
My father never fully forgave the theft of his car, although as the months passed and his dementia worsened. One reason my father had been so eager to keep driving was that his younger brother Wes lived in a county home. Wes had been born mentally challenged and later suffered from schizophrenia , my father had driven monthly to see him. It seemed right to help them see each other. So, seven years ago, Jim and I borrowed a van equipped for a wheelchair ,picked up Wes and took him for Thanksgiving with my father.
At my father's place, we moved Wes in his chair out of the van and up to the door. When the brothers saw each other, their faces lit up.
"Is that you, bud?" Wes called out, half rising from his seat.
"Wes!"My father cried. They grasped each other's hands firmly, smiled at each other, their joy obvious.
Slowly, we made our way back to my father's apartment; my husband walked alongside my father while I pushed Wes in his chair. That was last time my father saw his brother. Wes passed away a few months later. My father continued to worsen.
That was our last Thanksgiving together. He died in 2011, a few months shy of his 96th birthday. That means there will be no car tricks this year, no wheelchair van and there will never again be multiple generations of our family at the same table. | high17615.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "how to make friends"
},
"options": [
"how to make friends",
"what kind of person you can make friends with",
"how to start a conversation",
"the importance of smile"
],
"question": "This passage gives us some ad... | Before you make friends, you have to decide who you want to be your friends. Most people like to have friends who like to do the same kind of things they do.
The quickest way to make a friend is to smile. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy at first to smile, but remember most people will stay away from a scared or angry looking face.
One easy way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about him. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn't it make you want to keep talking to that person?
Ask your new friends questions about themselves. Who's their favorite singer, where do they live, what do they do after school are all good questions to start a conversation. Make sure you have something to add to the conversation, too. When someone asks you a question, do have an answer for them. There's nothing that will stop a conversation quicker than _
Kids who show an interest in other kids and who are kind and friendly make good friends. Remember, everyone wants to be around people who like to do similar things and people who are nice to them. | high1134.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Madrid"
},
"options": [
"Madrid",
"Barcelona",
"Valencia",
"It's not mentioned"
],
"question": "According to the passage, which is the largest city in Spain?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | prefix = st1 /SPAIN is unique. Enough sunshine, gorgeous beaches and delicious food make it a favourite holiday spot for millions of Europeans. But eating and sunbathing is not all this Mediterranean country has to offer. Its wild nightlife has given Spaniards a well--earned reputation as non-stop party animals. The traditional afternoon nap known as a "siesta" means millions of Spanish people can live a crazy life every day. Not into drinking and dancing? Take a look at the vibrant arts scece, with numerous galleries and museum featuring Spain's many famous artists like Salvador Dail, Pablo Picasso and Antonio Gaudi. Take our tour around the country.
Barcelona, located on the Mediterranean sea, is famous as the host city for the 1992 Olympic Games. It is Spain's second largest city, afterMadrid. Barcelona is filled with landmark places and world-class museums, including Antonio Gaudi's famed La Sagrada Familia cathedral, the Museu Picasso, and the Las Ramblas street.
Barcelona also has great nightlife. There are many outdoor squares in the city. So when the weather is good, which it usually is, there are also popular places for people to get together. Nightlife kicks off from about 8 or 9 pm. Then things quiet down until a second surge of energy brings out the post-dinner crowds from 11pm to midnight.
Madrid, the capital of Spain, located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula , has a number of places, castles, museums and other unique places, such as the Plaza Mayor, the Cibeles Fountain, and the Palacio Real, as well as the fantastic bullring , Las Ventas. The city of 3.5 million people also has many theatres, live music venues and nightclubs because dinner is served late in Spain, usually around 9 pm, nightlife doesn't really get under way until after 11 pm. Native people are so fond of wandering around at night that they are known in Spain as gatos(cats.) Young people love to meet in nightclubs to drink and sing together.
Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast, isSpain's third--largest city. It is usually a quiet city with a population of half a million. But during the Las Falls Festival in March, the number can reach 3 million.Valenciais famous for its nightlife and bars. In the summer, people enjoy gathering at open--air bars. The bars play music, often have dance floors, and are open from late May to September. The nightlife lasts from 7 or 8 pm to 2 am on weekdays, and 5 am on weekends. | high22876.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "is a system that helps to improve the driving standards"
},
"options": [
"are points earned because of dangerous driving",
"is a system that helps to improve the driving standards",
"shows traffic offences of different kinds"... | Code Offence Points
What is Driving _ Points System?
After the introduction of this system, certain traffic offences will make the driver lose points besides other punishments . A driver makes any of these offences, the points will be recorded.When the driver gets a certain number of points, he will be forbidden to drive for a certain amount of time.
what are the purposes of this system?
This is a system designed to make road much safer. It can improve standards of driving and reduce accidents.
Which traffic offences will result in Driving Offence Points?
Of course, not all traffic offences are covered by this system. Only those that have direct effect on road safety are included.There are fourteen items in all.
1 Causing death by dangerous driving 10
2 Dangerous driving 10
3 Careless driving 5
4 Driving after drinking or taking drugs 10
5 Driving over speed limit by more than15 km/hour 3
6 Driving in a motor race on the road 10
7 Failing to stop after an accident 3
8 Failing to give information after an accident 3
9 Failing to report an accident 3
10 Failing to obey directions of police officers 3
11 Crossing double white lines 3
12 Failing to obey traffic signals 3
13 Failing to give way to walkers at a crosswalk. Failing to stop for people walking 3
14 Failing to stop at school crossing 3
What will happen if you have got up to 10 points?
If you have got 10 points or above, but still less than 15 points, you will receive a warning letter from the Transport Department. This letter will tell your record of Driving Offence Points and remind you of the result of getting more points. It is hoped that this warning will change your driving behavior for the better.
What will happen if you have got 15 points?
If you have got 15 points or more within two years, a court will take away your driving license. The first time you are found guilty you will not be able to drive for three months, but if you are caught a second time you will not be able to drive for six months. | high13473.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "choking them"
},
"options": [
"poisoning them",
"choking them",
"first poisoning and then choking them",
"striking them with bathroom cleaner"
],
"question": "The woman killed her two young children by _ .",
... | DALLAS - A suburban Dallas woman accused of killing her two young children told a 911 operator that she first tried to poison them because they were autistic and she wanted "normal kids," then choked them with a wire until they stopped moving, according to the recorded call.
Irving police on Wednesday released recordings of the 911 call after Saiqa Akhter was charged with capital murder in the death of her 5-year-old son, Zain Akhter and her 2-year-old daughter, Faryaal Akhter. Police said the children were attacked at the family's apartment Monday night.
In the recording released Wednesday, the woman identified herself as Saiqa Akhter and repeatedly told the operator she killed her two children. At one point, the woman hung up and the dispatcher called her back.
"I killed both of them. I told you," she told the operator. Later, she explained that both children were lying motionless on the bed in the master bedroom.
"They are not doing anything. They are just blue and they are not taking any breaths and ... their heart is not beating," she said.
She told the operator she initially tried to poison the children with bathroom cleaner but they refused to drink it. When that didn't work, "I used a wire on their necks," she said.
When the operator asked the woman why she attacked her children, she said, "They're both not normal, not normal. They're autistic. Both are autistic." Pressed further, she said, "I don't want my children to be like that. ... I want normal kids."
Later, the dispatcher asked the woman what she was feeling. "Nothing," she responded.
At one point, water could be heard running in the background and the dispatcher asked what the woman what she was doing. She told the operator she was trying to wash the smell of cleaner off of her hands. The dispatcher then told the woman to go sit on a couch in the living room and wait for police.
At the end of the recording, police can be heard arriving at the home. | high9568.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "To offer help to the old people who have difficulties."
},
"options": [
"To quit on their country to earn more money.",
"To offer help to the old people who have difficulties.",
"To write their own new destiny by working as T... | When I was young, my mother didn't have the money to send me to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with education. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself. But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.
We need every one of you to develop your talents and your skills so that you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you quit on school--you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country. No one's written your destiny for you, because you write your own destiny. You make your own future. That's why today I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education and do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time reading a book.
But whatever you decide to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it. I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work--that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star. No one's born being good at all things. You become good at things through hard work. You're not a good athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. | high15002.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "France."
},
"options": [
"America.",
"Germany.",
"Australia.",
"France."
],
"question": "Which of the following countries has the longest paid vacation?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
... | Let's be honest:If you like to take lots of vacation,the United States is not the place to work.Besides a handful of national holidays,the typical American worker gets two or three precious weeks off out of a whole year to relax and see the world--much less than what people in many other countries receive.Only 57% of the US workers use up all of the days they're entitled to,compared with 89% of workers in France, a recent research found.
So what's going on here?A big reason for the difference is that paid time off is supported by law in many parts of the world.Germany is among more than two dozen industrialized countries--from Australia to Slovenia to Japan--that require employers to offer four weeks or more of paid vacation to their workers,according to a 2009 study by the human resources consulting company Mercer.Finland, Brazil and France are the champions, guaranteeing six weeks of time off.
But employers in the United States have no duty under federal law to offer any paid vacation, so about a quarter of all American workers don't have access to _ ,government figures show.That makes the US the only advanced nation in the world that doesn't guarantee its workers annual leave,according to a report titled "NoVacation Nation" by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a liberal policy group.
But the fear of layoffs and the everfaster pace of work mean many Americans don't want to be absent from the office--anxious that they might look like they're not willing to work hard.Or they worry they won't be able to deal with the backlog of work waiting for them after a vacation.
Working more makes Americans happier than Europeans, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Happiness Studies.That may be because Americans believe more than Europeans do that hard work is associated with success, wrote Adam OkuliczKozaryn,the study's author and an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas."Americans increase their happiness by working, and Europeans increase their happiness through vacation," he found. | high8676.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "you would share his feelings and ideas"
},
"options": [
"you would study with them",
"you would share his feelings and ideas",
"you would express your own feelings",
"you help discover ways of using music and new kinds ... | As you research music, you will find music that is familiar to you. You will find music which tells of interesting places and exciting things to do. You will find music which expresses feelings that are often your own.
Music is an expression of the people. As you research, you will find music of people at work and play. You will find music expressing love of the country, love of nature, and love of home.
Music is also an expression of the composer . The composer expresses his own musical ideas. He studies the materials of music and discovers ways of using them. He looks for new kinds of musical expression.
Music can suggest actions and feelings which we all share. We can enjoy playing and singing music, dancing and listening to the music of the people and the composers of different times and places. | high7545.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "He wanted to make more money elsewhere."
},
"options": [
"He had made a fortune by selling diamonds.",
"He was tired of his life as a farmer.",
"He wanted to make more money elsewhere.",
"He was told that there was no d... | An African farmer had heard tales about other farmers who had made millions of dollars by discovering diamond mines. These tales so excited the farmer that he could hardly wait to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds himself.
So he sold the farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent, searching unsuccessfully for the shining stone that brought such high prices on the markets of the world.
Finally, broke and worn out, he threw himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, the man who had bought his farm happened to be crossing a small river on the property one day when he saw something shining at the bottom of the river. He picked it up. It was a sparkling stone - a good size stone - and, admiring it, he later put it on his fireplace mantel as an interesting curiosity.
Several weeks later, a visitor admired the stone, looked closely at it, lifted it in his hand and nearly fainted. He asked the farmer if he knew what he'd found. When the farmer said no, that he thought it was just a piece of crystal, the visitor told him he had found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered.
The farmer was astonished. He told the man that his small river was full of these brilliant stones, and his farmland was covered with them. Not all were as large, perhaps, as the one on his mantel, but they were sprinkled generously throughout his property.
Needless to say, the farm the first farmer had sold, so that he could search for a diamond mine, turned out to be the most productive diamond mine on the entire African continent. | high6883.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Valuable"
},
"options": [
"Unwanted.",
"Long-lasting.",
"Valuable",
"Perfect."
],
"question": "What does the author think of the wilderness areas around the world in the book?",
"question_type": null
},
... | More than 200 scientists have completed a twoyear study to identify the most natural and undeveloped areas on Earth. Their findings are reported in a new book called Wilderness:Earth's Last Wild Places. The book describes 37 wilderness areas around the world. Each has an area greater than 10,000 square kilometers. The study considered only areas where at least 70% of all plants are native.
North and South America are home to the largest number of wilderness areas. There are 16 such areas, from southern Argentina to Alaska and northern Canada. Africa has 8 wilderness areas, including the thick forests and the grasslands. Australia and New Guinea share 6 areas. Europe has 3 areas and Asia has 2.The Arabian Desert and Antarctica also are considered wilderness areas.
The largest wilderness area is the Boreal Forest .It extends for 16million square kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. The Boreal Forest extends across Alaska, Canada, northern Europe and Russia. The smallest of the 37 wilderness areas is the Sundarbans. It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest .It covers 10,000 square kilometers of land at the mouth of the Ganges River in India and Bangladesh .
The study found that wilderness areas cover about 46% of the Earth's land surface. However, they are home to less than 2.5% of the world's population. Nineteen of the wilderness areas have only about one person for each square kilometer. Native people usually live in these areas.
Wilderness areas help to influence the world's weather systems and rainfall. They are also home to many plants and animals. Population growth and the spread of agriculture and mining operations threaten wilderness areas. But just 7% of all such areas have some form of official protection. | high16523.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "power and class do not always correspond with each other"
},
"options": [
"power and class do not always correspond with each other",
"status refers to a person's economic position in society",
"people with high status have a... | According to sociologists , every modern industrial society has some form of social stratification . Class, power and status are important in deciding people's rank in society.
Class means a person's economic position in society. A commonly used classification is lower class, middle class and upper class. While sociologists disagree on how these terms should be exactly defined, they do describe societies like the United States quite well. One study shows that 53% of Americans belong to the lower class, 46% the middle class, and 1% the upper class. Interestingly, a surgeon earning $500,000 a year and a bus driver earning $50,000 a year both regard themselves as the middle class!
Power refers to the amount of control a person has over other people. Obviously, people in positions of great power (such as governors) exercise big power, but people who take orders from others have less power. Power and class do not always go hand in hand, however. For example, the governor of a state has great power, but he or she may not belong to a corresponding economic class. Generally, however, there is a relationship between power and class.
To our knowledge, there aren't too many people who aren't millionaires in the U.S. Senate!
Status is the honor or respect attached to a person's position in society. It can also be affected by power and class, but not necessarily so. For example, a university professor may have a high status but not belong to a high social class or have a lot of power over others. | high4064.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "China will action to be taken if deadly bombing happens again"
},
"options": [
"Stray fire from a fight that occurred between Myanmar's government forces.",
"a local ethnic army had damaged a house in China.",
"Chinese diplom... | BEIJING - No further deadly stray fire incidents should happen or the Chinese military will take "firm and decisive action" to protect the safety of its people, senior Chinese military leader Fan Changlong said on Saturday.
Fan, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while speaking with Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Defense Services over the telephone, after a bomb dropped by a Myanmar warplane on Friday killed four Chinese in Southwest China's Yunnan province.
Fan called on Myanmar to seriously investigate the incident, and urged the Myanmar side to severely punish the perpetrators, as well as apologize to and compensate the families of the victims. He voiced hope that the Myanmar side would settle the incident well and work with China to ensure the safety and stability of the border areas.
Min Aung Hlaing said the Myanmar side understood China's feelings and assured that the Myanmar side would send personnel to jointly investigate the incident with the Chinese side. Min Aung Hlaing also promised to properly handle relevant issues and hold relevant people accountable.
He said the Myanmar military would advance friendly cooperation with the Chinese army.Myanmar's warplanes have on several occasions crossed the China-Myanmar border and stray fire has caused casualties and loss of property of the Chinese people, Fan said.
On March 8, stray fire from a fight that occurred between Myanmar's government forces and a local ethnic army had damaged a house in China. Friday's bombing hit a sugarcane field in the border city of Lincang, killing four people working there and injuring nine others.
_ . | high19610.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "more efforts should be made to improve the quality of our material life"
},
"options": [
"our natural surroundings are in danger of being destroyed by industry",
"the fixed supply of natural resources marks a point beyond which eco... | There is much discussion today about whether economic growth is desirable ,At an earlier period our desire for material wealth may have been justified .Now , however ,this desire for more than we need is causing serious problems .Even though we have good intentions ,we may be producing too much ,too fast . w.w.w.k.s.5.u.c.o.m
Those who criticize economic growth argue that we must slow down .They believe that society is approaching certain limits on growth ,These include the fixed supply of natural resources ,the possible negative effects of industry on the natural environment ,and the continuing increase in the world's population ,As society reaches these limits ,economic growth can no longer continue ,and the quality of life will decrease .
People who want more economic growth ,on the other hand ,argue that even at the present growth rate there are still many poor people in the world ,These _ of economic growth believe that only more growth can create the capital needed to improve the quality of life in the world ,Furthermore ,they argue that only continued growth can provide the financial resources required to protect our natural surroundings from industrialization .
This debate over the desirability of continued economic growth is of vital importance to business and industry ,If those who argue against economic growth are correct ,the problem they mention cannot be ignored ,To find a solution ,economists and the business community must pay attention to these problems and continue discussing them with one another . | high20091.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Land in the West was hard to manage."
},
"options": [
"Small towns along the railways became abandoned.",
"Land in the West was hard to manage.",
"Some railroad stops remained underused.",
"Land grants went into private... | As the railroads and the highways shaped the American West in the past centuries, a new electrical generating and transmission system for the 21st century will leave a lasting mark on the West, for better or worse. Much of the real significance of railroads and highways is not in their direct physical effect on the scenery, but in the ways that they affect the surrounding community. The same is true of big solar plants and the power lines that will be laid down to move electricity around.
The 19 th century saw land grants offered to railroad companies to build the transcontinental railroads, leaving public land in between privately owned land. In much of the West, some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped, and in both cases the landownership has presented unique challenges to land management. With the completion of the interstate highway system, many of the small towns, which sprang up as railway stops and developed well, have lost their lifeblood and died.
Big solar plants and their power lines will also have effects far beyond their direct footprint in the West. This is not an argument against building them. We need alternative energy badly, and to really take advantage of it we need to be able to move electricity around far more readily than we can now.
So trade-offs will have to be made. Some scenic spots will be sacrificed. Some species will be forced to move, or will be carefully moved to special accommodations. Deals will be struck to reduce the immediate effects.
The lasting effects of these trade-offs are another matter. The 21st century development of the American West as an ideal place for alternative energy is going to throw off a lot of power and money in the region. There are chances for that power and money to do a lot of good. But it is just as likely that they will be spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind, just like the railroads and the highways.
The money set aside in negotiated trade-offs and the institutions that control it will shape the West far beyond the immediate footprint of power plants and transmission lines. So let's remember the effects of the railroads and the highways as we construct these new power plants in the West. | high2415.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "we dislike something in the beginning"
},
"options": [
"it is our natural emotion in the life",
"culture asks us to be different from others",
"everyone has their own opinions on things",
"we dislike something in the be... | One of the greatest sources of unhappiness, in my experience, is the difficulty we have in accepting things as they are.
When we see something we don't like, we wish it could be different. We cry out for something better. That may be human nature,or perhaps it's something ingrained in our culture. The root of the unhappiness isn't necessarily that we want things to be different.However, it's that we decided we didn't like it in the first place. We've judged it as bad,rather than saying, "It's not bad or good, and it just is it."
In one of my books, I said, "You should expect people to mess up and expect things to go differently than you planned". Some readers said it's too sorrowful to expect things to go wrong.However, it's only negative if you see it as negative and judge it as bad. Instead,you could accept it as the way the world works and try to understand why that is.
This can be applied to whatever you do:how other people act at work,how politics works and how depressing the news media can be.Accept these things as they are,and try to understand why they're that way. _ will save you a lot of sadness,because you'll no longer say, "Oh, I wish bad things didn't happen!''
Does it mean you can never change things? Not at all. But change things not because you can't accept things as they are, but because you enjoy the process of changing, learning and growing.
Can we make this world a better place? You can say that you'll continue to try to do things to help others, to grow as a person, to make a difference in this world. That's the correct path you choose to take,because you enjoy that path. Therefore, when you find yourself judging and wishing for difference, try a different approach: accept, and understand. It might lead to some interesting results. | high10152.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The birthday girl goes to the church."
},
"options": [
"The birthday girl buys many gifts.",
"The birthday girl goes to the church.",
"Parents give a Zuckertuete to the child.",
"Parents make speeches in the church."
... | In Mexico, girls mark their fifteenth birthday with a celebration called Quinceanera. In the morning, the birthday girl goes to the church with her family and her best friends. She wears a beautiful dress. Later in the day, there is a huge party, with a big cake that matches the girl's dress, and a night filled with music and dancing.
Becoming an adult is a very important life change, and Japan has a special holiday to celebrate this. The second Sunday in January is Coming-of-Age Day. On that day, everyone who had their twentieth birthday in the last year goes to their Town Hall for a special activity. Everyone dresses up, and many women wear beautiful dresses. The mayor makes a speech and gives presents to all the new adults.
Some kids are afraid to start school, but six-year-olds in Germany can't wait. For them, Schulanfang is a big holiday. To celebrate a child's first day of school, parents or friends give the child a Zuckertuete, a big color box filled with candy and little presents. People take pictures of the kids holding their Zuckertuete, and there is a school party later for the parents with cake and coffee. | high8886.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "relaxed"
},
"options": [
"focused",
"relaxed",
"awake",
"busy"
],
"question": "According to the author, we are more creative when we are _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Brrriiinnng. The alarm clock announces the start of another busy weekday in the morning. You jump out of bed, rush into the shower, into your clothes and out the door with hardly a moment to think. A stressful journey to work gets your blood pressure climbing. Once at the office, you glance through the newspaper with depressing stories or reports of disasters. In that sort of mood, who can get down to work, particularly some creative, original problem-solving work?
The way most of us spend our mornings is exactly opposite to the conditions that promote flexible, open-minded thinking. Imaginative ideas are most likely to come to us when we're unfocused. If you are one of those energetic morning people, your most inventive time comes in the early evening when you are relaxed. Sleepy people's lack of focus leads to an increase in creative problem solving. By not giving yourself time to tune into your wandering mind, you're missing out on the surprising solutions it may offer.
The trip you take to work doesn't help, either. The stress slows down the speed with which signals travel between neurons , making inspirations less likely to occur. And while we all should read a lot about what's going on in the world, it would not make you feel good for sure, so put that news website or newspaper aside until after the day's work is done.
So what would our mornings look like if we wanted to start them with a full capacity for creative problem solving? We'd set the alarm a few minutes early and lie awake in bed, following our thoughts where they lead. We'd stand a little longer under the warm water of the shower, stopping thinking about tasks in favor of a few more minutes of relaxation. We'd take some deep breaths on our way to work, instead of complaining about heavy traffic. And once in the office--after we get a cup of coffee--we'd click on links not to the news of the day but to the funniest videos the web has to offer. | high488.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Americans try renting their cars to strangers."
},
"options": [
"There are too many cars in America.",
"Most cars are rarely used in America.",
"Commuting by bike is popular in America.",
"Americans try renting their ca... | Americans love their cars. There are more than eight cars for every 10 Americans, but most of the time, they sit idle , parked in a driveway or on the street. Now, several companies on the U. S. West Coast are helping people rent their personal car to someone else when they don't need it.
Eric Loebel is one of those people. For a small price, he wants to let his Oregon neighbors "borrow" his car. It's a dark blue, model year 2000 Volvo car. The sales and marketing consultant says he doesn't use it much. "My wife and I are huge bike commuters and almost don't need a car," he says.
Loebel is one of the first car owners in Portland to list his wheels for rent through a so-called
"peer-to-peer car sharing" service called Getaround. Com. "Cars are so expensive to own," he says "This can definitely offset some of the cost." The website lets car owners decide for themselves how much to charge borrowers to rent by the hour, day or week.
Person-to-person rentals began in Germany a decade ago, and there are a handful of similar companies in Europe and Australia. The concept caught on quickly in California over the past year according to John Atcheson, vice president of Getaround, one of four carsharing startups in the San Francisco area.
"We have had amazing cars leaping into our system," Atcheson says. "Not just 1995 pickup trucks but we have had late model Mercedes, Audis, any type of car you can imagine. We actually have a Tesla Roadster--a $150,000 sports car."
Another service called JustShareIt plans to stand out by going beyond cars. Its founder says the company will offer person-to-person rentals of power boats, jet skis and snowmobeles( ) too. | high6673.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "find out the problem with Noah"
},
"options": [
"help Noah with his study",
"help Noah remember things",
"find out the problem with Noah",
"encourage him to pick up soccer games"
],
"question": "Noah's dad and h... | Noah felt like he was always hitting the books. While his friends were meeting for pickup soccer games after school, he was back home in his room reading and rereading the same material. But no matter how hard Noah studied, he had difficulty remembering things and his grades stayed average. Meanwhile, his friend Sean, who never seemed to study, always aced tests. It didn't seem fair.
Because Noah was so frustrated , his dad and teachers made an appointment with the school psychologist. She diagnosed Noah with a learning disability. Although Noah felt relieved to know what was going on, he was also worried. He didn't like the "disability" label. And he was concerned about what it might mean for his future. Would he be able to go to college and study engineering as he'd hoped?
For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence. After all, such successful people as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities.
Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by learning disabilities. The way our brains process information is extremely complex --- it's no wonder things can get messed up sometimes. Take the simple act of looking at a picture, for example: Our brains not only have to form the lines into an image, they also have to recognize what the image stands for, relate that image to other facts stored in our memories, and then store this new information. It's the same thing with speech - we have to recognize the words, interpret the meaning, and figure out the significance of the statement to us. Many of these activities take place in separate parts of the brain, and it's up to our minds to link them all together.
If, like Noah, you've been diagnosed with a learning disability, you're not alone. Nearly four million school-age children and teens have learning disabilities, and at least 20% of them have a type of disorder that makes it difficult to focus.
No one's exactly sure what causes learning disabilities. But researchers do have some theories as to why they develop. | high23598.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Nature of the characters."
},
"options": [
"Invention of airplanes.",
"Nature of the characters.",
"History of airplanes.",
"Ordinary life of the characters."
],
"question": "What does the book The Wright brothe... | 1. The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough
Another must-read for history fans, McCullough tells the story of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who taught the world how to fly. Drawing on all types of historical data -- from personal diaries and scrapbooks, to thousands of private letters of family letters -- we get a close look at the actual personalities behind one of the most influential moments in history.
2. The Wonder Garden, by Lauren Acampora
This novel is really a collection of several interwoven stories of people living in the rich Connecticut suburbs. From tales of an elderly artist to a young mother to a woman whose husband just behaves carelessly, The Wonder Garden gives us an unforgettable reminder that there's often so much we don't know about what happens with our neighbors behind closed doors.
3. Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen, by Mary Norris
Does someone mistaking who for whom make your blood boil? Do you want to throw a dictionary at someone for mistaking sit for cite? Enter Between You & Me. Mary Norris brings her experience working in The New Yorker's copy department to eager grammar fans in this laugh-out-loud book that looks at some of the most common spelling, punctuation, and usage problems in the English language.
4. My Struggle: Book Four, by Karl Ove Knausgaard
My Struggle is a six-volume autobiographical novel that follows the life of Karl Ove Knausgaard, a Norwegian father of three. In Book Four, he writes of his decision at the age of 18 to move to a fisherman's village in the far north of the Arctic circle to work as a school teacher. It's there that he struggles with love, alcoholism, and becoming loved by one of his students. | high14334.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "to let people know more about greyhounds"
},
"options": [
"to tell people how to raise greyhounds",
"to let people know more about greyhounds",
"to explain why greyhounds are aggressive",
"to describe greyhounds of diff... | Most people think of racing when they see greyhounds and believe they need lots of exercise. They can actually be quite lazy! Greyhounds are good at fast races but not long-distance running. They do need regular exercise but they like to run for a short burst and then get back on the bed or a comfortable seat. Another misunderstanding is that greyhounds must be aggressive because they are big in size. In fact greyhounds love people and are gentle with children.
Greyhounds can live for 12 - 14 years but usually only race for two or three years, and after that they make great pets. They don't need a lot of space, don't make a lot of noise, and don't eat a lot for their size.
Normally, greyhounds can be as tall as 90 cm. There is, however, a small-sized greyhound, which stands only 33 cm. Greyhounds come in a variety of colors. Grey and yellowish-brown are the most common. Others include black, white, blue, red and brown or a mix of these.
Greyhounds have smooth body coats, low body fat and are very healthy. Because they're slim they don't have the leg problems like other dogs the same height . But they do feel the cold, especially since they would much rather be at home in bed than walking around outside. | high9540.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "A general introduction of Canada."
},
"options": [
"A general introduction of Canada.",
"The size of Canada.",
"The population of Canada.",
"Some important cities in Canada."
],
"question": "What does the passag... | Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia. It stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the high Arctic to the northern border of the continental U.S.A. Although very much a "northern" country, the geography of Canada is very _ . As well as the popular image of Canada as a country of forests, there are also deserts and badlands , rain forests and long and wide beaches. Canada has huge inland lakes, evergreen forests, woodlands and meadows. Canada's coastlines are thousands of miles long, with long, wild rivers leading to the oceans.
In contrast to the expanses of open country, Canada also has its share of urban areas. The majority of the population and heavy industry is in the two provinces of Quebec and Ontario, but large and modern cities are spread across the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, all within a few hours drive, at most, from the border with the United States. Business is active throughout the country, The Prairie Provinces with their vast fields of grain help to feed the world. The fisheries on both the West and the East Coast are widespread. Oil and natural gas have recently been discovered off the East Coast. The Trans-Canada Highway links the country from coast to coast, there is an extensive network of railways, and a widespread network of airline routes serving both major and remote communities.
The rural areas are less populated, with more and more people leaving for the larger towns and cities. The lands to the north are much less developed, but as some of these areas are used for their plenty of natural resources, populations are growing. | high22686.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "the development of the word bug"
},
"options": [
"the misunderstanding of the word bug",
"the development of the word bug",
"the public views of the word bug",
"the special characteristics of the word bug"
],
"q... | "Indeed," George Washington wrote in his diary in 1785, " some kind of fly, or bug, had begun to eat the leaves before I left home. " But the father of America was not the father of bug. When Washington wrote that, Englishmen had been referring to insects as bugs for more than a century,and Americans had already created lightning-bug .But the English were soon to stop using the bugs in their language, leaving it to the Americans to call a bug a bug in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The American bug could also be a person, referring to someone who was crazy about a particular activity. Although fan became the usual term, sports fans used to be called racing bugs, baseball bugs, and the like.
Or the bug could be a small machine or object, for example, a bug-shaped car. The bug could also be a burglar alarm, from which comes the expression to bug,that is,"to install an alarm". Now it means a small piece of equipment that people use for listening secretly to others' conversations. Since the 1840s,to bug has long meant" to cheat" , and since the 1940s it has been annoying.
We also know the bug as a _ in a computer program or other design. That meaning dates back to the time of Thomas Edison. In 1878 he explained bugs as"little problems and difficulties" that required months of study and labor to overcome in developing a successful product. In 1889 it was recorded that Edison" had been up the two previous nights discovering' a bug' in his invented record player." | high12745.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "34.5 hours a week"
},
"options": [
"20 hours a week",
"37 hours a week",
"39.5 hours a week",
"34.5 hours a week"
],
"question": "The receptionist to be employed will work _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_que... | Good news! Job offered.
Receptionist Administration
Full Time
A receptionist is required from 1st June 2015 at Dartford Science & Technology College. The position is only from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Friday, with an hour's break for lunch every day. The successful applicant must have a good telephone manner, good interpersonal skills and IT skills.
Science Technician
Term time plus 10 days, 37 hours per week
We are looking for a technician to provide a technical support service for science teaching staff. Applications are to be received no later than midnight on 10thJune 2015.
Health & Social Care Teacher
Our client, an 11-18 mixed comprehensive school in Ealing, West London, is currently seeking a teacher for Health & Social Care. The position will be a full-time post until July 2015. We require an energetic teacher to develop the learning potential of students. We are seeking someone with excellent subject knowledge who can combine academic strictness and achievement with enjoyment of teaching Health & Social Care.
If you are keen to work, click the button below. | high12023.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Henri Almeras."
},
"options": [
"Henri Almeras.",
"Jean Patou.",
"Sophia Grojsman.",
"Jacques Guerlain."
],
"question": "Who created Joy?",
"question_type": "factiod_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
... | Perfume has been in existence for a long time. These days, certain perfumes are considered comparable to great works of art. Here are a few of the most famous perfumes in history.
Chanel No.5
This perfume is probably the best-selling scent in the history of fragrance . Created by Ernst Beaux for Coco Chanel in 1921, it has been described as "the world's most legendary fragrance", and remains the company's most famous perfume.
Shalimar
Jacques Guerlain created this vanilla fragrance in 1925. The perfume takes its name from the Garden of Shalimar, which was built by Emperor Shah Jehan for one of his wives. It was an immediate hit in 1925 and is still extremely popular today.
Joy
Joy is famous for having been the most expensive perfume in the world at one point. It was created in 1930 by Henri Almeras for Jean Patou to lift the bad mood that had swept over the world after the 1929 stock market crash.
L'Air duTemps
Francis Farbon created Nina Ricci's L'Air du Temps in 1948. The fragrance is known for its spicy carnation and gardenia scents as well as its beautiful crystal bottle (designed by Lalique).
Eternity
Calvin Klein's second perfume was created by Sophia Grojsman in 1988. Known for its light, flowery scent, the perfume was listed in the Fragrance Hall of Fame in 2003. It is recommended for daytime wear.
Angel
This wildly popular perfume was created in 1992 by Olivier Cresp for Thierry Mugler. The perfume was an instant success. The perfume has often been described as "delicious", owing to its chocolatey scent. The perfume comes in beautiful star-shaped bottles. Angel perfume also comes in several bath and body products. | high6115.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "they may feel they are different from others"
},
"options": [
"the atmosphere is unpleasant",
"they don't like the people there",
"they are too proud to talk with others",
"they may feel they are different from others"
... | If you've ever been to a social gathering, you might feel awkward and uncomfortable. While social gatherings can be very enjoyable, especially when you are surrounded by people whose company you enjoy, there are social events that you sometimes find yourself wishing you were someplace else. Such occasions can sometimes be the cause of much anxiety and self-consciousness. You may even feel like everyone else is having a good time except for you. Yet the truth is that everyone has felt shy and awkward on occasion. One of the best ways to overcome self-consciousness or get past your feelings of shyness at social gatherings is to focus on the people around you. If you can remember that other people might also be feeling awkward or shy, you might find the thought of speaking to them less overwhelming.
The next time there is a social event you feel nervous about attending, you may want to try this exercise: Spend some time with your eyes closed and breathe deeply. When you feel ready, create your own zone of comfort by _ yourself surrounded in a warm white light that is protective yet accepting of others. Imagine people at the event being drawn to you because of the open and warm feelings that you are showing. When you arrive at the event, take a moment to spread this same light of loving acceptance to everyone around you.
Smile and greet people warmly. Try going up to someone who is standing alone and introduce yourself. When you show acceptance and openness, people can't help but respond to you in kind.
Focusing on how we can make other people at a social gathering feel at ease can help us forget about our own insecurities. The next time you attend a social gathering, invite people to join you in your zone of comfort that you have so lovingly and intentionally created. Let yourself enjoy being encircled in the warmth of their friendships. | high14452.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "overpopulation causes the problems in cities like London"
},
"options": [
"it's difficult to solve the problem faced by cities today",
"overpopulation causes the problems in cities like London",
"possible solutions to cities'... | At no time in history has there been such a mass movement of people from the countryside to the city as is happening now. By the year 2030, it's estimated that more than two thirds of the world's population will be living in cities, twice as many as today. This means that the problems faced by cities today--overcrowding, poor housing, unemployment, poverty and lack of food and water--will be twice as bad, unless we find solutions soon.
Another serious issue is how to provide good transportation for their citizens. Many of the world's major cities are already struggling with out-of-date transport infrastructures . How can they deal with the additional demands?
London is a good example. Its enlargement was made possible by the invention of the steam engine, which powered the world's first underground railway. But its transport system are now hopelessly out-of-date and need urgent modernization. London's future success depends very much on developing better public transport.
Over a million people travel into central London every day from outside the city. _ , together with the people who live in London, want a public transport system that is efficient, safe and _ . What they often get, however, falls far short of that ideal. Passengers complain about cost and pollution, while businesses worry about the problems their staff have in getting to work on time. Yes, the proportion of London households that own a car grew from just over ten percent in the early 1950s to over sixty percent today.
As the city has become increasingly crowded and polluted, there has been a growing realization that action must be taken soon. | high9226.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "at around 9:06"
},
"options": [
"at 8:30",
"18 minutes earlier than the north tower",
"at around 9:06",
"at 8:48"
],
"question": "From the passage, we know that the south tower was hit by the plane _ .",
... | New York: When the first plane struck 1 World Trade Center at 8:48 am on Tuesday, the people in 2 World Trade Center who saw the instant damage to the other tower realized clearly what they, too, must do: get out fast.
Katherine Ilachinsiki, who had been knocked off her chair by the blast of heat exploding from the neighboring tower, was one of those. Despite her 70 years of age, Mrs Ilachinsiki, an architect working on the 91
floor of 2 World Trade Center, the south tower, went for the stairs. Twelve floors above her, Judy Wein, an executive , cried sharply and set off too.
But others up and down the 110 floors, many without seeing the damage across the way and thus unclear about what was happening, were not so sure. And the 18 minutes before the next plane would hit were ticking off.
Most people had no idea about what was the best thing to do, formal announcements inside the south tower asked people to
, assuring them that the building was sound and the threat was limited to the other tower.
Some left, others stayed. Some began to climb down and, when met with more announcements and other cautions to stop or return, went back up. The decisions made in those instants proved to be of great importance, because many who chose to stay were killed completely when the second plane crashed into the south tower.
One of those caught in indecision was the executive at Fuji Bank USA.
Richard Jacobs of Fuji Bank left the 79
floor with the other office workers, but on the 48
floor they heard the announcement that the situation was under control. Several got in the lifts and went back up, two minutes or so before the plane crashed into their floor.
"I just don't know what happened to them," Mr Jacobs said. | high15994.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "drive away trouble-makers under 20"
},
"options": [
"threaten teenagers in public",
"drive away trouble-makers under 20",
"help mothers control their teenage children",
"help the police control shopkeepers"
],
"... | London, Reuters--What could annoy teenagers enough to make them stop hanging out with friends and go home?
No, it's not a visit from their mothers, and not a threat to take away their cellphones or pocket money.
It's high-frequency noise. The UK police recently agreed to use a device called the Sonic Teenager Deterrent. It sends out a sound that makes teenagers become so impatient and angry that they have to cover their ears tightly and walk away.
The sound is at extreme high-pitch that can be heard by those under 20. The body's natural ability to detect some wave bands decreases almost entirely after 20, so few adults can hear the sounds. The black-box device, nicknamed the Mosquito because of its sound, can be fixed to the outside walls of shops, offices and homes. It sounds to youngsters like a crazy insect or a badly played violin. But it causes no physical damage.
A number of police forces and councils have given permission to use the system and want to install it at trouble spots.
Staffordshire Police Inspector Amanda Davies, who has given the device to shopkeepers in the Moorlands area, said," It is controlled by the shopkeepers--if they can see through their window that there is a problem, they turn the device on for a while until the group has run away." | high2373.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "his passion in literature"
},
"options": [
"his way of constructing a novel",
"his frank portrayal of human nature",
"his complete command of English",
"his passion in literature"
],
"question": "James Joyce was... | James Joyce was an Irish novelist who revolutionized the methods of depicting characters and developing a plot in modern fiction. his astonishing way of constructing a novel, his frank portrayal(, )of human nature in his books, and his complete command of English have made him one of the outstanding influences on literature in the 20th century. Many critics judge that _ in his mastery of the English language. Joyce was deeply influenced by Ireland and wrote all his books about Dublin.
When he was in Dublin College, he studied languages and spent his spare time reading books. He refused to take part in the nationalist movement like his fellow students, but he became passionately(, )interested in literature. He wrote outspoken articles of literary criticism that shocked his teachers and even taught himself norwegian so that he could read Ibsen's works in the original.
When he graduated in 1902, he knew he would become a writer and an exile(, ), because he felt he could not be one without the other. In order to preserve his ideal of writing truthfully, fully, and as objectively as he knew how, about the people and places he knew best, he had to escape from all temptations to become involved in popular opinion or public life. He went to France, Italy and Switzerland, where he lived in poverty and obscurity for the first 20 years, only returning to Ireland when his mother was dying. Except for a couple of brief trips, he stayed abroad all his life. | high10634.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Sarah wanted to show something to Mariam"
},
"options": [
"Mariam came to Sarah's home",
"Sarah wanted to eat some goodies",
"Mariam and Sarah were very frightened",
"Sarah wanted to show something to Mariam"
],
... | .Sarah and Mariam looked at the glass fragments on the floor in panic . They could not believe what had just happened.
Mariam was Sarah's best friend. They had spent the entire day drawing and painting. Sarah's mother had gone to the market to buy some goodies and the two friends were alone at home. Sarah decided to show her friend a very expensive vase that her father had gifted her mother on their wedding anniversary . She took her friend to the drawing room and carefully removed the vase. She knew it was not allowed by her mother but she wanted to show off a bit.
Mariam looked at the vase with wonder. When she was giving back the vase to Sarah, a disaster happened. The vase slipped between their fingers and fell on the floor with a crash.
"Oh no!" cried Sarah in panic. "What shall I do now? Mother will be so angry." Mariam felt equally guilty . "I know! Let us sweep up the pieces and hide them. Mother will not know that I have broken it."
"But she will ask when she sees it missing. What will we say then?" Mariam asked. "I think the best thing would be to own up ."
Sarah took a deep breath. "You are right."
When Sarah's mother came back, Sarah and Mariam poured out their tale. At first, her mother looked angry. Then she saw how unhappy and guilty they both looked. She hugged them both tightly. "I am so glad you were brave enough to own up, Sarah. I am very upset about the vase but I am happy you are both such truthful girls."
"It was Mariam's idea that we should own up, Mother," Sarah added honestly.
The girls laughed. They felt as if a huge load had been taken off their shoulders. | high18268.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "still hopes Andrew will improve"
},
"options": [
"holds the view that Andrew is hopeless",
"has lost his patience with Andrew",
"has given the shop to Andrew",
"still hopes Andrew will improve"
],
"question": "W... | "It's the best...uhh...What? You don't want it?...,"the inexpertienced young man uttered,his hope dashed.
"Again,you disappointed me,Andrew.When are you going to learn? You have to be sure and confident. And think how best to make him part with his money. Apply yourself, Son. All your college education will not help if you don't put your mind to selling. Think on your feet. Use psychology," Andrew spoke with diffidence overwhelmed by his father's criticism.
"You've been in this shop for six months and you haven't succeeded in selling a single computer. I tell you what. I'll give you one more chance. I'll give you another three more weeks. If you still can't make one sale, I'll call in your elder brother to replace you. He will also take over the shop when I retire. There. I'll just give you one last chance to prove yourself," said Mr. Whitely, his patience wearing thin.
Andrew's heart missed a beat. This time he would have to do it. Do or Die! A sense of urgency gripped him. Somehow he must prove himself to his father.
It was now the end of the day and the shop was being closed. The assistant employed by his father, called Mike, chuckled and put his arms round poor Andrew to comfort him," Sort it out yourself. It's gotta come from yourself." he said.
The shop was located in a bustling shopping center. Andrew left the shop and walked round the complex aimlessly and by chance entered a large bookstore. He glanced at the books and was about to leave when his eyes caught some interesting titles:' How to increase your confidence,'' The art of communication,''How to sell well'amongst others.
The next minute he was out of the store with the shopping bag bugling with books. In his apartment (for he loves separately from his parents and little sister),he settled himself in his easy chair and devoured the contents of the books, one by one. His keen intelligence enabled him to focus the details that matter and pick out the ideas and techniques expounded.In a week his image underwent a transformation. Gone was the stubble that used to give him an untidy image likened to a heroin addict.He was also smartly dressed now. Instead of his usual slurred speech and incoherence ,he spoke with clarity, purpose and forcefulness.He was more convincing and persuasive. Above all, confidence flowed from his being and he seemed to have learned a few tricks of the selling trade. He worked hard at his sales pitch and one day he succeeded in selling a computer. His first sale. He had finally achieved the quota of one sale within the given time frame of three weeks. The job, the shop, was his. He had to thank Mike for it. And now he had to go beyond his first successs and score, consistently and persistently. Nevertheless he had proved himself at last and the future looked bright and promising. | high16245.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": ".advocate people to stand more"
},
"options": [
".advocate people to stand more",
".persuade people to .take daily exercise",
".warn people against the risks of sitting",
"introduce the findings of prolonged sitting"
... | Are you sitting down?In that case,you should probably stand up before reading this.
In the first advice of its kind,British experts are recommending office workers stand for at least two hours. day,in a warning against the dangers of prolonged sitting .The,idelines were developed by a group of experts invited by Public Health England and an advocacy up *and were published online Monday in Sports Medicine.
Compared to those of smoking,people who sit the most have more than twice the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,.a 13 percent increased risk of cancer and a 17 percent increased risk of premature death ,compared to those who sit the least.
"Even if you're meeting your physical activity guidelines,you cannot get rid of the risks of prolonged sitting,"said Uavin Bradley,director of the campaign group Get Britain Standing,one of the authors of the new guidance .Bradley,who spoke during a telephone interview while walking,said officials figure out the average Briton sits for more than half of their working hours.His group is expanding its campaign to other countries including the U.S.on Tuesday and is pushing for more people to have access to a desk that allows them to stand.
"Companies should reconsider the culture around taking regular breaks and think about whether meetings could be held standing up or walking,"said Bradley."We've sat on this problem for far too long*" | high19176.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Chinese Booming and Developing E-commerce"
},
"options": [
"The Ambition of Alibaba",
"Fierce Competition between Retailers",
"A Newly Sprung Festival for the Singles",
"Chinese Booming and Developing E-commerce"
],... | It is "one of the few bright spots in the Chinese economy," says Zeng Ming. He is talking about e-commerce. Mr Zeng, the chief strategy officer for Alibaba, a giant Chinese Internet firm, predicts that digital transactions on his firm's platforms will top l trillion yuan ($159 billion) this year-more than Amazon's and eBay's combined. That is a bold claim, but consider what happened on Singles Sunday.
Invented a few years ago by students and seized upon by digital marketers, this festival for lonely hearts falls annually on the llth day of the llth month (since l is the loneliest number).It is like St Valentine's Day, only worse. Singletons shower each other with tender gifts: a barrage of pearls; a storm of sweets.
This November llth they spent a surprising 19 billion yuan on Alibaba's online platforms-a fourfold increase on a year ago, and more than double what Americans spent online last Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving, when retailers urge Americans to shop online). About 100m purchases were logged, accounting for 80% of the packages shipped that day. Couriers were buried in parcels.
So life is good for China's e-tailers, then? Not exactly. The number of digital marketers is increasing and online sales are booming. Consumers are enjoying lower prices, better service and more variety. The problem? The pressure on profits in Chinese e-commerce is worse than in America, reckons Elinor Leung of CLSA, a broker. "Almost no one makes money," she says.
The fiercest battles are being fought between online retailers and their bricks-and-mortar rivals.Dangdang, a firm. that resembles Amazon,.and 360buy, another online retailer, have cut prices fiercely. Tencent, a cash-rich online giant known for its instant-messaging software, is splashing out to win market share. 360buy has also just raised $400m from investors to do the same. But it is unclear how much longer such firms can burn through capital. | high2367.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The Chocolate Town"
},
"options": [
"Milton Hershey",
"World's Famous Cities",
"The Chocolate Town",
"Pennsylvania Chocolates"
],
"question": "What's the best title for the passage?",
"question_type": null
... | Many of the world's famous cities are known by some special names. Paris is known as the "City of Light". Hong Kong is the "Wall Street of Asia". One small city in Pennsylvania may be the sweetest place on Earth. That is town of Hershey, which is known as the "Chocolate Town". It is named after Milton Hershey, the founder of the largest chocolate factory in the world.
Milton Hershey built his first candy factory in the early 1900s. At the time, Hershey was developing a technique for milk chocolate. Eventually he succeeded. Hershey was also the first to produce individually wrapped chocolate bars. His factory grew and produced more and more types of chocolate. To this day, Hershey's chocolate factory is the largest in the world. Hershey used his success to give back to the community. He built a town around the factory for his employees. He gave streets fun names like Chocolate Avenue. He built schools, parks and shops. This generous man gave millions of dollars to charity. He built an amusement park with rides, trains for children and a swimming pool. Over the years, the town grew. People from near and far came to visit this special town, whose beauty and fame continue to attract lots of tourists. Every year close to three million tourists visit the Chocolate Town.
Today visitors to the city can enjoy a variety of attractions and activities. The Hershey chocolate factory offers tours. Visitors can learn all about chocolate and how it is made. A gift shop sells all kinds of chocolate and toys made to look like chocolate. Even if you don't buy a souvenir, there is one thing that is impossible to forget: the wonderful _ of fresh chocolate everywhere. In this special place even the streetlights are shaped like chocolate.
Another attraction is the Hershey Hotel. It has an unusual mineral spring where guests can enjoy a variety of special treatments. The treatments all have one thing in common: chocolate. | high10620.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Both are about where to draw the line"
},
"options": [
"Both can continue for generations .",
"Both are about where to draw the line",
"Neither has any clear winner",
"Neither can be put to an end"
],
"question"... | For many parents , raising a teenager is like fighting a long war ,but years go by without any clear winner . Like a border conflict between neighboring countries ,the parent-teen war is about boundaries: Where is the line between what I control and what you do?
Both sides want peace ,but neither feels it has any power to stop the conflict . In part ,this is because neither is willing to admit .any responsibility for starting it . From the parents' point of view, the only cause of their fight is their adolescents' complete unreasonableness. And of course .
. Both feel trapped
In this article. I'll describe three no-win situations that commonly arise between teens and parents and then suggest some ways out of the trap. The first no-win situation is quarrels over unimportant things . Examples include the color of the teen's hair, the cleanliness of the bedroom ,the preferred style of clothing , the child's failure to eat a good breakfast before school ,or his tendency to sleep until noon on the weekends .Second ,blaming.The goal of a blaming battle is to make the other admit that his bad attitude is the reason why everything goes wrong . Third , needing to be right ,It doesn't matter what the topic is -politics. The taws of physics ,or the proper way to break an egg -the point of these arguments is to prove that you are right and the other person is wrong .for both wish to be considered an authority--someone who actually knows something -- and therefore to command respect. Unfortunately , as long as long as parents and teens continue to assume that they know more than the other ,they'll continue to fight these battles forever and never make any real progress | high16251.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "To discover why the population of cuckoos is declining."
},
"options": [
"To track cuckoos'1 0,000-mile journey.",
"To better understand the habits of cuckoos.",
"To find out what happens during cuckoos'journey.",
"To d... | Their beautiful call suggests the arrival of spring,but the routes taken by cuckoos during their annual migration have remained a mystery.Now,though,scientists from the British Trust for Omithology(BTO)have revealed the details of their remarkable 10,000-mile journey,with the help of tracking devices.
Five male birds were caught in Norfolk last May and fitted with satellite-tagged "backpacks'' before being released.The scientists then monitored their progress over 12 months as they flew to Africa in the autumn,and returned in the spring.
The project was carried out to discover why every year fewer of the birds return to Britain.Between 1995 and 2010,the population of cuckoos spending sumnler here fell by almost half,and the number is continuing to decline.Previously,the lack of information about the cuckoos'long migration has hamoered the understanding of how to help conserve the birds.
Earlier this year,it was reported that cuckoos arrived in the UK much earlier than normal.Their call was recorded by ornithologists as early as February,a month ahead of their usual arrival.
Like all migrating animals,cuckoos respond to the changing seasons.They depend on lush plants to provide the fruit and food for insects that they feed on.This reliance on seasonal patternsmeans that a changing climate could make an already challenging journey impossible for them. | high19162.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "2"
},
"options": [
"2",
"3",
"4",
"5"
],
"question": "During the tour, visitors will trek through _ national parks.",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
... | 6-Day Trek in the Highland National Parks
Destinations: Saigon--Cat Tien National Park--Buon Ma Thuot--Lak Lake--YokDon National Park
Estimated trekking time: Average 4-5 hours/day
Summary: This trip is ideal for those who love trekking in natural forests. From the southern part of Vietnam up to the central highlands, you will cross through two national parks. There will be opportunities to see wildlife and challenge yourself physically at a moderate level.
Indulge yourself in the beauty of nature, escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, rediscover yourself in the natural world and refresh both mind and body.
Highlights:
1) Private tour
2) Walk through the forest to a fascinating and beautiful wetland area. If you are lucky, you may be able to see many different kinds of animals using only binoculars .
3) Night time wildlife-spotting excursion
4) Elephant riding
Includes:
1) Travel insurance
2) Private transportation
3) English-speaking guide
4) Guest house-twin shared room
5) Meals as indicated in the itinerary
6) Elephants
7) Canoe
8) Mineral water
9) Entrance fees & all permits
Excludes:
1) Surcharges for other guides in other languages, festival season and peak season surcharges, which will be advised at time of booking
2) Visa
3) Gong show (80 USD/show)
4) Tips
5) Personal expenses | high3079.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Regretful-Satisfied."
},
"options": [
"Calm-Satisfied.",
"Excited-Frustrated.",
"Sad-Calm.",
"Regretful-Satisfied."
],
"question": ".How did the author's feeling change from the beginning to the end ?",
"que... | At about 4 am, after hours of being unable to sleep, of shivering in the cold mountain air and trying to silence my crying kids who kept waking up, of attempting to find a comfortable sleeping position, of listening to whether there might have been a bear outside our tent, I finally couldn't stand it any more. I complained, "Everything has gone wrong."
My wife and I were in one tent with our two young kids. A hundred yards east away was Summit Lake, where the glorious early morning mist was shimmering off the water. A couple miles to the southwest was the base of the Lassen Peak Trail. The base was 8,000 feet above sea level, and huge snow dotted the scenery even in mid August. Further west still was Bumpass Hell, with steam rising up.
As the sun crept up over the edge of the Lassen peak, we fired up the camp stove and had breakfast. Half an hour later, my six-year-old daughter and I were in the parking lot of the Lassen peak trail, getting ready to go up the mountainside. We wouldn't make it all the way, but it didn't matter. We would see nature at its extremes: the volcanic ash that layered on the earth turning the melting snow a mysterious pink as the sun struck it; the blues of the sky shading into the blues of distant lakes, which in turn shaded into the whites and grays of the snow.
My daughter grabbed my camera. She wanted to take a photo of "the composite "of _ . Looking out over that scenery, and seeing my daughter fascinated by nature, I felt stupid about my morning complaints.
Yes, camping is uncomfortable. And yes, there's a lot to be said for getting out a credit card,reserving a room in a nice hotel, and going out for a fancy meal. But there's also something wonderful about being so close to raw nature. And , as important, there's something vital about getting young children out of their increasingly modern comfort zones and forcing them to meet the world around them. | high12037.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Peer pressure"
},
"options": [
"Peers have a good effect",
"Children give in to peer pressure",
"Peer pressure is hard to resist",
"Peer pressure"
],
"question": "What is the passage mainly about ?",
"questi... | A peer is a person who is about the same age as you. Peers affect your life, whether you know it or not, just by spending time with you.
Peers can have a good effect on one another. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book and now everyone's reading it.
However, sometimes peers affect one another in another way. For example, one kid in school might try to get another to cut class with him, your soccer friend might try to persuade you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to
with him.
Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that " everyone's doing it" may influence some kids to leave their better judgments or their common senses behind.
Peer pressure can be extremely strong and hard to get rid of. Experiments have shown how peer pressure can influence someone to change her/ his mind from what she/ he knows for sure is a correct answer to the incorrect answer----just because everyone else gives the incorrect answer! That holds true for people of any age in peer pressure situations.
It can be hard to walk away from peer pressure, but it can be done. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self- confidence can help you stand firm, walk away and resist doing something when you know better. | high15758.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "An example of unfairness caused by alphabetism."
},
"options": [
"An example of competition of two kinds of cars.",
"Some advantages of AAAA cars in the taxi firm.",
"An example of unfairness caused by alphabetism.",
"S... | Over the past century, all kinds of unfairness and discrimination have been made illegal. But one popular form continues to exist, that is alphabetism . This, for those as yet unaware of such a disadvantage, refers to discrimination against those whose surnames begin with a letter in the lower half of the alphabet.
It has long been known that the cars of a taxi firm called AAAA have a big advantage over Zodiac cars when customers look through their phone directories. Less well known is the advantage that Adam Abbot has in life over Zoe Zysman. English names are fairly spread between the halves of the alphabet. Yet a quite large number of top people have surnames beginning with letters between A and K.
Thus the American presidents and vice-presidents have surnames starting with B and C separately and 26 of those before George Bush took office (including his father ) had surnames in the first half of the alphabet against just 16 in the second half. Even more striking, six of the seven heads of government of the G7 rich countries are alphabetically advantaged (Berlusconi, Blair, Bush, Chirac, Chretien and Koizumi). The world's three top central bankers ( Greenspan, Duisenberg and Hayami)are all close to the top of the alphabet, even if one of them really uses Japanese characters. The same case are the world's five richest men ( Gates, Buffet and so on) .
Can this merely happen by chance? At the start of the first year in primary school, teachers seat pupils, alphabetically from the front, to make it easier to remember their names. So shortsighted and small-sized Zysman junior gets stuck in the back row, and is seldom asked the improving questions by those teachers. At that time the alphabetically disadvantaged may think they have had a lucky escape. Yet the result may be worse qualifications, because they get less attention, as well as less confidence in speaking publicly.
The unfairness continues. At university graduation parties, the ABCs proudly get their awards first. However, by the time they reach the Zysmans most people are a little tired. Lists of job interviews and conference speakers and attendees all tend to be drawn up alphabetically, and their readers lose interest as they plough through them. | high6101.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Because parents want to give their children the best start in life."
},
"options": [
"Because parents want to spend their money.",
"Because children don't want to go to school.",
"Because parents want their children to stay w... | Asian parents are spending billions of dollars on private tutors for their children and the practice is growing despite doubts about its effectiveness, according to an Asian Development Bank study published Wednesday, AFP reported.
"Shadow education" is an expanding business not only in wealthy countries, but also in some of the region's poorer nations as parents try to give their children the best start in life, the study said. Nearly nine out of 10 South Korean elementary pupils receive private tutoring, while the figure for primary school children in India's West Bengal state stands at six out of 10.
The study estimated that the costs of private tutoring in South Korea were equivalent to 80 percent of government spending on public education. Japan spent $12 billion on extra teaching in 2011, while the figure for Singapore stood at US$ 680 million in 2009.
Extra academic work aims to help slow learners and support high achievers. Many Asian parents view it as a constructive way for adolescents to spend their spare time. However, it can also reduce the students' time for sports and other activities important for their overall development as well as cause social tensions as richer families are able to pay for better-quality tutoring, the study said.
The study calls for a review of educational systems to make such extra teaching less attractive. | high9232.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A theme park that provides people with outstanding experience without leaving the earth and the present time."
},
"options": [
"A theme park for children in America.",
"A theme park that provides only fun and excitement.",
"A... | Last week I took a journey deep into space, to the end of the solar system, and was pulled into a black hole. Then I took a trip to Brazil and experienced surviving an airplane crash in the jungle. After that, I joined some divers and went to the bottom of the ocean to see strange blind creatures that have never seen sunlight. For a break, I took part in some car racing and then skied down some of the most difficult mountains in the world. I ended my travels by meeting face to face with a dinosaur, the terrible T-Rex, and survived the experience!
I did all this in one great day at Futuroscope. Opened in 1987, Futuroscope is one of the largest space age parks in the world. This science and technology-based theme park in France uses the most advanced technology. Its 3-D cinemas and giant movie screens provide brand new experiences of the earth and beyond. Visitors can get close to parts of the world they have never experienced, going to the bottom of the ocean, flying through the jungle or visiting the edges of the solar system. The amazing, up-to-date information together with many opportunities for hands-on learning makes the world come to life in a completely new way for visitors. Learning centers throughout the park let visitors try their own scientific experiments, as well as learn more about space travel, the undersea world and much more.
I bought tickets for myself and my friends at the park's entrance, but tickets are also available online. Futuroscope is not only for indiviudals, but is also the perfect mix of fun and learning for class outings. Classes or other large groups that let Futuroscope know their plans in advance can get the group admission rate. For anyone coming from out of town, Futuroscope has many excellent hotels, most of which provide a shuttle service to the park. If driving, Futuroscope is within easy reach of the freeway. Plan your trip well before starting, since Futuroscope has so many shows, activities and great souvenir shops that it is difficult to see them all. Come ready to walk a lot--be sure to wear some comfortable sneakers or other walking shoes! | high14446.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "did a lot to help soldiers"
},
"options": [
"joined the army and fought bravely",
"went to Europe for further study",
"continued to work as a teacher",
"did a lot to help soldiers"
],
"question": "After the Civi... | Clara Barton, born on Christmas in 1821, is widely known as one of the most honored women in American history. She began teaching school when most teachers were men at that time. Later, she became one of the first women ever to be employed by the government.
Her career in helping the sick began when her brother David became her first patient. He fell down from the roof of a house when Clara was just 11 years old. She stayed by his side and looked after him for three years, learning how to give him all his medicines.
When the Civil War began in 1861, she immediately recognized that the poorly equipped soldiers needed help. Instead of waiting for others to step in, Clara collected necessary things on her own, asked the public for donations and learned how to store and distribute them to soldiers. She also read to the soldiers and wrote letters for them.
After the Battle of Cedar Mountain in northern Virginia in 1862, Clara arrived at a field hospital at midnight with a vehicle full of supplies. A doctor named Paul Smith at that hospital would later write, "I thought heaven had sent out an angel that night -- her assistance arrived at exactly the right time."
In 1869, Clara went to Europe and learned about the International Committee of the Red Cross. Upon her return to the United States, she successfully founded the American Red Cross. She led the organization for the next 23 years. Her last field mission as president of the American Red Cross was to help the victims of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. She did not retire from the American Red Cross until she was 83. True to her nature, Clara always went to where the need was the greatest.
Today, the American Red Cross continues the mission Clara started more than 100 years ago. With the help of thousands of volunteers, the American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters, as well as helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to all sorts of emergencies. | high13329.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "showing you can overcome any difficulty if you take action"
},
"options": [
"introducing his university life to the teenage readers",
"encouraging those lazy students to study hard at school",
"showing you can overcome any di... | I still remember the days when I was a youthful student in an engineering school. I lived a casual life, without caring about the future. I smoked, drank with friends and made girl friends. Little did I realize that casualness would certainly lead to loss.
Two years had passed and I was staring down a report card that highlighted FAIL in more than half the subjects. I didn't care, at least not till my dad found out about it. You see, I studied in India and unlike the United States where the students are expected to finance their own education, my dad financed me.
Then came the day when my dad found out my habit of smoking. He lost his temper but he just told me, "Son, your allowance is cut in half from this moment on". It hit me like a roundhouse kick from Bruce Lee. I was jolted out of my bones! I couldn't comprehend how to pay off the debts that I had accumulated in college. I owed everybody money: the grocery store, the bars, the restaurants, my friends, etc. I was living a life filled with credit.
When I went back to college, I knew that if I don't change the way I live my life I won't be able to pay everybody off. So I decided to make some changes, drastic changes. I quit smoking, cut off from my friends who led me down the wrong road, starting hanging out in libraries and reading my engineering books.
One year later, I went from a miserable failure to a magna cum laude .
. This incident made me know that anything is possible if you take action and do something about it, however small or large. Even today it still motivates me when I feel that I'm about to lose or give up. It reminds me that I can do it! | high15980.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "stocks of food in the kitchen hardly run low"
},
"options": [
"there are eight horses altogether",
"stocks of food in the kitchen hardly run low",
"the Queen's pet dogs are fed with simple meals",
"there's no suitable p... | With its 775 rooms, Buckingham Palace makes regular houses look tiny. Now home to Queen Elizabeth II, it's been the British Monarchy's official London digs since 1837. National Geographic Kids slipped behind the guarded gates to find the palace's coolest features.
1. FANCY FEAST
For special dinners, a team of 21 chefs _ dishes that are served on solid gold plates. Even Her Majesty's pet dogs receive meals of lamb and cabbage in silver bowls. Good thing the kitchen is well stocked--- the Queen welcomes about 50,000 dining guests every year.
2. CLASSY COACH
The Queen's most attractive ride may be the Gold State Coach, parked in the palace's Royal Mews building and used in the crowning of a king or queen, since 1821. Covered with heavy gold, it's pulled by eight horses.
3. MOVIE NIGHT
The royal family hosts private screenings of movie in their very own cinema, sometimes seeing new films before they hit theaters.
4. WHAT'S UP, DOC?
Forget a medicine cabinet . Buckingham Palace houses a doctor's office run by the Queen's physician. And surgeons have performed operations in other parts of the palace. In 1902, for instance, doctors operated on King Edward VII in a room facing the garden.
5. BEDROOMS
The palace has 52 bedrooms. Rooms such as those inside the Belgian Suite contain chandeliers , gold-gilded mirrors, fireplaces, canopy beds, and more.
6. TOP- SECRET TUNNELS
Rumor has it that secret underground tunnels connect the royal residence to other buildings in London. The paths were reportedly built during World War II when enemy bombs regularly pounded the city. Weaving deep under London's busy streets, the tunnels would have provided the royals safe passage during an attack. But even now officials won't reveal much about these under- the- radar routes. | high8892.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "integrative medicine"
},
"options": [
"Western medicine",
"acupuncture and herbal medicine",
"advances in medical technology",
"integrative medicine"
],
"question": "The article is about _ .",
"question_ty... | The human body is an amazing and complex machine. It is very tough, and we usually recover from illness or injury on our own, without the help of a doctor. But what happens when we need medical treatment? In the past, some people went to a clinic or hospital to see a medical doctor. Other people trusted ancient traditions and chose treatments such as herbal medicine or acupuncture . These two types of medicine----one modern and Western and the other ancient and Eastern----used to have nothing to do with each other.
In recent years, however, people around the world have begun to recognize and accept both modern medical science and more traditional therapies. This new kind of medicine can be called integrative medicine (because it integrates, or combines, different types of medicine), or complementary medicine. Some of the principles of this type of medicine include preventing illness by helping people stay healthy, integrating different types of therapies according to the needs of each patient, and considering the health of the whole person rather than concentrating on a particular illness or injury.
One health maintenance organization (HMO) in Madison, Wisconsin, has opened its Complementary Medicine and Wellness Center. At the center, HMO members are offered a variety of services. If you are suffering a sore back, try some massage treatments to relax your muscles and encourage the flow of healing energy in your body. If you have allergies or asthma, you could try homeopathy, which uses tiny amounts of allergens to stimulate your body's natural immune response. And if you're not ill, but just want to improve your strength and focus your mind, try a tai chi or yoga class.
Patients who use these complementary medicine services appreciate having an alternative to surgery or to drugs and their side effects. They also enjoy activities and therapies that make them feel better even if they're not sick. And from the financial point of view of the HMO, preventing illness whenever possible is much less expensive than a hospital stay.
According to Dr. Andrew Weil, founder of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, integrative medicine combines the best parts of Western medicine with complementary therapies such as acupuncture and nutrition. And because both doctor and patient are working to prevent illness, they become partners with the same goal instead of strangers who see each other only when the patient is sick. | high12989.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "They are attractive"
},
"options": [
"They are boring",
"They are out of date.",
"They are attractive",
"They are practical"
],
"question": "What does the author think of the stories of the great logos?",
"q... | I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one--it's so simple. And I liked the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald's, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites.
Nike
In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike's logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $ 35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.
McDonald's
The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the archshaped signs on the side of the company's then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald's name was added to the logo in 1968.
Apple
There are different stories behind Apple's logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steven Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn't stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff's " rainbow apple", a rainbow- colored silhouette of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow- colored apple was replaced by the one- colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far.
Mercedes Benz
The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three- pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Marcedes is the name of Maybach's elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie.and DMG in 1926.
Adidas
The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1976. | high6667.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Marriage contributes a great deal to longevity"
},
"options": [
"social life provides an effective cure for illness",
"Being sociable helps improve one's quality of life",
"Women benefit more than men from marriage",
"M... | Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows and widowers were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man's life and two to a woman's. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.
Even if the odds are stacked against you(the conditions are not favourable),marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn't smoke. There's a _ , however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouses; death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.
So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms .For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner.
A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100.The best social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says:" People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected." | high9554.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "they have little knowledge of it"
},
"options": [
"they have little knowledge of it",
"it helps to build human character",
"it is too costly to stop killing wildlife",
"they want to keep wildlife under control"
],
... | Every year more people recognize that it is wrong to kill wildlife for "sport." Progress in this direction is slow because shooting is not a sport for watching, and only those few who take part realize the cruelty and destruction.
The number of gunners, however, grows rapidly. Children too young to develop proper judgments through independent thought are led along way away by their gunning parents. They are subjected to advertisements of gun producers who describe shooting as good for their health and guncarrying as a way of putting redder blood in the veins . They are persuaded by gunner magazines with stories honoring the chase and the kill. In school they view motion pictures which are supposedly meant to teach them how to deal with arms safely but which are actually designed to stimulate a desire to own a gun. Wildlife is disappearing because of shooting and because of the loss of wildland habitat . Habitat loss will continue with our increasing population, but can we slow the loss of wildlife caused by shooting? There doesn't seem to be any chance if the serious condition of our birds is not improved.
Wildlife belongs to everyone and not to the gunners alone. Although most people do not shoot, they seem to forgive shooting for sport because they know little or nothing about it. The only answer, then, is to bring the truth about sport shooting to the great majority of people.
Now, it is time to realize that animals have the same right to life as we do and that there is nothing fair or right about a person with a gun shooting the harmless and beautiful creatures. The gunners like to describe what they do as character-building, but we know that to wound an animal and watch it go through the agony of dying can make nobody happy. If, as they would have you believe, gun-carrying and killing improve human-character, then perhaps we should encourage war. | high7579.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "is willing to help those in need without pay"
},
"options": [
"is willing to help those in need without pay",
"can afford to travel to different places",
"has a strong wish to be successful",
"has made a big fortune in ... | The meaning of the word "volunteer" may be a little different in different countries, but it usually means "one who offers his or her services". There are many different ways in which people can volunteer, such as taking care of sick people, working in homes for homeless children, and picking up garbage from beaches and parks. Volunteers may work within their own countries or in other countries. They are often people with a strong wish to help those who are less fortunate than themselves. Volunteers don't expect any kind of pay.
At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a _ of what being a volunteer means. She worked for two and a half weeks in one of Mother Teresa's homes in Calcutta. The following is her story.
"I first heard about Mother Teresa in my high school We watched a video about her work in India and all over the world. I was so moved by her spirit to help others and her endless love for every human being that after I graduated from high school, I wanted to try her kind of work. So with two friends I flew to Calcutta for a few weeks. "
"I was asked to work in a home for sick people. I helped wash clothes and sheets, and pass out lunch. I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer them up. I felt it was better to share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don't think I was helping very much. It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help,but to learn about and experience another culture that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world. " | high22692.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "different ways of saying things have different effects"
},
"options": [
"one dream sometimes has different explanations",
"good words can bring good luck to people",
"people should be careful when talking to a king",
"d... | "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."
You probably heard those lines in grammar school, but do you really agree that harsh or negative words do not harm us? Words have power. Surely we all have had our feelings hurt by something someone said.
We may not say words to hurt others, but the way we interpret them and how we say them may cause great harm. Here's an example
An ancient king dreamed all his teeth had fallen out. He sent for a wise man to explain his dream to him the dream means that all your relatives will die and you will be left alone! The king was very angry and threw the interpreter into prison. He then sent for another interpreter who said, "Congratulations! King! You will live many more years. In fact, you will survive all your relatives. Long Live the King!"
Both interpreters gave the same interpretation, but there was a huge difference in the way they said it.
Our speech must be understood by those who hear our words, but the way we say things and the intention behind them have as much power as the words themselves. Words can cause anger or appreciation. Which would you rather receive?
People who say harsh and negative things may not mean to harm, but have you ever known anyone who is a _ ? They often look at the dark sides of things. They always see the glass as half empty rather than half full. How do you feel when you are around this type of person? Remember words have power. Use them wisely. | high12751.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Adolescents' aggressiveness is often displayed in the form of competition."
},
"options": [
"A 2-year old boy knows that it is not correct to behave aggressively.",
"The older children become, the less aggressive they will be.",
... | Is gun play good or bad for children? For many years I emphasized its harmlessness. When concerned parents expressed doubt about letting their children have toy guns, because they didn't want to encourage them in the slightest degree to become criminals, I would explain how little connection there was. In the course of growing up, children have a natural tendency to bring their aggressiveness more and more under control if their parents encourage _ . One- to two-year-olds, when they are angry with another child, may bite the child's arm without hesitation. But by 3 or 4 they have already learned that aggression is not right. However, they may pretend to shoot their mother or father, but smiling to assure them that the gun and the aggressive behaviour aren't to be taken seriously.
In the 6- to 12-year-old period, children will play an earnest game of war, but it has lots of rules. There may be arguments, but real fights are relatively rare. At this age children don't shoot at their mother or father, even in fun. It's not that the parents have turned stricter; the children's own conscience has. In adolescence aggressive feelings become much stronger, but well brought-up children can turn them into athletics and other competition or into kidding their friends.
In other words, I'd explain that playing at war is a natural step in the disciplining of the aggression of young children; that a cautious parent doesn't really need to worry about producing a criminal.
But nowadays I'd give parents much more encouragement to guide their child away from violence. A number of incidents have convinced me of the importance of this.
One of the first things that made me change my mind, several years ago, was an observation that an experienced nursery school teacher told me about. Her children were hitting each other much more than previously, without reason. When she talked to them, they would protest, "But that's what the Three Stooges do." (This was a children's TV program full of violence which immediately became very popular.)
What further shocked me into reconsidering my view was the assassination of the former President, and the fact that some schoolchildren cheered about this. (I didn't so much blame the children as I blamed the kind of parents who will say about a President they dislike, "I'd shoot him if I got the chance!")
These incidents made me think of other evidences that Americans often tolerate lawlessness and violence. We were hard on the Indians and the later waves of immigrants. At times we denied justice to groups with different religions or political views. And now a great percentage of our adult as well as our child population has been endlessly fascinated with dramas of Western violence and with cruel crime stories, in movies and on television. This doesn't necessarily mean that we Americans on the average have more aggressiveness inside us than the people of other nations. I think rather that the aggressiveness we have is less controlled, from childhood on.
To me it seems very clear that in order to have a more stable and civilized national life we must bring up the next generation of Americans with a greater respect for law and for other people's rights than in the past. There are many ways in which we could and should teach these attitudes. One simple opportunity we could seize in the first half of childhood is to show our disapproval of lawlessness and violence in television programs and in children's gun play.
I also believe that the survival of the world now depends on a much greater awareness of the need to avoid war and to actively seek peaceful agreements. There are enough nuclear arms to completely destroy all civilization. This terrifying situation demands a much greater stability and self-control on the part of national leaders and citizens than they have ever shown in the past. We owe it to our children to prepare them deliberately for this awesome responsibility. | high11258.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "tell you what you would look like if you were a member of another ethnic group"
},
"options": [
"tell you what you would look like if you were a member of another ethnic group",
"create a digital image of your face and change it",
... | Have you ever wondered what you would look like if you were an Asian, Middle Eastern, black, white or Indian person? By stepping into the Human Race Machine, you can find out. When you sit inside it, the machine creates a digital image of your face. After pushing certain buttons, the machine uses various photos of people of a certain ethnic group mixed with your own facial features. From this, it can _ an image showing how you would look as a member of a different race.
The machine is part of a traveling retrospective called " Seeing and Believing: The Art of Nancy Burson." Burson is a famous American photographer and inventor. The show of 100 photos and multimedia works was on view at the Grey Art Gallery in New York on April 20.
" It is a strange feeling, just like stepping into someone else's skin." said Hathy Zajchenko, a museum visitor from Pennsylvania, US. As soon as she sat down, she tried out a range of ethnic groups. " The Middle Eastern image worked pretty well for me," she said with a smile.
According to Burson, _ It is about seeing through differences to find the things we all share in common. Burson added the database of Middle Eastern faces, both Arab and Jewish, after the terrorist attacks on September 11. "I have always wanted to allow people to see differently. I am a photographer. I am recording the unseen, because what we can not see is so much more interesting than what we can see," Burson said.
For those who missed the show, the Human Race machine will be on view at the New York Hall of Science in the Queens district full-time as of June. | high20085.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Record students' weekly performance."
},
"options": [
"Monitor students' sleep patterns.",
"Help students concentrate in class.",
"Record students' weekly performance.",
"Ask students to complete a sleep report"
],
... | Reducing the amount of sleep students get at night has a direct impact on their performance at school during the day. According to classroom teachers, elementary and middle school students who stay up late exhibit more learning and attention problems. This has been shown by Brown Medical School and prefix = st1 /BradleyHospitalresearch. In the study, teachers were not told the amount of sleep students received when completing weekly performance reports, yet they rated the students who had received eight hours or less as having the most trouble recalling all the material, learning new lessons and completing high - quality work. Teachers also reported that these students had more difficulty paying attention. The experiment is the first to ask teachers to report on the effects of sleep deficiency in children. Just staying up late can cause increased academic difficulty and attention problems for otherwise healthy, well - functioning kids, said Garharn Forlone, the study's lead author. So the results provide professionals and parents with a clear message: when a child is having learning and attention problems, the issue of sleep has to be taken into consideration. "If we don't ask about sleep, and try to improve sleep patterns in kids' struggling academically, then we aren't doing our job", Forlone said. For parents, he said, the message is simple, "getting kids to bed on time is as important as getting them to school on time." | high17629.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "about why happiness does not rise with wealth"
},
"options": [
"about poverty in the past",
"written by Louis Uchitelle",
"indicating that people are becoming worse off",
"about why happiness does not rise with wealth"
... | You hear the comment all the time: the U.S. economy looks good by figures, but it doesn't feel good. Why doesn't ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness? It is a question that dates at least to the appearance in 1958 ofThe Wealthy Society by John Kenneth Galbraith, who died recently at 97.
The Wealthy Societyis a modern classic because it helped describe a new moment in the human condition. For most of history, "hunger, sickness, and cold" threatened nearly everyone, Galbraith wrote. "Poverty was found everywhere in that world. Obviously it is not of ours." After World War II, the fear of another Great Depression gave way to an economic growth. In the 1930s unemployment had averaged 18.2 percent; in the 1950s it was 4.5 percent.
To Galbraith, materialism had gone mad and would cause discontent. Through advertising, companies conditioned consumers to buy things they didn't really want or need. Because so much spending was artificial, it would be unsatisfying. Meanwhile, government spending that would make everyone better off was being cut down because people wrongly considered government only as "a necessary bad."
It's often said that only the rich are getting ahead; everyone else is standing still or falling behind. Well, there are many undeserving rich -- overpaid chief managers, for instance. But over any meaningful period, most people's incomes are increasing. From 1995 to 2004, people feel "squeezed" because their rising incomes often don't satisfy their rising wants -- for bigger homes, more health care, more education, and faster Internet connections.
The other great disappointment is that it has not got rid of insecurity. People regard job stability as part of their standard of living. As company unemployment increased, that part has gradually become weaker. More workers fear they've become " _ ," as Louis Uchitelle puts it in his book by the same name.
Because so much previous suffering and social conflict resulted from poverty, the arrival of widespread wealth suggestedutopian possibilities. Up to a point, wealth succeeds. There is much less physical suffering than before. People are better off. Unfortunately, wealth also creates new complaints.
Advanced societies need economic growth to satisfy the multiplying wants of their citizens. But the search for growth cause new anxieties and economic conflicts that disturb the social order. Wealth sets free the individual, promising that everyone can choose a unique way to self-accomplishment. But the promise is so unreasonable that it leads to many disappointments and sometimes inspires choices that have anti-social consequences, including family breakdown. Figures indicate that happiness has not risen with incomes.
Should we be surprised? Not really. We've simply confirmed an old truth: the seeking of wealth does not always end with happiness. | high2401.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Lisa Gherardini."
},
"options": [
"Lisa Gherardini.",
"Francesco del Giocondo.",
"da Vinci's lover.",
"da Vinci's mother."
],
"question": "What is the model for the \"Mona Lisa\", according to experts at the lib... | German academics believe they have solved the centuries-old mystery of the "Mona Lisa" in Leonardo ad Vinci's famous portrait . Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant, Francesco del Giocondo, has long been seen as the most likely model for the sixteenth-century painting.
Art historians have wondered whether the smiling woman may actually have been da Vinci's lover or mother, or the artist himself.
Now experts at the prefix = st1 /HeidelbergUniversitylibrary say old notes made in a book by its owner in October, 1503, confirm that Lisa del Giocondo was indeed the model for the famous portrait in the world.
"All doubts about the identity of the Mona Lisa have been removed by a discovery by Dr. Armin Schlechter," the library said in a statement on Monday. "Until then, only 'scant evidence' from sixteenth-century documents had been available. These had left lots of room for doubt, and many different identities were put forward."
The comments compare Leonardo to the ancient Greek artist Apelles, and say he was working on three paintings at that time, one of which was a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo.
Art experts say the Heidelbergdiscovery is a break-through, and the earliest mention linking the merchant's wife to the portrait.
Before this discovery the earliest link dated from around 1550, and was made by Italian official Giorgio Vasari, the library said, adding that there had been doubts about Vasari's reliability.
The Heidelbergnotes were actually discovered over two year's ago in the library by Schlechter, a spokeswoman said. Although the findings were published in the library's catalogue, they were not widely publicized, and received little attention until a German broadcaster decided to do some recording there, she said. | high18095.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The world is a money-locker"
},
"options": [
"Goodwill is the key to success.",
"The world is a money-locker",
"No education, no future",
"Difficulty of starting a small business"
],
"question": "Which of the fo... | When Boris left school,he could not find a job.He tried hard and pestered his relatives,but they had problems of their Own. He answered advertisements until he could not afford to buy any more stamps. Boris grew annoyed,then depressed,then a little hardened.Still he went on trying and still he failed.He began to think that he had no future at all.
"Why don't you start your own business?" one of his uncles told him."The world is a money-locker. You'd better find a way of opening it."
"But what can I do?"
"Get out and have a look round," advised his uncle in a vague sort of way."See what people want;then give it to them,and they will pay for it."
Boris began to cycle around the town and found a suitable piece of a waste ground in the end. Then he set up his business as a cycle repairer.He worked hard,made friends with his customers and gradually managed to build up his goodwill and profit.A few months later, he found that he had more work than he could deal with by himself.He found a number of empty shops but they were all no good:in the wrong position,too expensive or with some other snag . But at long last,he managed to find an empty shop on a new estate where there were plenty of customers but no competition.
Boris and his assistant taught themselves how to repair scooters and motor-cycles.Slowly but surely the profits increased and the business developed. At last,Boris had managed to open the money-locker and found bank notes and gold Coins inside. | high3290.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "They can cause other illnesses."
},
"options": [
"They can cause other illnesses.",
"They will bring bad luck.",
"They will bring the family much trouble.",
"They usually last a long time."
],
"question": "Why s... | Bad teeth may be painful and it's getting worse without treatment. They can even ruin your life. Illness of the teeth can find its way into the blood system. This can increase the chances of a heart disease or other illnesses.
Experts say good care for teeth should start at birth. Mothers' milk is the best food for the healthy development of teeth.
But dentists say a baby's mouth and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if a baby is fed with a bottle. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give him only water.
When baby's teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently. Young children often eat toothpaste when they brush, so they should be carefully watched when they brush their teeth.
Parents often ask what effect thumb sucking might have on their baby's teeth. Experts generally agree that this is fine early in life. Most children stop sucking their thumbs by the age of four. If _ continues, parents should talk to their children's dentist or doctor.
Dentists say children should have their first dental visit by the time they are one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear usually at around six months. | high5839.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Theatre Royal."
},
"options": [
"Hampstead theatre.",
"Royal Shakespeare theatre.",
"King's Cross theatre.",
"Theatre Royal."
],
"question": "In which theatre can the audience enjoy Joseph Marcell' performance?"... | What's On?
Trouble in Mind
Alice Childress won an Off-Broadway award in 1956 for this story of a black actress rehearsing a play with a white director who increasingly finds it impossible for the show to go on. Tanya Moodie and Joseph Marcell star in the play directed by Laurence Boswell.
8.30p.m.--10.30p.m., Theatre Royal. Box office: 01225 448844.
Lazarus
Inspired by the sci-fi (science fiction) novel and movie,The Man Who Fell to Earth, this musical deals with a hero, Thomas Newton. Likely to be the autumn's hottest ticket, the score includes new songs composed by Bowie.
7.00p.m.--9.00p.m., King's Cross theatre. Box office: 0844 871 7604.
The Gaul
On the night of 8 February 1974, a fisherman FV Gaul disappeared off the coast of Norway. For people on board, waiting for news was great suffering. Theories began to come up, including the possibility that the boat had fallen victim to cold war. Even when he was discovered, many still felt there were questions that remained unanswered. Mark Babych directs Janet Plater's play.
8.00p.m.--11.00 p.m., Royal Shakespeare theatre. Box office: 01482 323638.
The Suppliant Women
It is a new version of Aeschylus's 2,500-year-old play about a group of women seeking shelter who make the long journey to escape forced marriage. It was written by David Greigand directed by Ramin Gray. An ancient piece asks a contemporary question: when we are introuble, who will open their doors and give us a harbor?
8.30p.m.--10.00p.m., Hampstead theatre. Box office: 0131 248 4848. | high14877.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "can improve pupils' confidence"
},
"options": [
"is an effective way of punishment",
"does not make much sense in class",
"can improve pupils' confidence",
"makes pupils more creative"
],
"question": "According ... | Encouraging pupils to keep noise to a minimum should be a valuable component of all children's education, according to new research.
Dr. Helen Lees, from Stirling University's school of education, says that "enforced silence" is seen as a punishment and often acts to _ children's natural ability. But she says that teaching children about the benefits of "enforced silence",--- deliberate stillness that gives them the opportunity to focus and reflect in a stress-free environment--- can have a significant effect on pupils' concentration and behavior.
It is the latest in a string of researches to establish a link between the classroom environment and pupils' academic ability.
A study almost a decade ago in London found that children's exam results were cut by as much as a third if they were taught in noisy classrooms. Teaching unions have also called for a limit of 26degC to be put on classroom temperatures because teachers and pupils struggle to work in hot conditions, and some educationalists claim that too much clutter on classroom walls can prevent children from concentrating.
Dr. Lees said, "When we take some research on school settings and put it all together, what we see is that education without silence does not make much sense. In areas of better learning outcomes, better self- confidence and well-being measures, enforced silence in a person's life and an individual's education is shown throughout the relevant research to be a benefit."
Dozens of schools across Britain have already introduced periods of "reflective silence" into the timetable.
Kevin Hogston, head of Sheringdale Primary, south London, has just introduced a minute's silence at the start of twice-weekly meetings in which children are taught breathing techniques and encouraged to reflect. The school plans to introduce it into classrooms every day. | high113.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "The memory's role in life is declining in modem society."
},
"options": [
"People become more independent with modern equipment.",
"The memory's role in life is declining in modem society.",
"Memory techniques can make inform... | The ability to memorize things seems to be a vanishing technique.So what can we do to bring out brain cells back into action? A newly published book on memory, Moomvalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, by American journalist Joshua Foer, makes a telling point, one that is an analysis of the importance of memorising events and stories in human history; the decline of its role in modem life; and the techniques that we need to adopt to restore the art of remembering.
As For points out, we no longer need to remember telephone numbers.Our mobile phones do that for us.We don't recall addresses either.We send emails from computers that store electronic addresses.Nor do we bother to remember multiplication tables .Pocket calculators do the job of multiplying quite nicely.Museums, photographs, the digital media and books also act as storehouses for memories that once we had to keep in mind.
As a result, we no longer remember long poems or folk stories by heart, feats of memory that were once the cornerstones of most people's lives.Indeed, society has changed so much that we no longer know what techniques we should employ to remember such lengthy works.We are, quite simply, forgetting how to remember.
And let's face it, there is nothing sadder than someone who has lost their mobile phone and who finds they cannot even phone home or call their parents or partners because they cannot remember a single telephone number.That is a sad example of loss of personal independence.So, yes, there is a need for us to he able to remember certain things in life.
Therefore, Foer's book outlines the methods that need to be mastered in order to promote our memories and regain the ability to recall long strings of names, numbers or faces.In the process, he adds, we will become more aware of the world about us.
The trick, Foer says, is to adopt a process known as " elaborative encoding", which involves transforming information, such as a shopping list, into a series of "absorbing visual images".If you want to remember a list of household objects--potatoes, cottage cheese, sugar and other items, then _ them in an unforgettable manner, he says.Start by creating an image of a large jar of potatoes standing in the garden.Next to it, imagine a giant tub of cottage cheese--the size of an outdoor pool--and then picture Lady Gaga swimming in it.And so on.Each image should be as fantastic and memorable as possible.
Using methods like this, it becomes possible to achieve great feats of memory quite easily, Foer says.It certainly seems to have worked for him: he won the annual US Memory Championships after learning how to memorize 120 random digits in five minutes; the first and last names of 156 strangers in 15 minutes; and a deck of cards in under two minutes."What I had really trained my brain to do, as much as to memorise, was to be more mindful and to pay attention to the world around," he says.
These techniques employed by Foer to master his memory were developed by Ed Cooke--a British writer and a world memory championship grandmaster.He acted as Foer's trainer during preparations for the book and helped him achieve his championship performances." Memory techniques do just one thing: they make information more meaningful to the mind, making the things we try to learn unforgettably bright and amusing," said Cooke. | high1487.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "About 2800."
},
"options": [
"About 5700.",
"About 1200.",
"About 2800.",
"About 4200."
],
"question": "How many teenagers admitted that they had been drunk in the survey carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Found... | Children who see their parents drunk are twice likely to get drunk themselves, a survey of young teenagers has suggested. Poor parental supervision also raises the chances of teenage drinking, said the Joesph Rowntree Foundation. If parents don't know where their children are on a Saturday night, or let them watch films of violence, they are more likely to have had an alcoholic drink.
The survey also found the behavior of friends is also a powerful factor in drinking habits. The more time teenagers spend with friends, the more likely they are to drink alcohol.
In this survey of 5,700 children aged 13 to 16, carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, researchers found that one in five wanted to have a drink by the time they were 14. By the age of 16, half of those questioned said they had been drunk.
Pamela Bremner, scientist of the survey, said, "For the first time in the UK, this study shows what most influences young people's drinking behavior."
"It found that the behavior of friends and family is the most common influential factor in determining how likely and how often a young person will drink alcohol."
Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, said, "Government ministers must also look at some of the causes of why it is so easy for children to get alcohol, usually from the home."
"Governments should look to see if they've done everything they can to help the large supermarkets from continuing to sell cheap alcohol which encourages more alcohol sales and therefore results in more alcohol being stored in the home."
The Royal College of Physicians also said it was not surprising that being able to get alcohol easily was an important factor on current drinking problems and drunkenness of teenagers.
A statement said, "This shows that the government needs to focus more attention on increasing the price of alcohol, and increasing education and national campaigns for both young people and their families on the dangers of alcohol." | high23003.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "the English native speakers"
},
"options": [
"the English native speakers",
"the English learners",
"the readers of the two books",
"the readers of the newspaper"
],
"question": "In the sentence \"Teach the stud... | Editor's notes: AWL is well known for its dictionaries and English language teaching materials. Some readers have written in to ask us for the latest information on high quality books on English, so here we introduce two texts that aim to improve spoken English fluency.
Let's speak (Beginner)
By Bev Dusuya, Naoko Ozeki and Kevin Bergman
ISBN: 962001359X
Speak Up(Pre-Intermediate)
By Bev Kusuya, Nako Zeki
ISBN: 0583338050
"Teach the students about your culture and help them talk about their own." How often are these worthy goals kept from being achieved by the limitations of your beginner level learners? Students at all levels want to talk about culture.
Topics include food, shopping, sports, fashion, the roles of men and women, health, music, and many more.
These are all chosen from surveys of over 15,000 students about their own interests in cross-cultural communication.
"Let's Speak" and "Speak Up" share a special but excellent way that allows all students to take part in.
The series has questions which start thinking and then help collect opinions about personal topics. Conversation practice is provided by ready to use models of basic exchanges on the topic. Also, the cultural information presented in the series comes in the form of interesting, relevant facts and ideas from other countries through listening tasks and Culture Quiz exercises.
Team activities in books provide lively problem solving games to enable sharing and comparison of cultural values.
"Let's Speak" is fit for entry level students of all ages. "Speak Up" provides for the needs of higher level beginners, offering the same careful listening and speaking help, but with slightly more open ended discussion.
For any information about AWL's books, please get in touch with the following addresses:
prefix = st1 /Beijing AddisonWesleyLongmanInformationCenter
Room 2306, FLTRP Beijing
19 Xi San Huan Beilu, Beijing100081
Tel: (010)68917488 (010) 68917788
Fax: (010) 68917499
E-mail: zrh@public.bat.net.cn | high23765.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A student."
},
"options": [
"A doctor.",
"An actor.",
"A student.",
"A researcher."
],
"question": "What's the author now?",
"question_type": null
},
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"ans... | As is known, it is a respectful job to be a teacher serving students heart and soul. And most people also compare a teacher to a gardener who takes great care of various plants. Ever since my high school days, my heart has been set on becoming a teacher. I am now studying at a teacher's college, and I am making great efforts to study, because there are so many things to learn about education. But I thoroughly enjoy my studies, and every day I am amazed at the great influence education has on the human soul.
I think it is only natural that I have always _ to become a teacher because my father and his father were also teachers. My father is now retired, following a brilliant career, and it has always been his dream to have me, his only son, follow in his footsteps. Although it sounds like my father's dream that I will become a teacher, it is also my dream and I am quite willing to realize the dream. I still have one more year to go at university, and after I graduate, I will go to the western part of China to become a teacher at a village school.
I understand a teacher's job will not make me a millionaire, but it is not the prospect of making a lot of money that has propelled my ambition to become a teacher. Rather, it is my sincere desire to assume a responsible role in society, and make as many people well--educated as possible through my hard endeavors. Education plays an essential and important role in our society. If everyone can receive a good education, it will not only do good to our country but also benefit individuals' lives.
Ten years from now, therefore, I hope to be established as an excellent teacher with hundreds of thousands of students who have benefited from me and carry on the family tradition with efficiency and honour. | high7948.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "led a difficult life"
},
"options": [
"were employed by a truck company",
"led a difficult life",
"worked in a school cafeteria",
"lost their home"
],
"question": "According to the text, the Fusses _ .",
... | A year ago, August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria, but it was hard for Dave to find work, and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift--$7,000, a legacy from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident. "It really made a difference when we were meeting difficulty ."says Dave.
But the Fusses weren't the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by what the Hatches had done. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars; in others, it was more than $100,000.
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million--they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm.
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving. They preferred comparison shopping and would go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase.
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camps when their parents couldn't afford it. "Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything," says their friend Sandy Van Weelden, "They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them."
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches gave away their farmland. It was the Hatches' wish that their legacy--a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents--should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come.
Neighbors helping neighbors--that was Ish and Arlene Hatch's story. | high675.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "fed them and raised them"
},
"options": [
"became frightened at once",
"began to treat them badly",
"greeted them happily",
"fed them and raised them"
],
"question": "After the girl found the two birds, she _ ... | There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love. One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving songbirds. She took them home and put them in a small cage, caring them with love. Luckily, the birds grew strong little by little. Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song. The girl felt great love for the birds.
One day the girl left the door to the cage open accidentally. The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl was so frightened that he would fly away. So as he flew close, she grasped him wildly. Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing him. Suddenly, she felt the bird go weak, so she opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird. It was her desperate love that had killed him.
She noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the cage. She could feel his strong desire--needing to fly into the clear, blue sky. Unwillingly, she lifted him from the cage and threw him softly into the air. The lucky bird circled once, twice, three times.
The girl watched delightedly at the bird. Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss. What she wanted to see was that the bird could fly happily. Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder. It sang the sweetest tune that she had ever heard.
Remember, the fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight; the best way to keep love is to give it wings! | high9965.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "search for another way"
},
"options": [
"climb over your head",
"quit looking for a way",
"search for another way",
"keep climbing around"
],
"question": "If you try to stop ants going forward, they will",
"... | Over the years I've been teaching children about a simple but powerful concept -- the ant philosophy .I think everybody should study ants.
They have an amazing four-part philosophy, and here is the first part: ants never quit. That's a good philosophy. If they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them; they'll look for another way.
They'll climb over, they'll climb under, and they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.
Second, ants think winter all summer. That's an important viewpoint. You can't be so naive ( ) as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering in their winter food in the middle of summer.
An ancient story says, "Don't build your house on the sand in the summer. " Why do we need that advice.'? Because it is important to be realistic. In the summer, you've got to think storm. You've got to think rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun. Think ahead.
The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter. That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This won't last long ; we'll soon be out of here. " And on the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll dive back down, but then they come out on the first warm day. They can't wait to get out.
And here's the last part of the ant-philosophy. How much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy, the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.
Wow, what a great seminar to attend -- the ant seminar. Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can. | high2830.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He wanted to earn money by taking the risk of living with a lion."
},
"options": [
"He wanted to raise awareness of the treatment of animals in cage.",
"He hoped to break the Guinness World Record for time spent living in a cage wi... | Oleksander Pylyshenko is either very fearless,very foolish... or both. The 40-year-old zookeeper from the Ukraine recently spent five weeks in a cage with Katya, a 200-kilo African lioness. Why? Well for a start, he wanted to raise awareness of the treatment of animals in captivity. Secondly, he hoped to break the Guinness World Record for time spent living in a cage with a lion. And thirdly? "I wanted to show my children what kind of man I am," said Oleksander.
For 36 days, Oleksander and Katya shared the cage together. They ate hunks of meat thrown into the cage by Oleksander's wife, and slept side by side on a bed of hay. Oleksander did have a few more creature comforts than his feline flatmate - he built himself a shower and toilet inside the enclosure. But he didn't use any soap as the sharp scent is upsetting to lions.
And as if living with the king of the jungle wasn't dangerous enough, Katya was also pregnant at the time. She gave birth during Oleksander's stay. Wild animals are very protective of their young but the zookeeper said Katya trusted him completely. Oleksander' wife, Olena, was also very trusting. "when he first told me about the plan I was very scared. But I decided to support my husband."
Once the five weeks was up, Oleksander stepped out of the cage and declared the experiment a success. He told a Russian news agency, "Katya taught me a lot about honesty and kindness." Also, a representative from Guinness World Records confirmed that Oleksander ahd beaten the previous record by three weeks.
But the parting was also bittersweet. "Katya was very sad to see me go," Oleksander noted. Oleksander's wife, on the other hand, was very happy to have her husband back. [(<<>> 20121 "Into the Lion's Den" )] | high21172.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "they are too careless to cherish precious things"
},
"options": [
"they are too busy to notice the beautiful things",
"they are too careless to cherish precious things",
"they are lazy to observe the surroundings",
"the... | John, a famous musician, took his priceless antique violin and played it in the crowded subway station. The music from the violin was delicately streaming throughout the whole station. However, during the one-hour play, only six or seven people were truly appreciating the charming music. A three-year-old kid was so fascinated by the music that he forgot everything around. John only got 52 dollars for his work that day.
However, in normal days, when John is about to hold a concert, one ticket can be sold at more than 100 dollars and it is extremely hard to buy a ticket even at such a high price. Therefore, later, many passers-by in the station that day felt deeply regretful for not recognizing the famous musician and missing such a valuable but cheap music feast.
I have a very busy friend who had totally changed after knowing that his wife came down with incurable illness. He cooked by himself for the family and took a walk with his wife every day. Nonetheless, his wife still did not manage to conquer the illness and passed away after three months. After that, he often sighed miserably that due to his past busy life, he had missed a lot of beautiful time with his wife. But now, it is impossible to make up for it.
It is no use crying over spilt milk. We have missed a lot of precious things in our life without knowing to cherish them.
Actually, I also missed something precious before. The reason why we would have missed those precious things is less than simple: we had thought that we could still own them tomorrow.
Nevertheless, tomorrow is actually by no means reliable. There was a famous Buddhist monk saying that in many people's lives, they have only done two things: _ The result is that they were always too late to cherish what they had before they lost it. We would often claim to do something when we grow up, or when we have money or when we become old, etc. However, when we reach the condition we have expected, we could no longer realize our wish, because we have lost it by then. | high4299.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Dame Sally believes many parents who smoke in front of their kids have no idea of the damage that they are doing."
},
"options": [
"Half of the children ages 9 to 18 in the US have parents who smoked at home.",
"Most smokers in the... | Do your parents smoke? Where do they smoke - outside, at work or at home when you are around?
According to a survey published in the journal Academic Pediatrics, an alarming number of US parents are still risking their children's lives by smoking in front of them. Half of all children aged 6 to 19, even those with asthma , have been exposed to second-hand smoke in the country, reported Reuters.
"It's well known that smoking kills, but many smokers still don't realize the damage their smoke causes to those around them," Dame Sally, Chief Medical Officer for England, was quoted by the Independent as saying.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are poisonous. About 70 of them can cause cancer, not to mention other diseases, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What's most scary is that there is no safe level of contact with second-hand smoke---even "low-level" exposure can be harmful to one's health. And "low-level" means when a parent or family member smokes in another room or even outside.
While second-hand smoke can be harmful to people of all ages, children face a greater risk than adults: they have smaller lungs; they breathe more quickly; and they have less developed immune systems.
Also, young children have little control over their surroundings. Babies can't move to another room because the air is smoky. They depend on the adults in their lives to make sure that their environments are safe.
Recent years have seen second-hand smoke exposure drop---but for adults rather than kids, because policies have been started around the world to ban smoking in public places such as offices, bars and restaurants. However, "Children tend to be exposed to second-hand smoke in homes and cars, and these places are not included in most laws and policies," Amy Ferketich, a researcher at The Ohio State University, US, told Reuters.
So what can we do to limit children's exposure to second-hand smoke? Parents should stop smoking for good. But if they can't, they should never smoke---or let others smoke---around their children. | high16906.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "He was too tired to do it."
},
"options": [
"He was very lazy.",
"He thought the mother had picked him up.",
"He forgot to pick him up.",
"He was too tired to do it."
],
"question": "Why didn't the father pick t... | A couple had a son eleven years after they married. They were a loving couple and the boy was _ . When the boy was around four years old, one day the father was very tired after work so he asked his wife to pick up their son. The mother, who was very busy in the kitchen, totally forgot about it.
Later the boy lost his way on the street. When the son was found missing, the mother hurried to look for him, but she didn't find him. The mother felt very sad and didn't know how to face her husband.
When the father went to the police station after hearing that the son was missing, he looked at his wife and said just four words. What do you think the four words were? The husband just said "I love you, darling." www.zxxk.com
The son was missing. If she had picked him up earlier, this would not have happened. There is no point in blaming anyone. His wife had also lost her only child. What his wife needed at that moment was comfort and understanding from her husband. That is what the husband gave his wife. Several weeks later, with the help of the police, the couple finally found their lost son. The family's relationship became stronger over that time.
Sometimes we spend lots of time asking who is to blame. We miss many chances to give each other support and let each other feel the warmth of human relationships. Get rid of all your unwillingness to forgive, selfishness, and fears and you will find the world is much more wonderful. | high5187.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "Washing dishes was women's work.."
},
"options": [
"It's natural for a man to wash dishes .",
"Washing dishes was women's work..",
"Parents should wash dishes.",
"Children should help their parents wash dishes."
],
... | On Sundays my father always wore that dull gray apron - the one with the race cars all over it. The ritual began after breakfast when Dad always announced: "Go ahead everyone. I'll take care of the dishes!" With that my mother disappeared into the folds of the Sunday paper. Off came the suit coat he had worn to church that morning. Up went the shirtsleeves. On went that apron. For the next hour Dad did the dishes, singing ballads like "I Had a Hat When I Came In" and "Who Put the Chow in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?"
I suppose it was strange for a boy's father to wear an apron - even one with race cars - but I never thought much of it until the day that Dad broke with tradition. It was the last Sunday in August. My father seemed in an expansive mood as we walked home from church together.
"Tommy," he said letting my name roll off his tongue. My mind raced ahead of his words: The birds and the bees? A new bike? A part-time job?
"There comes a time in every boy's life when he must take on responsibilities." This was important. I might even get to back the car out of the driveway.
"Responsibilities?" I asked.
"Yes. It's time you took a greater role in the household." Power tools? Boss my baby brother?
"Starting today, I want you to do the dishes on Sunday morning so your mother and I can work the crossword puzzle together."
"The dishes!?"
"Anything wrong with taking over the dishes, son?"
I started to say something about a man's job or woman's work, but I knew immediately that my protests would fall on deaf ears.
I didn't taste a bit of breakfast that morning. Dad seemed in a jovial mood as he described an exceptional Yankee game seen through the eyes of Mel Allen on the radio last night.
"Mickey Mantle drove the ball right over the center field wall," he said. "Just a straight line climb in right out of the stadium." He looked out the window as if trying to pick the ball out of the cloud formations. I tried to imagine Mickey Mantle wearing an apron.
Suddenly, everything grew quiet. My sister began to clear the table. My brother was scraping the last of the egg from his plate. And then that ancient family ritual that had filled so many Sunday mornings came to an end. My father announced: "Let's go read the paper, Hon."
"Aren't you doing the dishes?" my mother asked in puzzlement.
"Your oldest son has generously offered to fill the position."
My brother and sister stopped cold. So this was what my life had come to. A dark angel sat on my left shoulder and reminded me that I could hit a baseball farther than anyone in my class. I could bench-press my weight. I knew three declensions in Latin, the language of Caesar. Ask me to run through a rainstorm. Command me to ride the roller coaster - backward. These things I would do. But I could never do those dishes. There was nothing left but to refuse.
People often say there is a special chemistry between a father and a son. He came back into the kitchen just as I was about to storm out. He had loosened his tie and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt - ready to relax. In his right hand was the old apron.
"I want you to have this, Tommy. It'll keep your clothes from getting wet." And before I could mount a protest, he had put the thing on me. "Thanks, Son. Your mother and I appreciate this."
With that he disappeared into the Sunday paper. I looked down at the plastic. It had seen better days. I could see my dad reaching for the dishes. The dark angel flew off. Soon I was singing about Mrs. Murphy's chowder. The words came out of nowhere. And out of nowhere I knew the kind of man I wanted to be. | high21166.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "People learn French in and out of class."
},
"options": [
"They are taught in small groups.",
"The teachers are young French speakers.",
"People learn French in and out of class.",
"They will offer a wine tasting licens... | French lessons in France
Whatever your level is, choosing to take French lessons in France is the best way to learn French. Place yourself in the local culture and practice your newly found skills in your free time.
You will be taught by native French speakers who have a love for teaching and use excellent teaching techniques. Lessons are interesting and you will speak French on the first day both inside and outside the classroom.
Learners
* Suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced
* Over 18 years old
Class Schedule
* Classes start on Mondays and run throughout the summer.
* Please arrive at the school by 8:15 am on your first day for a short level test. It will help to place you in the right class.
* Classes run from Monday to Friday each week.
* Classes start at 8:45 am each day depending on your level.
* You will have 3 classes per day lasting 55 minutes each.
* You will have a short break between classes.
Free Time and Tours
* The school offers a lot of cultural activities throughout the week. These activities can include cooking lessons, wine and cheese tasting, visits to Paris, cycling, movies and much more.
* You will have plenty of free time toexplore the local area and practice your newly found language skills or just relax on this learning holiday with a difference.
Other Information
* You should bring a small dictionary, pens and paper with you.
Get more from your holiday, have fun, meet new people and take home a new language skill that will stay with you forever. | high2824.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Canada"
},
"options": [
"Western Samoa",
"the Democratic Republic of Congo",
"Canada",
"Black Spruce"
],
"question": "Most probably, Finaui's son Tyler was born in _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
... | BIG DAY: New Canadian citizen Pemelika Fiaui poses with his son Tyler, 4, outside of The Playhouse on Tuesday.
The ceremony marked the end of a five-year journey for Pemelika Fiaui of Western Samoa.
Fiaui, a 6'4", 240-pound member of local rugby team Black Spruce, said the day was emotional.
"I was really happy to get my citizenship today; it was a long process," he said. "I couldn't have done this without the support of my wife, my in-laws and my two kids, who have been so supportive of me."
Fiaui, a firefighter by trade, arrived in New Brunswick in 2003 and found work with the parks and trails department with the City of Fredericton. He became involved with the local rugby scene, and for the past three years is back in his chosen field as a relief firefighter with the Fredericton Fire Department.
"I've met so many great people since I've been in Fredericton, and this is a very special day for me and my family. I'm happy to be a Canadian, but I'm also glad that I still hold dual citizenship in Western Samoa as well."
The citizenship ceremony was overseen by a number of dignitaries , including Lt.-Gov. Hermenegilde, Chiasson, MP Andy Scott, Mayor Brad Woodside and John Barrett, director of operations for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Chiasson joked by welcoming the new Canadians "to the country that invented ice skates, maple syrup and the case of beer with the built-in handle."
The day was also special for Jean-Jacques Tshimenga, his wife Sarah, and their three children, formerly of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"Canada Day is the day to celebrate the independence and freedom that we have in this country," he said. | high20278.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "Because teenagers' privacy must be protected under law."
},
"options": [
"Because it included the well-known military singer Li Shuangjiang's son.",
"Because the victim was a woman.",
"Because teenagers' privacy must be prote... | Instead of a normal court hearing, the trial on Wednesday appeared more like a prepared drama. Hundreds of reporters waited outside the court, in the hope of learning "shocking" information about the case, which includes well-known military singer Li Shuangjiang's son, who gang-raped a woman with another four men on February.
The case was not a public hearing because it includes teenagers, whose privacy must be protected under law, but many details had been exposed by the lawyers before the trial.
Lawyers of all five suspects and the woman's lawyer made a lot of debate on the Internet before the trial, making the case more confused.
Wu Ming'an, a law professor from the China University of Political Science and Law, said it was a pity to see such a "performance" by the lawyers.
"It can be understood that the two parties freely spoke their opinions, but it's not professional or wise to see lawyers do the same," Wu said. "Instead, the lawyers should guide and persuade their clients to calm down, especially for such a non-public and sensitive case."
China has no clear rule to manage lawyers' behavior before trials, "but it should be general knowledge that the lawyers of the two sides cannot _ too many details, particularly in a case that includes teenagers", Wu added.
Yi Shenghua, a lawyer who has been following the case, said it does more harm than good to both parties for such detailed information to be exposed before the trial.
"It's OK for lawyers to speak, but what is said must be reasonable and legal. Although judgments should not be affected by public opinion, it's hard for them not to be," he said, suggesting judicial authorities should speak out if the case goes wrongly.
Trials must be conducted based on evidence, while lawyers should protect their clients' rights instead of adding fuel to the flames, Yi said.
In my eyes, the most important aspect of the case, lies in how to make lawyers do their work more professionally and reasonably. | high5193.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "a warning to avoid making mistakes in design"
},
"options": [
"a gift from the college",
"a model to make design",
"a warning to avoid making mistakes in design",
"a warning not to make iron-steel bridge"
],
"qu... | Each student at an engineering college in Canada gets a steel ring upon graduation in addition to graduation certificate. There is a story behind the unusual ring. Several years ago, a graduate from this engineering college designed an iron-steel bridge. Unfortunately, because of many mistakes in his design, the bridge collapsed soon after it came into use. This event shook the engineering college. And the college authorities decided to take back the framework of the iron-steel bridge and use it as raw material for making rings to give the students upon their graduation. The college wants the students to remember this lesson forever so as to avoid making such mistakes again. | high23771.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "the geographical distance between parents and children"
},
"options": [
"their earlier experience of feeling lonely",
"the unfavorable living conditions in their native countries",
"the common worry about their income",
... | While income worry is a rather common problem of the aged, loneliness is another problem that aged parents may face. Of all the reasons that explain their loneliness, a large geographical distance between parents and their children is the major one. This phenomenon is commonly known as "Empty Nest Syndrome" .
In order to seek better chances outside their countries, many young people have gone abroad, leaving their parents behind with no clear idea of when they will return home. Their parents spend countless lonely days and nights, taking care of themselves, in the hope that someday their children will come back to stay with them. The fact that most of these young people have gone to Europeanized or Americanized societies makes it unlikely that they will hold as tightly to the value of duty as they would have if they had not left their countries. Whatever the case, it has been noted that the values they hold do not necessarily match what they actually do. This geographical and cultural distance also prevents the grown-up children from providing response in time for their aged parents living by themselves.
The situation in which grown-up children live far away from their aged parents has been described as "distant parent phenomenon", which is common both in developed countries and in developing countries. Our society has not yet been well prepared for "Empty Nest Syndrome". | high661.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "A successful show -- High School Musical."
},
"options": [
"Boy wizard -- Harry Potter.",
"High school students Gabriella and Troy.",
"A successful show -- High School Musical.",
"Disney's long-term efforts."
],
... | If boy wizard Harry Potter uses his magic to capture the hearts of millions of teenagers, high school students Gabriella and Troy have charmed American boys and girls with their stories of campus life.
They are the leading characters in High School Musical, a series of hugely successful films in the US. The sequel , High School Musical 3, came out on October 24 and has topped the American box office for two straight weeks.
The show has everything attractive to teenagers -- dancing, catchy music, puppy love and good looks. The story starts when high school basketball star Troy and brainy Gabriella -- _ -- meet during the winter break. At a karaoke contest they discover their love for singing and an interest in each other. When school starts, Troy finds out that Gabriella is the new girl at his school.
Eager to find the magic they had during karaoke, Troy and Gabriella decide to audition for the school's upcoming musical. This angers the school's drama queen Sharpay. However, they overcome difficulties and become the leading actors.
But the story doesn't end there. High School Musical 2 follows their adventures over summer vacation when Sharpay tires to break up Troy and Gabriella. In the latest sequel, high-school seniors are facing the possibilities of being separated from each other as they go off in different directions when graduating from high school.
Joined by the rest of their friends, Troy and Gabriella stage a musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about the future.
"The success of the High School Musical films shows Disney's long-term efforts to attract youngsters for whom Mickey Mouse seems to babyish," wrote New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff. "For the time being, the movie has made fictional high school students as recognizable as that 79-year-old mouse." | high9971.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "to introduce a product that can be used to stabilize mountainsides"
},
"options": [
"to tell people how serious the damage caused by landslides is",
"to tell people that sending workers to stabilize mountainsides is a risky job",
... | Every year landslides {} cause 25 to 50 deaths and $1.5 billion in damage in the United States.They account for 15 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in Europe.And in December, a single event killed more than 200 people in the Philippines.Sending workers to stabilize mountainsides using steel bars and cement can help prevent disaster, but it introduces new difficulties.Shaking drills produce harmful dust and loosen heavy, dangerous debris ."It's quite a risky job," says Giorgio Pezzuto of D'Appolonia, an engineering company in Italy.
D'Appolonia, working with eight other companies, may have an answer: a three-ton robot called Roboclimber."The idea is to operate a machine far away that can drill without a human being on board,'" says Pezzuto, manager for the project, which is supported by the European Commission.Engineers claim that the machine will be faster and cheaper than manual labor.The robot, a large radio-controlled four-legged mechanical spider , has cost at least $2 million so far.The final product should be able to climb unstable mountainsides, drill holes, insert bars and cement, and collect data on the slope' s stability.Testing should begin in May. | high7784.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "He didn't complete his event in the Beijing Olympics."
},
"options": [
"He is still a famous athlete.",
"He didn't complete his event in the Beijing Olympics.",
"The audience desired him little.",
"He was required to gi... | The 2016 Rio Olympic Games have come to an end. Without doubt, many Chinese sports fans sat in front of the TV and cheered our athletes on, hoping that they would get as many gold medals as possible.
But sometimes our desire for gold medals can result in the sadness of failure. When Liu Xiang, China's track hero, pulled out of the Beijing Olympics due to injury, he greatly disappointed many Chinese sports fans.
But things are different now. In the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, we saw a healthier and more _ Chinese attitude toward the sportspeople, fully in line with the Olympic spirit.
China didn't win any gold medals on the first day. But, instead of criticizing the athletes who failed to finish on top of the podium , the majority of fans were happy with their efforts. "Reacting in the right way when an athlete misses out on gold shows the maturity of a person, and is also a challenge for a country to face up to in the process of development," commented CRI.
Swimmer Fu Yuanhui won fans' hearts, even if she only won a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke final. Her fans on her Sina Weibo micro blog have increased 100,000 to over 6 million. Many sports fans appreciated her straightforward character and attitude toward competition.
"The warm support from Internet users shows that public attitude toward competitive sport and the Olympics have gotten to a higher level," said an article in the People's Daily. | high14863.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Reading and listening."
},
"options": [
"Reading and listening.",
"Reading and writing.",
"Writing and speaking.",
"Speaking and listening."
],
"question": "According to the writer, which should you improve firs... | If you want to become a fluent English speaker you should take some advice. There are four skills in learning English. They are reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The most important thing you must remember is that if you want to improve your speaking and writing skills, you should first master the skills of reading and listening.
Read as much as you can. But your reading must be active. It means that you must think about the meaning of the sentence, the meaning of the unfamiliar words, etc. There is no need for you to pay much attention to grammars or try to understand all the unfamiliar words you _ , but the fact that you see them for the first time and recognize them whenever you see them, for example, in other passages or books, is enough. It would be better to prepare yourself a notebook so you can write down the important words or sentences in it.
As for listening, there are two choices: besides reading, you can listen every day for about 30 minutes. You can only pay attention to your reading and become skillful at your reading, then you can catch up on your listening. Since you have lots of inputs in your mind, you can easily guess what the speaker is going to say. This never means that you should not practice listening. For listening you can listen to cartoons or some movies that are specially made for children. Their languages are easy. Or if you are good at listening you can listen to VOA or BBC programs every day. Again the thing to remember is being active in listening and preferably taking some notes.
If you follow these pieces of advice, your speaking and writing will improve quickly, and you can be a fluent English speaker one day. | high1493.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "Latin"
},
"options": [
"Spanish",
"English",
"French",
"Latin"
],
"question": "From the context of the note, it is most likely that the name \"Rex\" is _ .",
"question_type": "cloze_questions"
},
{
... | Dear Lee,
As I told you, I'll be gone until Wednesday morning. Thank you so much for taking on my "children" while I'm away. Like real children, they can be kind of irritating sometimes, but I'm going to enjoy myself so much more knowing they're getting some kind human attention. Remember that Regina (the "queen" in Latin, and she acts like one) is teething. If you don't watch her, she'll chew anything, including her sister, the cat. There are plenty of chew toys around the house. Whenever she starts gnawing on anything illegal, just give her one of those. She generally settles right down to a good hour-long chew. Then you'll see her wandering around whimpering with the remains of the toy in her mouth. She gets really frustrated because what she wants is to bury the thing. She'll try to dig a hole between the cushions of the couch. Finding that unsatisfactory, she'll wander some more, discontent, until you solve her problem for her. I usually show her the laundry basket, moving a few clothes so she can bury her toy beneath them. I do sound like a parent, don't I? You have to understand, my own son is practically grown up.
Regina's food is the Puppy Chow in the utility room, where the other pet food is stored. Give her a bowl once in the morning and once in the evening. No more than that, no matter how much she begs. Beagles are notorious overeaters, according to her breeder, and I don't want her to lose her girlish figure. She can share Rex (the King's) water, but be sure it's changed daily. She needs to go out several times a day, especially last thing at night and first thing in the morning. Let her stay out for about ten minutes each time, so she can do all her business. She also needs a walk in the afternoon, after which it's important to romp with her for a while in the yard. The game she loves most is fetch, but be sure to make her drop the ball. She'd rather play tug of war with it. Tell her, "Sit!" Then, when she does, say, "Drop it!" Be sure to tell her "good girl," and then throw the ball for her. I hope you'll enjoy these sessions as much as I do.
Now, for the other two, Rex and Paws... (letter continues) | high18081.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 0,
"answer_text": "Because he's in need of money."
},
"options": [
"Because he's in need of money.",
"Because Captain Nicholls is fond of Joey.",
"Because Albert is too young to care for Joey.",
"Because he believes Joey will contribute t... | War Horseis a historical story by Michael Morpurgo. It is written for kids ages 8 to 12. Now just sit and get through the introduction to the plot.
In 1914, a young horse named Joey is sold to a farmer. The farmer' s son, Albert, is thrilled. He cares for Joey. When the family begins to feel the financial impact of war, Albert' s father secretly sells Joey to an army officer named Captain Nicholls. Albert begs the captain to let him join the army. Albert is too young, but Nicholls promises to take good care of Joey for him.
Nicholls treats Joey well. Though Joey still remembers Albert, he grows to like his new master. He develops a friendship with another horse, Topthorn., who belongs to Nicholls' friend, Captain Stewart. The horses and men are shipped overseas for battle. They soon face their own battle in France, and Captain Nicholls is killed.
A young soldier named Warren becomes Joey's new owner. Joey and Topthorn do well in battle, but the Germans capture Warren and Stewart and their horses. The horses' duty of pulling carts full of wounded German soldiers earns them praise. An old farmer and his granddaughter, Emilie, _ the horses as well. When the German army moves out of the area, Emilie and her grandfather keep the two horses. Joey and Topthorn are content to work the farm until another band of soldiers takes them. They become workhorses under bad conditions. Joey is very upset when Topthorn dies of exhaustion.
Alone and frightened, Joey wanders into "no-man's-land" between the German and English camps. An English soldier takes him back to camp.
Joey is reunited with Albert. As the war ends, Albert' s officer announces the horses will be sold in France. An old Frenchman buys Joey. The man, Emilie' s grandfather, tells Albert how Emilie lost the will to live after the horses were taken. However, he eventually sells Joey to Albert for one penny, as long as Albert promises to share Emilie' s story so her life will not be in vain. Joey and Albert return home. | high3284.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "A brief introduction to Robert Todd Duncan."
},
"options": [
"What Robert Todd Duncan loved most.",
"How Robert Todd Duncan became famous.",
"Robert Todd Duncan and his works of music.",
"A brief introduction to Robert ... | Robert Todd Duncan was born in 1903 in the southern city of Danville,Kentucky. His mother was his first music teacher. As a young man,he continued his music study in Indianapolis,Indiana.
In 1930,he completed more musical education at Columbia University in New York City. Then he moved to Washington. For fifteen years, he taught music at Howard University in Washington. At that time, not many black musicians were known for writing or performing classical music. Teaching at Howard gave Duncan the chance to share his knowledge of classical European music with a mainly black student population. He taught special ways to present the music.These special ways became known as the Duncan Technique.
Besides teaching,Duncan sang in several operas with performers who were all black. But it seemed that he always would be known mainly as a concert artist. However,his life took a different turn in the middle 1930s. At that time, the famous American music writer George Gershwin was looking for someone to play a leading part in his new work Porgy and Bess. The music critic of the New York Times newspaper suggested Todd Duncan. Duncan had almost decided not to try for the part as he knew it would not be easy to get it. But he changed his mind. He sang a piece from an Italian opera for Gershwin. He had sung only a few minutes when Gershwin offered him the part. He became famous because of the part in Porgy and Bess.
Todd Duncan gained fame as an opera singer and concert artist. But his greatest love in music was teaching. When he stopped teaching at Howard,he continued giving singing lessons in his Washington home until the week before his death. | high21600.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "enjoy delicious meals"
},
"options": [
"appreciate car tires.",
"enjoy delicious meals",
"see the new robot chefs",
"escape from work"
],
"question": "People go to Michelin-starred restaurants in order to _ ."... | Picture the scene: You come home after work feeling too exhausted to cook -only to find a delicious meal worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant waiting for you. It sounds like a fantasy, but it could be about to come true thanks to a robot chef developed by British scientists.
Those scientists have come up with a set of robotic arms so smart that _ are capable of cooking meals all by themselves. The device will be sold from as early as 2017 as part of a purpose-built high-tech kitchen.
Scientists at Moley Robotics spent almost 18 years developing the hands. According to its creators, the arms can chop, stir, whisk and baste well enough to recreate almost anything you would care to eat, whether it is a simple home-cooked supper, or a complicated creation designed by a world-class chef. The hands move a little slowly, hovering strangely above the work surface whenever they are not busy, but they imitate human movements closely enough that they can do things such as wiping a spoon on the edge of a pan to prevent drips.
Mr Oleynik, who is leading the project, said, "All the things which are possible with the hand are possible here. There is no limitation. A lot of people want to go to Michelin-starred restaurants, but they are quite expensive and may be quite far from the home. This is an opportunity for people to enjoy very good food, and for a reasonable price. "
The only cuisine that is off the robot's menu at the moment is sushi, which requires extremely steady pressure and nimble fingers to make, but the team plan to conquer that as well by the time it goes on sale. | high11933.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 1,
"answer_text": "has an air tank to adjust depth instead of a propeller"
},
"options": [
"is only 1.8 meters long and weighs 52 kilograms",
"has an air tank to adjust depth instead of a propeller",
"can travel at a speed of 150 kilometers a d... | The US company iRobot made a new kind of sub-marine , called the Seaglider, last week.
The robotic submarine was developed by researchers at the University of Washington. It is about 1.8 meters long and weighs about 52 kilograms. It moves through water at a speed of up to 20-25 kilometers a day and can stay at sea for up to six months before needing a battery recharged. This special character results from its special propulsion system . Unlike a traditional submarine, the Seaglider does not have a propeller . It has an air tank that is emptied and filled to adjust depth, as well as a pair of wings that help to guide and lead the submarine.
A traditional submarine, on the other hand, "puts water inside tanks to make it heavier, or it will expel the water to make it lighter," explained Frederick, a professor at the University of Washington.
Each time the Seaglider comes to the surface, it sends the data which it collects to its controllers by satellite. Operators can also send the submarine new information. For example, they can change its course in their office through giving the computer orders.
Seagliders are already being used for scientific research, such as environmental studies. iRobot also hopes to sell the submarine to the military . At $100,000 each, the Seaglider is a cheap way to keep an eye on the ocean.
"These things can go out there and monitor large areas of ocean because they're very persistent. They can go for thousands of miles on their own. At the same time, you can tell them to stay in one place and they can circle," says Helen Greiner, chairwoman of iRobot. "This is science fiction stuff in many ways, but it's really out there and working." | high20536.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 2,
"answer_text": "The workers faced a life danger."
},
"options": [
"The rescue work was admirable.",
"The accident was successfully handled.",
"The workers faced a life danger.",
"The earthquake was the main reason."
],
"questio... | Somewhere on the other side of the world, a small group of workers is busy with a life-or-death struggle.This battle isn't about self-protection, as admirable as that might be. By slaying to face the radiation and fire at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station following the earthquake and then tsunami in Japan, the 50 or so workers may have already shortened their life.They knew that would happen.
And yet they stay, working in near-total darkness, pumping seawater onto exposed nuclear fuel in hopes that they can prevent thousands of tons of radioactive material going into the air, and protect the health of millions of people.
Their task sounds like something out of a sci-fi thriller.They worked on the equipment in the complete darkness only by their flashlights, listening for explosions.They carry heavy oxygen tanks on their backs.They wear white, full-body jump suits to protect their bodies.Like Oscar said in "Armageddon": "Scariest environment imaginable.That's all you have to say."
According to news reports, some of the 50 workers volunteered to remain behind to take charge of the fire pumps with which they're spraying seawater on the exposed fuel. It's part of the job, part of the training," an American nuclear power plant operator said. "Nobody makes a secret of the possible dangers at a place like this.If there's a problem, you don't call somebody in to fix it.It's our problem.We're the only ones who can fix it.That's just what we do."
I don't know about _ , but I've never really thought of nuclear power plant workers as "guardians at the gate" --those whose jobs may at any time place them in a position to protect us, perhaps at the risk of their own lives.
These are obviously guardians at the gate.In every case they're trained to respond to unknown possibilities.For them, it isn't a matter of courage --it's standard operating procedure. | high21628.txt |
[
{
"answer": {
"answer_index": 3,
"answer_text": "she dreamed of having a college education"
},
"options": [
"she wanted to meet a rich husband",
"she wanted to get married and have children",
"she wanted to travel around",
"she dreamed of having a college education"
... | The first day of school we were interested to get to know a new classmate.I looked around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.I found a little old lady with a warm smile.
She said,"Hi ! I'm Rose.I'm 87 years old.Can I give you a hug?"I laughed and I heartily responded,"Of course!"
"Why are you in college at such a young,innocent age?"I asked.
She jokingly replied,"I'm here to meet a rich husband,get married,have children, and then travel around."
"Not seriously,"I asked.I was curious why she took on this challenge at this age.
"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!"she told me.We became instant friends.
Over the year,Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went.She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the attention from the other students.
At the end of the semester,we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us.
"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.Here are the secrets to staying young.You have to laugh and find humor every day.You've got to have a dream.When you lose your dreams,you die.Unfortunately we have many people like this walking around?"she said.
"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.Anybody can grow older.That doesn't take any talent or ability,"she added."But growing up requires finding the opportunity in change.Have no regrets.The elederly usually don't regret what they did,but rather things they did not do."
One week after graduation that year,Rose died peacefully in her sleep.She taught us by example that _ . | high16084.txt |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.