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Alex London Research Laboratory (ALRL) is part of Alex Co., Ltd., a major Australian medicine-making company. Opened in 1992, ALRL specialises in the development of new medicines for the treatment of heart diseases.
A position is now open for a Research Operations Manager(ROM) to support our growing research team at the new laboratories in Hatfield,due to open in the autumn of 2012.
Reporting to the Director,you will help set up and run the technical and scientific support services of our new laboratories now under construction.You will be expected to provide expert knowledge about and be in charge of all areas of ALRL'S Health and Safety,and to communicate with support employees at ALRL'S laboratories based at University College London.Working closely with scientists and other operations and technical employees,you will manage a small number of research support employees providing services to help with the research activities to be carried out at the new laboratories.
Candidates will have experience of both management and research support/technical services.Knowledge of research operations and excellent communication skills are necessary. Education to degree level is also desirable.
If you are interested in this position,please send your CV to Alex London Research
Laboratory,University College London,Hatfield,London,W1E 6B7 or by email to [email protected].
For more Information.please visit www.alex.co.uk. | What is the purpose of the text? | To announce an open position at ALRL. | ['To describe the job of a ROM.', 'To provide information about ALRL.', 'To make known the opening of the new laboratory'] |
She looked around , then jumped onto the counter , walked past where she was , jumped down and ran through the door . She is n't hissing at him as often , but he is still intimidated . At least he came downstairs last night and climbed on me while I was sitting on the couch . Then when I was in the office he climbed onto the desk in front of the monitor . | What is the speaker talking about ? | Cats . | ['Video game characters .', 'Children .', 'Snakes .'] |
California has a new program called the Digital Textbook Initiative. "Starting this fall with high school math and science, we will be the first state in the nation to provide schools with a state-approved list of digital textbooks." That was Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in June, talking about his effort to get schools to use materials available free online. He listed reasons why he thinks digital textbooks make sense.
California approves traditional textbooks in six-year cycles. Digital ones can offer the latest information. They lighten the load of school bags. They save paper and trees, and make learning more fun and interactive. And above all, he said, they help schools with their finances.
The state has had to make severe cuts in school spending because of deep financial problems. More than six million students attend California public schools.
Earlier this year, California invited content developers to offer digital math and science materials for high schools. These had to meet at least 90% of the state's learning requirements. Specially trained teachers examined 16 textbooks and approved ten of them. Six of the ten were published by the CK 12 Foundation, a nonprofit group that had been developing digital science and math books for about two years. The foundation paid teachers and other education professionals to write and edit them. The money came from a group financed by the Khosla Family.
California cannot require schools to use the digital textbooks. Individual school districts will have to decide for themselves. Susan Martimo, a California Department of Education official, says she does not expect widespread use right away. Her best guess is that some schools with a lot of technology will be the first to use them, but only in addition to their traditional books.
School administrators point out that the texts may be free online, but students need a way to access them. Not everyone has a computer or electronic reader. Schools could print out copies, but that would not help the environment. Also, there is the cost to train teachers to use digital textbooks effectively. | According to Susan Martimo, digital textbooks will _ . | first be adopted by well-equipped schools | ['come into fashion from now on', 'soon replace traditional books', 'surely be approved by school districts'] |
SEOUL — South Korean Foreign Minister Kang, Kyung-wha said on Wednesday that the U.S. and South Korea jointly made the decision to suspend combined military exercises scheduled for August, but would not confirm if her government was given advanced notice before U.S. President Trump announced his intention to cancel the drills, after he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12.
“We have made it clear that this is a goodwill gesture to strengthen the dialogue momentum at this point, but they are not irreversible. They could quickly come back should we see the dialogue momentum losing speed or North Korea not living up to its denuclearization commitment,” said Foreign Minister Kang.
During a press briefing in Seoul, the foreign minister said she was in in close communication with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the drills directly following the Singapore summit. And while the announcement canceling the exercises came suddenly, Kang said, South Korea was also considering this option to keep diplomatic momentum moving forward following the U.S.-North Korea summit where Kim reaffirmed his commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea.
The now cancelled Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises normally held in August usually bring in 3,000 more American troops from abroad and involve 50,000 South Korean troops.
No decision has yet been made whether the other large-scale joint exercise held in the spring would be suspended as well.
At the Singapore summit Trump said he would cancel the “war games” that he said were both enormously expensive and “provocative,” as an act of good faith and in response to North Korea’s commitment to denuclearization, its continued suspension of nuclear and missile teats, and the recent closing of its nuclear testing site.
North Korea has long called for the end of these joint military exercises that it says are offensive “rehearsals for war.”
In the past U.S. officials refused to suspend the joint drills, that they defended as defensive in nature and legal under international law, for a pledge from North Korea to freeze its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities that are prohibited by United Nations resolutions. | Why did Trump agree to end the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises? | because they were expensive and provacative | ['not enough information', 'because Kim Jong Un asked him to', 'because Kang also agreed to'] |
Sixteen, sweet sixteen! Sweet sixteen? What 's so sweet about this birthday? Perhaps because sixteen marks out coming of age, which is the interim period between childhood and adulthood. It is a very brief and unique stage in our lives. A time when we are becoming an adult, yet still haven't lost our childhood innocence. The best of both words.
Actually Sweet Sixteen applies more often to girl's 16th birthday than to boys. At that age, a girl is on the verge of becoming a woman. Picture a flower bud about to bloom, opening its face to the world for the first time. There's a sense of beauty and sweetness to this transition. Our 16th birthday is the first day we can get our driver's license. It is the official step towards becoming an adult. From this day forward, we no longer need our parents to drive us around, take us everywhere. Instead, we just borrow their car. Maybe that's what makes sixteen so sweet to the boys as they eagerly celebrate this newfound autonomy . Now they can drive without adult supervision! Haa, haa! | This passage is extracted from _ . | A literary essay | ['An advertisement', 'A novel', 'A diary'] |
I recently let my sister move in becaus her exhusband hits her and yesterday i discovered she had lied and left with him , and she has been secretly talkin on the phone with him . Should i kick her out ? i had a nic convo with her when i found out and and she agreed to stop talking to him and i told her that she would have to leav if she continued to talk to him . she promised me that she do nt want to see him again and this morning i caught her on the phone with him again , what should i do ? | why did his sister contact the abusive exhusband ? | she still has feelings for him | ['the exhusband cares about her', 'None of the above choices .', 'the exhusband wants her healthy'] |
Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We' re looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You' ll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, l0:30 - 16:00.
Excellent pay.
Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 24 -45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions ,and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of PS15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs. R.. Oglivie, Palmlaee Limited. | Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station? | Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. | ['Mrs Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.', 'The Enterprise Shopping Centre.', 'Wealden District Council.'] |
Maybe you've just invented something better than the iPhone or a solar-powered car. You don't want anyone to steal your design. What should you do? Patent it! Patents are the best way to get credit for your work and help others continue advancing in that field. Here's what you need to know.
A patent gives you the right to an invention. The patent protects its owner, which means the invention can't be copied or sold without their agreement. In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention. This contributes knowledge that helps other inventors improve on their own research. A patent usually lasts about 20 years.
The first step to getting a patent is the application. The person applying must name the invention, explain its use and describe it clearly. The invention must be practical and contain some new characteristic -- something that hasn't been seen or used before. But not everything "new" can be patented. Many countries don't allow patents on things like new concepts, scientific theories, medical procedures or substances already found in nature.
You may not be able to see patents, but they're connected to nearly everything. There are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, medicine and your computer. There are patents on things that are unavailable on the market, too. Apple is well-known for its patents on potential products, such as the "iBike" or the "iKey".
Of course there are also patents on inventions like this. Take the anti-eating face mask for example. This _ locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth. You can breathe and speak, but you can't eat!
Although many patented inventions can be failures, there's plenty of room for success. So if you have a cool invention, try to patent it. | The purpose of writing this passage is to _ . | inform | ['advertise', 'persuade', 'warn'] |
Have you ever sat around and thought about how you’d create your dream kitchen if you had the chance? Well, we are on the verge of a move (whenever the house sells, we’ll move), and I keep thinking that I need to sit down and write a list of our “would likes” and our “must haves.” That way, when we are house hunting, we’ll already know what we’re looking for.
For a chance to win an Un Amore custom-designed KitchenAid Stand Mixer from PartSelect, I have been thinking about the top three “would likes” for our new kitchen and decided to check out what KitchenAid has to offer! I discovered three appliances that would change our reality kitchen into a dream kitchen.
We have two young boys that will change into tweens and teens before we know it. Big Brother has always been a good eater, open to trying just about anything we put in front of him. However, discovering that he actually does have some control over what he does, he’s lately turned up his nose on occasion. Little Brother is exactly like me when I was young. He turns his nose up at just about anything. Although he did just spend a week with his grandparents and decided he would eat and make up for lost meals…and make me out to be a liar!
Anyway, I keep reminding myself as I find myself challenged at mealtimes, that soon enough, they’ll be eating us out of house and home. So, one of the larger dream kitchen appliances I’d like in our home would be a double oven! I just think it’d come in really handy when trying to keep up with their metabolism down the road!
When you’re preparing a lot of food, you’re typically buying a lot of products, and the garbage and recycling bins fill up faster than ever as well. The second dream kitchen appliance I wouldn’t mind having would be the KitchenAid Trash Compactor, reducing our use of garbage bags and trips to the outside dumpster. Plus, I think I’d like not having to smell the garbage all the time! | After the end of this story, the narrator is probably: | enjoying her new dream kitchen | ["didn't sell her old house", 'not enough information', 'not enjoying her new dream kitchen'] |
Carrie and I headed up earlier today and caught the tram to the grounds from the Square . After messing with the police ( Dad and Bristow both had to work today ) and speaking with a few family members who came up from Decatur ( Buster and Shug ... we fancy nicknames ) , we set off to check out the vendors . I splurged and bought myself a two dollar wire ring and a fan for fifty cents . Carrie bought a fan , too , but it broke , so I shared mine . It was a little warm walking around today . There was a lot of really neat stuff , like ornaments made out of lightbulbs and ironwork art . | In what way was I luckier than Carrie today ? | We both bought fans but hers broke and mine did n't . | ["I did n't get arrested when we were messing with the police .", 'I went to the grounds while Carrie had to work today .', "I did n't have to come all the way from Decatur like she did ."] |
The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina is a wake-up call. It is a call for every American to pay attention to the destruction we risk by allowing human-induced climate change to continue. It is impossible to prove that Hurricane Katrina was caused by global warming, or even that human activities made the storm more severe. However, a paper published in the scholarly journal Nature reports that the force of dangerous hurricanes has increased by 50% during the last 50 years. It also reports that a global warming-induced rise in temperature near the ocean's surface has probably contributed to this increase in dangerous storms, and thus to property damage and human death.
On August 30, the Los Angeles Times summed up the view of many scientists who agree that if the frequency of hurricanes does not decrease in the next few years, then we will be fairly certain that humans, and not natural storm cycle, are at the root of the problem. I believe there is at least a chance that by reducing U.S. reliance on fossil fuels for energy, we can prevent future tragedies like Hurricane Katrina. Let the change begin now.
There are many ways to reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emissions. My family drives the most fuel-efficient car we can afford, but I prefer to take public transportation whenever possible. My family buys locally grown food instead of produce that was transported thousands of miles on fuel-burning vehicles. We also replaced our incandescent light bulbs with more energy-efficient compact fluorescents . This might sound like a trivial move, but the Union of Concerned Scientists reports that if every household in the United States replaced one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent, it would have the same effect on U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions as removing 7.5 million cars from the roads. Now think if every household replaced not just one but all of their incandescent bulbs!
The United States, with just five percent of the world's population, is responsible for close to one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, yet our country is doing far less than most European nations to fight global warming. We don't have to sacrifice our lifestyles; Europeans enjoy the same standards of living as Americans. So what are we waiting for? It is time to act. | According to the writer, _ in reducing the volume of greenhouse gas emissions. | Europe does a better job. | ['Europe should follow the example of America.', 'he, as an European, wants to see more efforts made by Americans.', 'Europeans should shoulder a greater responsibility.'] |
Wow , it 's been one hectic day after another . Last night was the first in a while where I afforded to go to sleep by my self - imposed bed time , but that sort of failed too . The highlight of course of the past few days was the birthday bbq . I think I had a 70 % turn out which was good . | Why is the narrator displaying signs of sluggishness ? | The narrator did not go to bed early . | ['The narrator did drink a little too much .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The narrator did not take medicine .'] |
Parsons has has this free public life drawing session ever since I was in high school , and probably long before that . Back then , that building was rather obscure , with undecorated concrete entrance , rather dim lights , and an unsmiling security guard . The elevator is equally unflattering , around in a dead end corner in the back , with even dimmer lighting , and we take its quivering trip up to the 11th floor . | What is the reason that the reason taking the elevator is a quivering trip ? | The elevator is poorly maintained and shakes . | ['I have claustrophobia and closed places make me quiver .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The elevator causes people to shiver .'] |
But it 's worth the wait . Finally on July 28 , 2007 , we officially stepped beyond the boundary of friendship . People may say what 's the use of keeping it long when we would still be lovers in the end . Well , all we can say is that , the long wait helped us a lot in preparing ourselves to decide maturely and responsibly . | What may happen after we take the next step in our friendship ? | We decide To be there for each other more than before . | ['I begin to become lazy and unsupportive .', 'I decide to remain as friends .', 'I become more dependant on my partner .'] |
Ted Shreds doesn't like cars.He wants people to stop driving because cars make the air dirty.Ted had an idea.He said,"I'm going to cycle around North America.I want to show everyone that cycling is a fun way to get around.If more people ride bikes,the air will be cleaner."
He left his hometown with $160 in his pocket.When he got to San Diego,he met another cyclist.The cyclist invited Ted to speak at a big meeting about the environment.He said,"We'll pay your airfare to Texas and we'll pay you to talk about your cycling trip."Two hours late,Ted was on a plane to the environmental conference and to a _ !
While he was at the conference,he met Deanna,it was love at first sight!They talked for six hours straight.
The next day,Ted called Deanna and asked her to finish the trip with him.Deanna said yes,sold everything in her apartment,gave her notice at work,and was on the road with Ted 20 days later!
"It was difficult at first,"said Deanna."Ted got up every morning at 6:00 a.m.,but I wanted to sleep until noon."After a few days,they started having fun.As they cycled from Florida to Montreal and then back to Vancouver,every day was an adventure.People paid for their food in restaurants and gave them extra money.Some people gave them $50 or $100.They slept in people's backyards and drank beer with motorcycle gangs.
On their way back to Vancouver,they stopped in Edmonton to visit Ted's relatives.During the stopover,they got married.People tied a "Just Married" sign and tin cans to the backs of their bikes.They got married.They now want to write a book about their trip."We want people to know that you can be an environmentalist and still have fun,"Shreds said. | During the trip,Ted and Deanna _ . | found it hard to get up early | ['were attacked by motorcycle gangs', 'did not have to pay for their meals in restaurants', 'decided to get married'] |
" Yeah! Auntie is here! " screamed my husband's niece and nephew together. " Let me get the door!" " No, let me !" Each one's goal was to get there first and open the door for their Auntie, Me!
I couldn't get enough of them, of their youthful love of life, and their excitement every time I visited! To be honest, it was partially because of the Surprise Travel Bag that I carried in. It was a tradition that I started when they were young. Each time I went to see them, I would take a large bag filled with toys, coloring books, candy, magic markers and "games".
The contents were different but the rules were not. They included: one may get a turn to choose what activity we would do; another may take a turn to go first when we played a game; ..... We shared the treats after the games and cleaned up after we played . Then, sadly, they watched the Surprise Travel Bag go away with their Auntie.
Now my niece and nephew have grown into young adults. They spend most of their visits listening to their iPods, messaging on their phones.... I completely forgot that I had put my two Surprise Travel Bags in the basement until my husband found them this weekend.
I held the bags tightly in my arms, remembering our laughter and fun-filled get-togethers. My big decision now is to whom I will pass the Surprise Travel Bags so that the fun that the bags help to create can continue. | We learn from the passage that the author would _ . | change the contents in the bags | ['change the rules each time she visited', 'choose the activity for the children', 'leave the bag behind for the children'] |
Constipation is not a glamorous topic, but it’s certainly important, especially in older adults.
As anyone who has experienced occasional — or even chronic — constipation can tell you, it can really put a damper on quality of life and well-being.
Constipation can also cause more substantial problems, such as:
* Severe abdominal pain, which can lead to emergency room visits
* Hemorrhoids, which can bleed or be painful
* Increased irritability, agitation, or even aggression, in people with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia
* Stress and/or pain that can contribute to delirium (a state of new or worse confusion that often happens when older adults are hospitalized)
* Fecal incontinence, which can be caused or worsened by having a hard lump of stool lodged in the lower bowel
* Avoidance of needed pain medication, due to fear of constipation
Fortunately, it’s usually possible to help older adults effectively manage and prevent constipation. This helps maintain well-being and quality of life, and can also improve difficult behaviors related to dementia.
The trouble is that constipation is often either overlooked or sub-optimally managed by busy healthcare providers who aren’t trained in geriatrics. They are often focused on more “serious” health issues. Also, since many laxatives are available over-the-counter, some providers may assume that people will treat themselves if necessary.
Personally, I don’t like this hands-off approach to constipation. Although several useful laxatives are indeed available over-the-counter (OTC), I’ve found that the average person doesn’t know enough to correctly choose among them.
Also, although in geriatrics we often do end up recommending or prescribing laxatives, it’s vital to start by figuring out what is likely to be causing — or worsening — an older person’s constipation.
For instance, many medications can make constipation worse, so we usually make an attempt to identify and perhaps deprescribe those.
In short, if you’re an older adult, or if you’re helping an older loved one with health issues, it’s worthwhile to learn the basics of how constipation should be evaluated and managed. This way, you’ll be better equipped to get help from your health providers, and if it seems advisable, choose among OTC laxative options. | What do most people probably believe about constipation? | it will probably be relieved by laxatives | ["it doesn't affect the elderly", 'it will go away on its own', 'not enough information'] |
But then we turned a corner and she got better and we ( trainer & I ) were talking about showing her again in Dressage . I wish I knew what to do with her . Right now , I ca n't justify putting her down because she 's still eating , maintaining weight ( actually putting on ) and her eyes are bright . If it 's going to happen , I wish it just would ... but I know like with Roma , it is going to happen suddenly and I 'll be left with this gaping hole in my heart and agony in my soul of euthanizing my partner of 10 + years . Sancho : Ride Sancho in Angel 's Dressage bridle with her Loose Ring , French Link bit . | What may be the decision I am agonizing over making ? | I will have to make the decision of when to put down my beloved horse . | ['None of the above choices .', 'How to deal with Sancho turning a corner and getting better .', 'What to feed my horse when she is continuing to lose weight .'] |
Adina and I left the house at 6:40am . We went into Cassandras room and she was still laying in her bed so we jumped and hugged her . I seriously am so bummed out that my best friend is leaving so far away from home . Listening to her cds that we usually jam out to in her car makes me cry even more . | How may I be feeling right now ? | Sad | ['Happy', 'Tired', 'None of the above choices .'] |
At one point , we ran into a couple coming down from the glacier who were from Lubbock , TX . They saw Pat 's UT shirt and gave us the hook ' em horns sign . We started talking and they told us how great it was at the glacier . | What is the narrator , their friend and the stranger bonding over ? | A university . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Scaling a glacier .', 'An interest in longhorn beef .'] |
Both gross and tragic. The 1980 Bank Robbery in Central Nyack that was medically managed at the Nyack Hospital where I responded to the ONLY Code 66 of my career. That “66”indicated for us an external disaster about to unload in our emergency room. The two policemen who were mortally injured and died on our stretchers were personal friends and one the boyfriend of one of the nurses.
Their injuries were from machine guns where the flesh is riddled with explosive elements as opposed to a gunshot wounds where there is both an entry and exit site. In our Trauma and Triage Course we never learned about machine gun injuries.
Additionally there were the criminals who were also injured and of course we needed to treat them as any other patient regardless of their behavior. The friends of the injured policemen were trying to get to these villains and it was just the most awful evening of my life. To this day I remember feeling nauseous in a way I had never felt before. We had debriefing sessions for weeks and of course were very upset for months. The wounds we had to address, the insertion of chest tubes and everything else all in such a rapid manner was indeed a more than gross situation. There was even open heart massage. Private doctors reported to help; many are not trained or current in emergency medicine; much is left to critical care nurses in a community hospital that is not a teaching institution with residents and interns on staff.
Recently one of the women involved in this crime came up for parole. Of course there was great opposition from the community relative to her release. She was young and that was 38 years ago. I believe people deserve a second chance, but of course this is a very controversial matter. | Who were those that had to be in the emergency unit at Nyack Hospital that day? | not enough information | ["Head of Nyack Hospital's Doctors", "Head of Nyack Hospital's Nurses", "Head of Nyack Hospital's administrative midwife staff"] |
had somehow made her chain come off . We stoppped again . I knelt down in the road and got my knees wet and my hands covered in chain oil putting it back on again . We set off again . Halfway to school I noticed Gloworm ( tired , wet , uncomfortable and by now late for school ) was fighting back tears . A bit later she realised her waterproof school coat was - yes , you guessed it - not actually all that waterproof . We eventually got to school . | What may happen after getting to school ? | We would be very wet . | ['We would be on time .', 'We would be walking to school .', 'We would be dry .'] |
This is a true story. Tristin Saghin enjoyed the movie Black Hawk Down very much,which is about the conflict in Somalia.The battle scenes and the exciting rescues of people who are dying,interested him greatly.
There was just one problem:Tristin was only 9 years old,and it was thought that movie was not for children. When his parents caught him watching it on TV,they made him turn it off,though he had finished his homework and it was not late. Then one day,Tristin and his family were visiting his grandmother in Mesa,Arizona. Tristin's 2yearold sister got out of the house and fell in the backyard pool. Realizing the little girl was missing,the family ran outside,only to find the girl had fallen into the water.
Pulled from the pool and placed on the ground,the child wasn't breathing. The family called the ambulance ,but no one knew how to do first aid. No one,that is,except for Tristin. A scene in Black Hawk Down describes a doctor giving first aid. Tristin remembered it. Then the 9yearold gave first aid to his sister at once and saved her life.
His parents don't stop him seeing the movies he likes any more. Tristin taught himself how to do first aid but he had never thought he could use it to save his little sister's life. Any skill can be used in time,so you should always learn. | Why did Tristin Saghin's parents order him to turn off the TV? | They thought the film was not good for children. | ['They wanted him to help look after his sister.', 'He often spent too much time watching films.', 'He was asked to finish his homework first.'] |
Ridgewood is a small, quiet town 20 miles from Manhattan. It is a typical suburban town, perfect for raising children away from the fast pace of the city. However, some Ridgewood kids feel as upset as if they were on the city's busy streets. In addition to hours of homework, Ridgewood's children are occupied with afterschool activities -- from swimming to piano to religious classes.
Out of desperation one day, the town decided to schedule another activity. This one was called "Ridgewood Family Night -- Ready, Set, Relax!" Instead of schedules filled with sports, music, or overtime at the office, some of the town's 25,000 residents decided to take the night off and stay home. For a few months before Family Night, a committee of volunteers worked hard to spread the word. Younger students took "Save the Date for Me" leaflets home to their parents. The mayor issued a statement, and schools and clubs agreed to cancel homework and meetings so families could relax and be together.
The tension between a hope for a more relaxed lifestyle and the knowledge that the benchmark for success has been raised in recent years weighs heavily on the minds of the townspeople. Some parents like to recall a different kind of childhood, one without so many scheduled afterschool activities. However, these same parents feel obliged to make sure their children are prepared to survive in today's high-pressure work environment. They are afraid that any gap in their children's physical or intellectual development might mean they won't be admitted to the "right" universities and won't succeed in a more and more competitive world.
Nevertheless, it seems that Family Night worked, at least to a point. Cars moved easily around Ridgewood's normally busy downtown streets, and stores and restaurants saw a drop in business. Some families ate supper together for the first time in months.
Initially, there was great hope of taking back their lives. But sadly, few families believe that one night will change their lives. Many are sure that they will fall back into the habit of over-scheduling their children to be overachieving adults. | The writer describes Ridgewood as a town where _ . | children are stressful and over expected | ['residents take little notice of education', "parents are concerned about children's safety", 'children lead a life of relaxed, ordinary rhythms'] |
Imagine a boy from a small village in East Africa, He from a very early age has been looking after cattle. At twelve years old he knows more about cattle than most of you. However, he has never been to school. Has this boy ever had any education?
Education is discovering about ourselves and about the people and things around us. All the people who care about us -- our parents, brothers, sisters, friends -- are our teachers. In fact, we learn something from everyone we meet. We start learning on the day we are born, not on the first day" we go to school. Every day we have new experiences, like finding a bird's nest, discovering a new street in our neighborhood, making friends with someone we didn't like before. New experiences are even more fun when we share them with other people.
Encouragement from the people around us enables us to explore things as much as possible. As we grow up, we begin to find out what we are capable of doing. You may be good at cooking, or singing or playing football. You find this out by doing these things. Just thinking about cooking doesn't tell you if you are good at it.
We learn so much just living from day to day. So why is school important? Of course you can learn some things better at home than at school, like how to do the shopping, and how to help old or disabled people who can' t do everything for themselves. At school, teachers help us to read and write. With their guidance, we begin to see things in different ways. | How the writer looks at the role of school is that _ . | school enables us to understand the world in other ways | ['school is not so important as our living places', 'school teaches us something useless at home', 'school cannot prepare us for our daily lives'] |
I do n't know what the deal is this summer with animals in need falling into my lap . This past Saturday as I was going to anime club , I saw a very croggled - looking dove sitting in the middle of the entrance to the parking lot . When I approached her * on foot she did n't even really try to get away from me , unless you count " getting up and toddling a couple steps while looking over her shoulder " as " trying to get away . " | Where is the narrator going to go after the conversation ? | None of the above choices . | ['They will go get a club soda to drink .', 'They will go to the club .', 'They will go to their basketball club .'] |
THat was nice but I feel guilty because there s so many other things I should be doing . Two days ago I woke up sober for the first time in 2 weeks . It felt weird . The world was real again . | What may be the reason for them drinking so much ? | To escape reality . | ['To drown out the happiness .', 'None of the above choices .', 'To win a bet .'] |
Behind the traffic noise and modernday confusion on Stoney Creek Road in Bexley lies a small but amazing piece of history.Just a century ago,Mr Harold Chapman Snr.founded Sydney's Famous Original Doll Hospital and,although the Hospital has relocated several times,you cannot help but get a sense of days gone by when you walk through the doors.
In 1913 Sydney's first Doll Hospital was opened in Beamish Street.Campsie by Mr Harold Chapman Snr as part of his General Store,all beginning from a simple shipping accident.Harold's brother was in the business of importing dolls from Japan and during the shipping process the rubber bands holding the dolls together would go rotten and it was Harold who found a way to repair them.From such a small beginning grew quite a successful business as demand for doll repairs increased.
The business was taken over in the 1930's by Harold's son,also Harold Chapman who relocated the Doll Hospital to Her Majesty's Arcade in Sydney where the business expanded.The real boom came in 1939 with World War II and the extreme restrictions on production and import.Suddenly new dolls were no longer an option so little children had to have their "best friends" lovingly repaired.
In 1968 the Doll Hospital moved to its present location.It is now run by Mr Geoff Chapman,Harold Jnr's son.The Hospital is not only in its third generation of owners,but also its third generation of "doctors",the skills and knowledge being passed down through the family of repairers.
Flipping through the "Before and After" photo album,you can see just how many wonderful repairs have been carried out and you can just imagine the stories behind them.It is estimated that the Doll Hospital has treated over 2.5 million "patients" so far--that's a lot of childhood memories revived! | Judging from the article, _ during World War II. | new dolls were hardly available | ["most people couldn't afford new dolls", "little children didn't like new dolls", "playing with dolls wasn't allowed"] |
People who eat chocolate regularly tend to be thinner, new research suggests.
The findings come from a study of nearly 1,000 US people that looked at diet, calorie intake and body mass index(BMI)----a measure of obesity. It found those who ate chocolate a few times a week were, on average, slimmer than those who ate it occasionally.
Even though chocolate is loaded with calories, it contains ingredients that may favour weight loss rather than fat synthesis , scientists believe. Despite boosting calorie intake, regular chocolate consumption was related to lower BMI in the study. The link remained even when other factors, like how much exercise individuals did, were taken into account.
And it appears it is how often you eat chocolate that is important, rather than how much of it you eat. The study found no link with quantity consumed. Lead author Dr. Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California at San Diego, said, "Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight."
This is not the first time scientists have suggested that chocolate may be healthy for us. Other studies have claimed chocolate may be good for the heart. Consumption of certain types of chocolate has been linked to some favourable changes in blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.
And chocolate does contain antioxidants which can help to absorb free radicals----unstable chemicals that can damage our cells. Mice fed for 15 days with epicatechin (present in chocolate) had improved exercise performance and observable changes to their muscle composition. They say clinical trials are now needed in humans to see if this is the case.
But before you reach for a chocolate bar, there are still lots of unanswered questions. And in the absence of conclusive evidence, experts advise caution.
While there's no harm in allowing yourself a treat like chocolate now and then, eating too much might be harmful because it often contains a lot of sugar and fat too. | What is the experts' attitude towards eating chocolate in a chocolate bar? | Cautious. | ['Supportive.', 'Unclear.', 'Opposed.'] |
But here 's some news you can file under rumor and scandal : I had a conversation with a Mac developer who helped design the iPod and I asked him as what he saw as the next big thing . Well he told me that Google may be buying Yahoo - yeah that pretty much shocked the crap out of me . And if happens then , you read it here first . | Why does the narrator believe he will surprise some people ? | The news he is sharing is not public knowledge . | ['None of the above choices .', 'The news he is sharing is about the new iPod .', 'The news he is sharing is about Mac computers .'] |
The hole in the Earth's ozone layer has until now protected Antarctic from the worst effects of global warming, but scientists have warned that as the hole closes up in the next few decades, temperatures on the continent could rise by around 3degC on average, with melting ice contributing to a global sea level increase of up to 1.4 meters.
In the past decades the western Antarctic has seen rapid ice loss as the world has warmed, but the other parts of the continent have,
, been cooling, resulting in a 10% increase in ice in the seas around the region. This is because the hole in the ozone layer has increased cold winds in Antarctic, making much of the continent surface colder than usual.
But now that the gases that cause the ozone hole have been banned, scientists expect the hole to repair itself within the next 50 to 60 years. By then the cooling effect will have faded out and the Antarctic will face the full impact of global warming. This means an increase in average air temperatures of around 3degC and a reduction in sea ice by around a third.
The biggest threat to the continent comes from warming seas. Robert Johnson, a scientist who monitors Antarctic ice sheets, said, "The ice sheets in Antarctic are hundreds of meters thick. But once warm ocean waters start flowing underneath, the ice will begin thinning and could break up very quickly." Thinning ice sheets cause ice to break away from the continent and to melt even faster. Escaping ice from western Antarctic has already resulted in a 10% rise in global sea level in recent decades.
Johnson believes that international action to reduce global warming is required immediately or it may be too late. "Everything is connected----Antarctic may be a long way away but it is an important part of the Earth's system," said Johnson. "It contains 90% of the world's ice, 70% of the world's fresh water and that is enough, if it melts completely, to raise sea levels by 63 meters."
Even in a worse-case situation scientists don't expect the ice to entirely disappear, but predict that, because of the melting ice sheets, average sea level rise will be around 1.4 meters higher by the end of the century. | What do scientists think is the biggest danger facing Antarctic? | Warming sea water temperature. | ['Rising sea levels.', 'Water pollution.', 'Growing ice sheets.'] |
Also , on Thursday , because I was not feeling well , I did n't run . I caught up on Sunday ( though not with running , but by moving furniture and boxes up and down two flights of stairs continuously for 3 hours . I was too exhausted to move afterwards , let alone run ! | What may be the reason for using the stairs ? | None of the above choices . | ['They building has easy to use staircases .', 'They did nt know how to use the elevator .', 'They used it as exercise to work up a sweat .'] |
Today I was feeling better . But my stomach is still a bit twitchy . Breakfast : Oatmeal and coffee . Snack : Handful of trail mix . More coffee at work . Lunch : Various lunch meats , 2 cheese sticks , several Triscuits . My yogurt and some Weight Watcher granola . Snack : I had fruit left over from lunch that I was too full for at the time . | What may be a fact about this person ? | They are on a strict diet . | ['Other foods have been hurting their stomach .', 'They have lost weight .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
FIVE kittens : ) ) I took this one shortly after she gave birth using my phone . Not the best snap . I have some nice pics on my camera , but effin Vista is acting up again and when that happens the usb has a mind of it 's own so wo n't allow me to download them at the mo . Also took two lil vids on the camera and on the phone and ca n't open them either ! | Why is the narrator taking so many pictures ? | To capture their new pets . | ['None of the above choices .', "To capture their new camera 's pixel capacity .", "To capture their new film projector 's capacity ."] |
Now keep in mind it is up to the benefactor to start the proceedings of this process . The check was delivered . Now all she has to do is write a check off of this account to whomever and that s that . | Why are they waiting on the female 's urgent action ? | They want the money . | ['They want to eat .', 'They want to leave already .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
A proven method for effective textbook reading is the SQ3R method developed by Francis Robinson. The first is to survey (the S step) the chapter by reading the title, introduction, section headings, summary., and by studying any graphs, tables, illustrations or charts. The purpose of this step is to get an overview of the chapter so that you will know before you read what it will be about. In the second step (the Q step), for each section you ask yourself questions such as "What do I already know about this topic?" and "What do I want to know?" In this step you also take the section heading and turn it into a question. This step gives you a purpose for reading the section. The third step (the first of the 3 R's) is to read to find the answers to your questions. Then at the end of each section, before going on to the next section, you recite ( the second of the 3 R's) the answers to the questions that formed in the question step. When you recite you should say the information you want to learn out loud in your own words. The fifth step is done after you have completed step 2, 3 and 4 for each section. You review (the last of the 3 R's) the entire chapter. The review is done much as the survey was in the first step. As you review, hold a mental conversation with yourself as you recite the information you selected as important to learn. The mental conversation could take the form of asking and answering the questions formed the headings or reading the summary, which lists the main ideas in the chapter, and trying to fill in the details for each main idea. | Which of the following statements is true? | When you finish the last step, you will get both the main idea and the details. | ['In the last step, you should remember all the information.', 'The mental conversation involves answering the questions asked by the author.', 'While you are holding a mental conversation you select the important information.'] |
A young man returns to his hometown of Aractataca, Colombia. He visits the house where he lived as a child. Here, he remembers the most important memories of his childhood. Standing in front of his old house, the young man makes an important decision. He says to himself, "I will start my life over again. I will become a writer."
This man is the world famous writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born on March 6, 1928. During his early life, Garcia Marquez's grandmother and grandfather told him many stories. His grandmother would tell him legends as if they were real. Garcia Marquez says that his grandmother's way of storytelling later influenced his own methods.
When Garcia Marquez was about 20 years old, he left Aractataca and attended university in Bogota. He began studying law because this was what his father wanted him to study. However, Garcia Marquez was not happy.
During this time Garcia Marquez returned to Aractataca. It was on this visit that he realized he must stop studying law. And he recognized that he must return to the dream of his childhood-writing. For the next few years, Garcia Marquez wrote for many different newspapers. And in 1955, he published his first book called "Leaf Storm".
For many years, Garcia Marquez knew he wanted to write about his grandfather's house in Aractataca. To write this book, Garcia Marquez and his wife had to sell almost all of their possessions to survive. But their act was worth it. The book, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was immediately successful. And this book created a path for Garcia Marquez's future success.
In 1982, Gabriel Garcia Marquez was given the Nobel Prize in Literature for his book "One Hundred Years of Solitude", making him the first Colombian and the fourth Latin American to win a Nobel Prize in Literature. | What do we know from the text about Garcia Marquez? | He wrote for newspapers before publishing his own books. | ['He is the first Latin American to win a Nobel Prize in Literature.', 'His book "Leaf Storm" marked his great success in literature.', "He followed his father's wish to become a writer."] |
Benedykt Ossolinsky, age 39, began to grow childish.
On the first day of his midlife crisis, he stood in front of the mirror examining his receding hairline and wrinkles on his face. In that very moment, while staring at his reflection he found in his eyes that mad look he had last seen thirty years ago in a photograph taken at a tethered flying model competition. The photo was taken by Henryk the servant, when his little charge decided he wanted a red biplane model Curtiss Consolidated Skyhawk Cruisader 3A "Bingo Star".
This new look was also noticed by his co-workers, who for the most part, considered him to be an infantile spoiled brat. It fit with their idea of a boss.
And Benedykt was indeed the boss, even though he himself couldn't quite believe it. He was the head of a foundation for the self-promotion of the Ossolinsky family, well-known descendants of Polish-American aristocrats, engaged in business ventures there, and charity work here. The position was highly honorable and very prestigious.
Just as the employees didn't like Benedykt, in equal measure Benedykt didn't like his job. He considered it extremely stressful and felt it forced him to super-human sacrifices. Everything was arranged by the family as a penance for avoiding work. He had to go to the office at least three times a week for two full hours and entertain various smiling journalists, drink coffee with them and listen. He had to sign letters and open gifts from various companies hoping to win favors. And he had to play golf and attend social functions, movie premiers, shows and art exhibits. The family had only planned for three months of vacation time a year. Scandal! As a sign of protest he took to coming to the office wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "Attention, Baby!" on it. | Benedykt's new look was noticed by the co-workers: | after his midlife crisis. | ['not enough information', 'during the movie permier.', 'before the flying model competetion.'] |
Manny had Bob Marley cranking on the stereo, his van was full of passengers, and the air conditioning was working after a long week of giving him trouble. The sun beat down on the wet-looking asphalt road that ran along the harbor, next to the concrete waterfront. It curved along in front of the brightly colored Dutch Colonial warehouses of Charlotte Amalie, which were now converted restaurants and jewel shops. Tourists in day-glo shirts and daubs of sunscreen rubbed over peeling skin crowded both sides of the waterfront road. Manny slowed somewhat, keeping an eye on them. On the sidewalk by the shops a tall black man stood by a food cart. The hand-painted wooden sign hanging from the cart's side had faded letters. The man wore a grand suit with tails, like an orchestra conductor, and a top hat perched on his shaved head. A cigar burned in his mouth. For a brief second he held Manny's attention. Then the food cart's owner stepped forward and the strangely dressed man disappeared. Manny looked at the other side of the road. A white girl with oval shaped sunglasses and pink leather pants stepped off the sidewalk into the road in front of his van. He slammed on the brakes, trying to dodge her, but the van couldn't respond that fast. Her ponytail flew up towards the windshield and her head struck the star-shaped hood ornament. She bounced along the asphalt. Manny weaved the van to a stop, with swearing from the passengers in the back. He opened the door and stepped out into the heat. Get up, stand up, the radio cried out, and that was what Manny hoped would happen. He hoped that she would at least just stir and be okay. But she just lay there. | The white girl is: | dead | ['awake', 'not enough information', 'moving'] |
Title : The Five People You Meet in HeavenFandom : AnimorphsCharacter(s ) , Pairings : Tobias , mentions of othersRating : TWarnings : Book!verse with spoilers through the WHOLE series . Seriously . Ending and all . | What is the purpose of the meeting ? | The people all died . | ['None of the above choices .', 'They all have birthdays .', 'They are meeting to discuss the trial .'] |
So, there I was. Hanging out in my swimsuit, hair drawn back, just minding my own business and relaxing in the delicious, luxurious Scandinave Spa, a stone’s throw from Whistler town centre.
The husband and I had split up for the afternoon – he had decided to traverse the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb on the peak2peak gondola, and I’d chosen a slightly less terrifying mountain vista to enjoy.
It was just one of those days where we’d decided happily to do two different things, and meet up afterwards for a spot of dinner.
Cascading down the hillside, the Scandinave Spa’s rustic installations nestle on the edge of the Lost Lake Park spruce and cedar forest and promises to both relax and invigorate you, and provide an escape from daily stress. With several levels of hot and icy plunge pools, sauna and steam rooms, everyone wanders from indoor to outdoor relaxation spots – from sun-soaked spot to waterfall spout back massages. Bliss.
It’s also a place where silence is “essential to the experience. By embracing silence one finds inner stillness, leading to complete relaxation.” To be honest, most people who couldn’t be quiet i.e. me just talked in hushed tones, but it made for a super chilled few hours. Until…
…I was sitting in one of the steam rooms (does that make the title clickbait? Sorry – using the title ‘steam room with Lady Gaga’ made it sound as though we were chickens cooking in a slowcooker) and a very, very slim blonde lady slipped in. Queen Gaga herself.
I’ve got to be honest, sticking to the ‘no eye contact with other people who are chillaxing’ rule, I didn’t pay very much attention to what was going on, but after 25 minutes or so of basting relaxing, I stretched languidly – my bones like toffee – and wandered out to the next room, and looking up from the drinks table, had to blink several times as she followed me out. Trying to play cool, I tried keep a poker face (after all, she was there to relax and recuperate in the middle of a big Canadian tour, she didn’t need a random Kiwi gawking at her) and watched from the corner of my eye as she walked into one of the big yoga rooms. | When did Lady Gaga come into the spa where the author was relaxing? | while the author was in a steam room | ['before the author went to the steam room', 'not enough information', 'after the author was in a steam room'] |
There has also been a pastor 's conference going on through the leadership of Will , Tom and Kevin . The translators are amazing actors and the sermons have been more enjoyable and meaningful than anything I ' ve experienced in the United States ! Will and Sandy have been our fearless leaders through it all and have really helped to connect us , keep us laughing and realizing we are here to love . Under their leadership , anything is possible ! | Do Will and Andy have the faith of their minions ? | Yes , they are loved . | ['It is difficult to say .', 'Kevin is the star of the group .', "No because Kevin is n't mentioned ."] |
When I was six, dad brought home a dog one day, who was called "Brownie". My brothers and I all loved Brownie and did different things with her. One of us would walk her, another would feed her, then there were baths, playing catch and many other games. Brownie, in return, loved each other and every one of us. One thing that most touched my heart was that she would go to whoever was sick and just be with them. We always felt better when she was around.
One day , as I was getting her food, she chewed up one of dad's shoes, which had to be thrown away in the end. I knew dad would be mad and I had to let her know what she did was wrong. When I looked at her and said, "Bad girl," she looked down at the ground and then went and hid. I saw a tear in her eyes.
Brownie turned out to be more than just our family pet. She went everywhere with us. People would stop and ask if they could pet her. Of course she'd let anyone pet her. She was just the most lovable dog. There were many times when we'd be out walking and a small child would come over and pull on her hair. She never barked or tried to get away. Funny thing is she would smile. This frightened people because they thought she was showing her teeth. Far from the truth, she loved everyone. | Some people got frightened by Brownie when she _ | smiled | ['barked', 'rushed to them', 'tried to be funny'] |
Bali is a tiny island that is part of Indonesia today. It is a pretty island that has many mountains and a pleasant climate. For a long time, Bali was cut off from much of the world.
The people of Bali were happy and had a peaceful life. They were not allowed to fight. At one time there had been terrible wars on Bali. Then the people decided it was wrong to fight or have wars. They made rules to keep apart those people who wanted to fight.
Bali was divided into seven small kingdoms. The land around each kingdom was kept empty, and no one lived there. Since the kingdoms did not share the same borders , the people could not fight about them.
On Bali, even children were not allowed to fight. If two children started a fight over a toy, someone separated them. When two boys argued, they would agree not to speak to each other. Sometimes they did not talk together for months; this gave the boys a chance to forget their anger.
Families who were angry with each other also promised not to speak. Their promise was written down, and the whole village knew about it. If they broke their promise, they had to offer gifts to their gods. | Bali is an island belonging to _ . | Asia | ['Europe', 'Africa', 'America'] |
The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan dropped more bombs during the first quarter of 2018 than it has in the same period in any of the last 15 years, according to Pentagon data.
The increased bombing is the latest evidence the 17-year-old war in Afghanistan is significantly intensifying since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his new military strategy for the country in August.
Coalition planes dropped 1,186 weapons on Afghanistan during the first three months of 2018, according to figures released by U.S. Air Forces Central Command. The previous record (1,083) was set during the height of the war in 2011. The U.S. has not released 2001 to 2003 airstrike data.
Those figures do not include activity by the Afghan Air Force (AAF), which has stepped up its aerial bombardment since gaining the ability to conduct airstrikes two years ago. The AAF carries out between 4 to 12 airstrikes every day, according to the Afghan Ministry of Defense.
If recent trends are any indication, 2018 is likely to get even more violent. Fighting traditionally picks up during the warmer months, and the coalition has expanded its bombing campaign against the Islamic State group, as well as narcotic labs and other Taliban revenue sources.
But there is little indication the expanded airstrikes are helping end the conflict, says Thomas Johnson, an Afghanistan specialist who teaches national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
"It's basically a tactic of desperation," said Johnson, author of Taliban Narratives: The Use of Power and Stories in the Afghanistan Conflict. "There's never been an insurgency in history that's been defeated purely through air power."
Even high-level U.S. military officials concede the conflict remains a stalemate. According to the latest U.S. military estimate, the Afghan government controls 56 percent of Afghanistan's districts, with insurgents controlling or contesting the rest.
Insurgent attacks also have continued. Nearly 60 people died Sunday when an Islamic State suicide bomber attacked an election identification card distribution center in Kabul. The Taliban has also rejected October's scheduled parliamentary elections as "fake," and stage-managed by "foreign occupation" forces. | What is probably true of President Trump? | He believes the insurgents are a danger to democracy | ['He believes a treaty can be negotiated', 'not enough information', "He doesn't think the insurgents are a real threat"] |
I recently ran into a friend I hadn't seen for a long while.Our conversation was lively and full of news from both sides.Before we parted she said,"You'll have to drop in sometime." I immediately sensed that if I simply "dropped in'' I would take my friend by surprise,and I would be discouraged by the image of her standing in her doorway,staring at me,and asking,"Oh,err ...what brings you here?"
Whatever happened to the unannounced drop-in visit? When I was growing up in the 1960s, it seemed that people - mostly relatives, but also friends - were always _ . My parents would put coffee on,and my mom would find something in the kitchen to serve along with it.Then the conversation would begin...The neighbor lady,a worrier,was unloading her sadness while my mom quietly listened.The Irish man next door had such an accent that I remember asking what language he spoke.My Polish relatives arrived in packs...But I never heard my parents say anything like "We weren't expecting you'' or "This isn't a good time."Drop-in visitors had a certain right of way and became No.1.
What happened to such visits? Actually I know the answer.Times have changed.Everybody gets busy with work.There is no longer a stay-at-home mom keeping a pot of hot coffee or tea ready throughout the day for a surprise guest.Exploding malls and stores are now replacing homes as a central form of entertainment.
Just the other day a former student of mine showed up."I'm sorry for the surprise visit."my student began."I just wanted to see if you still lived here.I'll only stay a minute."My response was immediate." No, you won't," I said."Just come in, sit, have coffee, and we'll talk.''
I had nothing in the kitchen but we ordered pizza.And we had a lovely time.I have tried to keep the drop-in tradition alive though it takes some effort. | The author thought of his friend's invitation --- "You'll have to drop in sometime"--- as _ . | a kind of politeness | ['a nice way of refusal', 'an excuse of leaving', 'an expression of surprise'] |
A fellow speaker from California named Geri flew to Japan, in her favorite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.
When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Geri to tea in the lobby . While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, "Oh, it's beautiful!"
At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said "Sayonara" and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong?
Everything! Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if you're coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet c1ients casually dressed. The second mistake was Geri's handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other's cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.
Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Geri hadn't even given them a gift! | The third mistake Geri made was that she _ . | kept her clients' cards in a wrong place | ['used her own card as a conversation starter', "took her clients' cards with one hand", 'met her clients in jeans'] |
As U.S. political candidates make their final appeals, voters in 35 states will decide policy issues Tuesday that include legalizing recreational use of marijuana and restricting access to guns and ammunition, voting yes or no on nearly 160 state ballot initiatives.
California's Proposition 64, which is leading in the polls, could create a multibillion-dollar marijuana industry by legalizing the recreational use the drug for adults in the state. Similar measures are on the ballot in Arizona, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts.
Marijuana could be legalized for medical use in Florida and three other states. Medical marijuana is already permitted in half the 50 U.S. states, and recreational use is allowed in Alaska, Colorado, Washington state, Oregon and the District of Columbia.
Marijuana is banned under federal law, but U.S. officials have taken a hands-off approach on the issue.
Voters in Maine and Nevada are considering measures that would expand background checks for gun purchases, which is already required for buying guns from dealers, by extending the provision to private sales.
Californians will consider measures requiring background checks for buyers of ammunition and banning high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Washington state has a measure that would allow the courts to bar the sale of guns to individuals deemed an extreme risk to themselves or others.
Californians are considering whether to eliminate the death penalty with Proposition 62, or to maintain capital punishment and make the process more efficient with Proposition 66, which supporters say makes it more fair to victims of violent crimes.
Twenty states and the District of Columbia have abolished or overturned capital punishment on the grounds that it is unequally applied to minority populations and that innocent people are sometimes convicted.
South Dakotans will decide whether to make statewide offices nonpartisan and create a citizens commission to redraw voting districts after each 10-year national census, removing the task from legislators, said by critics to be self-interested. | What is probably true about people in twenty states of the US? | they felt the death penalty was unfair | ['they wanted the death penalty to stay but Trump overturned it', 'they felt the death penalty was able to be completely fair', 'not enough information'] |
The researchers, led by Hwang Woo-suk, insist they cloned an Afghan hound, only to help investigate human disease, including the possibility of cloning stem cells for treatment purposes.
But others immediately renewed calls for a global ban on human reproductive cloning before the technology moves any farther.
"Successful cloning of an increasing number of species confirms the general impression that it would be possible to clone any species of mammals, including humans," said Ian Wilmut, a reproductive biologist at the University of Edinburgh who produced the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, from an adult cell nearly a decade ago.
Researchers have since cloned cats, goats, cows, mice, pigs, rabbits, horses, deer, mules and gaur, a large wild ox of Southeast Asia. So far, efforts to clone a monkey or another primate with the same techniques have failed.
Uncertainties about the health and life span of cloned animals continue to exsist; Dolly died at a young age in 2003 after developing cancer and arthritis.
Wilmut and others _ Hwang's achievement, reported Wednesday in the journal Nature. But they said politicians and scientists must face the larger issue -- how to go on with the research without crossing the moral boundary of copying human life in the lab.
"The ability to use the technology is hopeful," said Robert Schenken, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. "However, the paper also points out that in dogs as in most species, cloning for reproductive purposes is unsafe."
The cloned puppy was the lone success from more than 100 dogs implanted with more than 1,000 cloned embryos.
In a news conference in Seoul, the cloning team also condemned the reproductive cloning of humans as "unsafe and inefficient." Human reproductive cloning already is banned in South Korea. Other nations, including the United States, are divided on whether to ban just human cloning or cloning of all kinds, including the production of stem cells. | Accrding to the passage, scientists haven't been able to clone a _ so far. | monkey | ['deer', 'mule', 'mouse'] |
Have you ever sat around and thought about how you’d create your dream kitchen if you had the chance? Well, we are on the verge of a move (whenever the house sells, we’ll move), and I keep thinking that I need to sit down and write a list of our “would likes” and our “must haves.” That way, when we are house hunting, we’ll already know what we’re looking for.
For a chance to win an Un Amore custom-designed KitchenAid Stand Mixer from PartSelect, I have been thinking about the top three “would likes” for our new kitchen and decided to check out what KitchenAid has to offer! I discovered three appliances that would change our reality kitchen into a dream kitchen.
We have two young boys that will change into tweens and teens before we know it. Big Brother has always been a good eater, open to trying just about anything we put in front of him. However, discovering that he actually does have some control over what he does, he’s lately turned up his nose on occasion. Little Brother is exactly like me when I was young. He turns his nose up at just about anything. Although he did just spend a week with his grandparents and decided he would eat and make up for lost meals…and make me out to be a liar!
Anyway, I keep reminding myself as I find myself challenged at mealtimes, that soon enough, they’ll be eating us out of house and home. So, one of the larger dream kitchen appliances I’d like in our home would be a double oven! I just think it’d come in really handy when trying to keep up with their metabolism down the road!
When you’re preparing a lot of food, you’re typically buying a lot of products, and the garbage and recycling bins fill up faster than ever as well. The second dream kitchen appliance I wouldn’t mind having would be the KitchenAid Trash Compactor, reducing our use of garbage bags and trips to the outside dumpster. Plus, I think I’d like not having to smell the garbage all the time! | What would make their life easier? | Crushed trash | ['New kitchen', 'Stand mixer', 'not enough information'] |
Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the great nineteenth century English novelist, was born near Portsmouth. His father ran heavily into debt and when he was twelve, he had to go and work in a factory for making boot polish. The only formal education he received was a two-year schooling at a school for poor children. In fact, he had to teach himself all he knew. He worked for a time as junior clerk in a lawyer's office. After that, he worked as a reporter in the law courts, and later in parliament, for London newspapers. His career as a writer of fiction began in 1833 with short stories and essays in periodicals, and in 1837 his comic novel The Pickwick Papers made him the most popular author at his time in England.
He was a great observer of people and their places because he was attracted by life and conditions in mid-nineteenth century London. He wrote 19 novels all his life and in many of them, Dickens gave a realistic picture of all classes of England society, showing deep sympathy for the poor and unfortunate, exposing the injustice and inhumanity of the bourgeoisie .
Many of his novels like Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and so on drew attention to the unsatisfactory social conditions that existed in England over a hundred years ago.
Dickens criticized capitalist society from the point of view of bourgeois humanism. He wished to see improvement in the living conditions of the poor, but failed to find any effective means to achieve that end. | According to Dickens, the society at his time in England was _ . | unsatisfying | ['just', 'poor', 'comfortable'] |
Contestants from around the world met in Pomona, California, this month to test their skills at things like driving a car, walking down stairs, and opening doors. Sounds easy, right? But the competitors weren't people--they were robots!
The bots were participating in the final round of the US's DARPA(Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Robotics Challenge. This event, which took place on June 5-6, tested robots on how well they could respond during a disaster and the winning team finally took home a $2 million grand prize.
The DARPA challenge was created after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. An earthquake caused a tsunami, which damaged a nuclear power plant. Workers at the plant needed to shut off an important valve , but it was too dangerous for humans to reach it. The US scientists at DARPA wondered whether the disaster could have been avoided if a robot had been sent to do _ . So they set up the robotics competition.
Turning a valve was just one task a robot might have to perform when entering a disaster zone. In addition to doing this, robots participating in the challenge had to navigate a course containing several other tasks: driving and exiting a vehicle, opening a door, walking over or clearing objects, cutting a hole in a wall, plus climbing a flight of stairs.
Teams had to complete the challenge in one hour, and points were awarded based on how quickly the robots completed a task. They didn't have to attempt all the tasks. To make things even more realistic, challenge organizers caused short computer-system blackouts that prevented robots and the human operators controlling them from communicating. That means teams had to program their robots to be partially autonomous . Robots also couldn't be attached to anything that could keep them from falling down, which happened a lot. | What do we know about this year's DARPA challenge? | Its winner got a cash prize. | ['It lasted five days.', 'It was held in Japan.', 'Its winner will work in Fukushima.'] |
There is an old Chinese proverb that states "One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy of responsibility and unconditional love, which _ mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, says, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you." This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother's emotional well-being. It isn't that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother's well being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always "trumps" friend. | Why do many mothers and adult daughters keep a rewarding relationship? | Because they have a lot in common. | ['Because they have common family values.', 'Because they have no generation gap.', 'Because they keep a constant relationship.'] |
Baby is home from the vet . They were able to retrieve several foxtail seeds out of her feet and clean the wounds while she was sedated . Between that and the antibiotics , her feet already look much better . | What was baby doing before she went to the vet ? | Running in an open field | ['I was carrying baby home', 'Baby and I were sleeping on the sofa', 'None of the above choices .'] |
We gave Tiger swimming lessons in our plastic wading pool. I taught the kitten the way Pa taught me: I threw him into water where he could not stand, and I watched, ready to grab him if he went under. Tiger did not thrash desperately like me. He merely paddled urgently for the edge of the plastic pool with his head high and his thin legs churning. Little Bit said, "Dog paddle," and we all laughed. "Tiger paddle," I said, and we all laughed some more, even Jordy. That was probably when Ma noticed the kitten swimming lessons and stopped them.
Our swimming lessons happened in two places. When Pa took us, we went to Hawkins Springs behind Mrs. DeLyons' Fountain of Youth Motor Hotel. When Ma took us, we drove to Mermaid Springs State Park, where we would sometimes meet Mr. Drake.
I liked Mermaid Springs better because I felt safe there. Ma could not swim, so she never made me jump off a dock into deep water, and she always insisted that I wear an orange styrofoam cylinder on my back like a skindiver or spaceman. Ma usually sat on a towel on the grass near the beach, reading a magazine or a book while tanning her legs. Every now and then she would call to us not to go too far or not to splash each other. When she wore her one-piece red swimming suit, she would come in up to her waist, then lower herself to her shoulders, being careful not to get her hair wet. On the rarest occasions, she would wear a swimming cap and float on her back in the shallow water. Often she stayed in her shorts and shirt, adding sunglasses and removing shoes as her concession to summer and the beach. | Where did they get Tiger? | not enough information | ['a friends barn', 'at a Hawkins Springs shelter', 'they found him'] |
The human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms, but it can, hold much more information than most computers. However, there is another difference between humans and computers. Computers don't forget information they are given, but humans often do. No one remembers everything, and luckily we don't usually have to. But everyone can improve their memory if they want to. Here are some suggestions.
* Try to use new information immediately. For example, if you meet someone who says "Hi! I'm Carlos," don't just say "Hello." Repeat the person's name. Say" _ "
* Break a big number into smaller parts. For example, it's hard to memorize 109244153. But if you break it into three parts--109/244/153--it becomes easier.
*Write out what you need to remember over and over again. This will help you keep it in mind longer, especially for memorizing formulas or facts.
*Always review information. If you bring what you've learned back to your mind, they become easier to remember. For example, before you go to sleep, it's a good idea to review the new things you learned that clay.
* Discuss with a friend. It is always easier to remember things through discussions. You can have a discussion about what's right and what's wrong, and it will lead to the right answer.
*Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory. You can always do something to help improve your memory. And everyone's memory gets better if they use it often enough.
All of the suggestions are helpful. If you follow them, you are certain to improve your memory. | What can help memorize a big number more easily according to the passage? | To break it into stunner parts. | ['To store it in a computer.', 'To discuss it with a friend.', 'To review it before you sleep.'] |
It is natural for young people to be critical of their parents at times and to blame them for most of the misunderstandings between them. They have always complained, more or less justly, that their parents are out of touch with modern ways; that they are possessive and dominant; that they do not trust their children to deal with problems; that they talk too much about certain problems--and that they have no sense of humor, at least in parent--child relationships. I think it is true that parents often underestimate their teenage children and also forget how they themselves felt when young.
Young people often make their parents angry at their choices in clothes and hairstyles, in entertainers and music. This is not their motive. They feel cut off from the adult world into which they have not yet been accepted. So they create a culture and society of their own. Then, if it turns out that their music or entertainers or vocabulary or clothes or hairstyles make their parents angry, this gives them extra enjoyment. They feel they are superior, at least in a small way, and that they are leaders in style and taste.
Sometimes you are resistant, and proud because you do not want your parents to agree what you do. If they agree, it looks as if you are betraying your own age group. But in that case, you are supposing that you are the underdog; you cannot win but at least you keep your honor. This is a passive way of looking at things. It is natural enough after long years of childhood, when you were completely under your parents' contro1. But it ignores the fact that you are now beginning to be responsible for yourself. If you plan to control your life, cooperation can be part of that plan. You can attract others, especially your parents, into doing things the way you want. You can impress others with your sense of responsibility, so that they will let you choose what you want to do. | Teenagers tend to have strange clothes and hairstyles mainly because they _ . | want to show their existence by creating a culture of their own | ['have a strong desire to be leaders in style and taste', 'have no other way to enjoy themselves better', 'want to make their Parents angry'] |
She said she actually was going to recommend the conversational French class , but it 's full with three people on the waitlist , and I think I need theoretical grounding more anyway . 201 begins with review of all the tenses that have I ' m so foggy on , so there 's a good chance that if I scramble and study a lot of this will come back to me . There were a lot of very young woman , in maybe their early twenties , taking the placement test , and one woman who looked around thirty . Nobody older , no men . | What may be a fact about the speaker ? | They are signing up for their semester courses . | ['They are a student in high school .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They are studying hard for their French class .'] |
Oh, yes, I accidentally insulted a bully.
It was awesome.
This was about a month ago. It was the last day I worked. Memorial Day at the city rec center is SLOW, especially when it's beautiful outside, but for some reason, we had two front desk attendants: me, and “bully #1”.
Bully #1 clearly had a major distaste for me. She hated my tattoos, the way I would get into a heated debate one day with a police officer patron, then have a fantastic conversation with him days later about legalizing marijuana. She hated that I was liked, but still could give fuck-all about what others thought of me.
Bully #2 was our financial director, who got stuck as the manager on duty that day. I honestly never had a clue she didn't like me. She was intense and sarcastic with everyone. I liked her style.
On this day, I really got the feeling they were trash talking me pretty hard, the way they kept disappearing, talking over me, laughing like mean girls. I blew it off, because I was down an internet rabbit hole, trying to wrap my brain around some concepts.
I was looking at a word, and while I like to think I know exact definitions, sometimes I ask people their take on it. Many psychological terms have some subjective meaning.
I spun around in my chair, locked eyes with #2, and asked her:
“What do you know about Machiavellianism?”
I swear to God, all I wanted was her take on it (she's a smart cookie), and all hell broke loose. I now realize that she thought I was passive-aggressively accusing her of said word. They got really nasty (behind my back, of course). They retreated to the back for awhile, and left me by myself. Cue loud, mean girl laughter.
When #1 resumed her post next to me at the front desk, I calmly told her, “I'm cashing out, and leaving. I'm uncomfortable.”
And I did.
It was noon. We were closing at 1. I figured those bitches could handle it on their own. | After they insulted the bullies, the author probably: | avoided them from then on | ['became close friends with them', 'told a supervisor about their behavior', 'not enough information'] |
I found amongst heaps of wildflowers and crickets an old rusted barn and inside there was a strange pile of wooden ducks . I got back from the walk to find Maren waiting for me on the trampoline with an umbrella in case of rain . Last night I laid in Anna 's bed with her and listened to Gershwin . My body was still sore from exploring the cave earlier that day and had ample scratches and bruises to prove the extent of the dark and drippy expedition . | Why is the narrator feeling so much pain ? | None of the above choices . | ['The wooden furniture making has left them sore .', 'The barn work has hurt them .', 'The farm work has hurt them .'] |
When I was entering my Sophomore year in High School, we had just moved from a single 4-way stop-sign town, to a bigger city with actual city buses! In order to get to school, I had to ride a city bus for the 1st time, without information/assistance! I barely managed to squeeze in and had to stand on the step of the packed bus on the way to school. BTW, smoking was STILL happening on these buses! I noticed every time we went around a corner, it seemed a bell would ring. I falsely assumed it meant HANG ON! So, when it was time to return home, the bus was not as crowded, and I actually was able to sit down. Again, every time we turned the corner, a bell would ring. So I held on tight! As we neared my bus stop to get off, the bus whizzed past it, without stopping! Panic began to set in quickly. I already had a very strange, long day in a new 3 story school building, and I smelled like cigarette smoke! I quickly moved to the empty seat behind the driver, and told him he didn’t stop where I needed to get off. He asked me if I rang the bell. I admitted to him, I had no knowledge of riding on a city bus. He was kind, explained to pull the bell pull 1 block prior to my stop. He explained he would circle back around and I could get off at my stop on the return trip. I was SO relieved! However, now I was 1/2 hour late getting home, especially stressed and tired from the new school and bus fiasco, AND I smelled like cigarette smoke! When I walked into my house, I was immediately confronted on why was I late, why did I smell like smoke, etc.! I burst into tears, and had to tell about my horrible day, but I didn’t get into trouble! WHEW! | How long was the students ride to school? | Less than an hour | ['not enough information', '10 minutes', 'an hour or two'] |
one week ago , i took what perhaps may be my last springtime walk around campus . my , my how quickly time has gone by . just three years ago i was looking forward to my high school graduation . now i am staring the last semester of my undergraduate years in the face . | What will happen to the narrator after this latest stop ? | The narrator will start applying for jobs . | ['The narrator will look to work out .', 'The narrator will go back to school .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Bright blue Citi Bikes are becoming a fine sight in the New Yorker street. New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more pedaling passengers on those blue Citi Bikes. But what about local bike shops ? Is City Bike booming at their expense? At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca, a manager who gave his name as "Ben W." said the shop has seen an increase in its overall sales due to the bike-share program. "It's getting more people on the road, more people learning about the sport and getting involved," he said. An employee at Danny's Cycles in Gramercy said Citi Bike is a good option for people in a city famed for its traffic jams and aggressive drivers. "They can try out a bike without buying one:' James Ryan said.
Rentals are not a big part of the business at either Gotham Bikes or Danny's Cycles. But for Frank's Bike Shop, a small business on Grand St., the bike-share program has been bad news. Owner Frank Arroyo said that his rental business has decreased by 90% since Citi Bike was launched last month. Arroyo's main rental customers are European tourists, who have since been drawn away by Citi Bikes.
However, Ben said the bike-share is good for bike sales at his shop. "People have used the bike-share and realized how great it is to bike in the city, then decide that they want something nicer for themselves," he noted.
Christian Farrell of Waterfront Bicycle Shop, on West St. said at first he was concerned about bike-share, though, he admitted, "I was happy to see people on bikes."
Farrell's early concerns were repeated by Andrew Crooks, owner of NYC Velo, at 64 Second Ave. "It seemed like a great idea, but one that would be difficult to put into use:' Crooks said of Citi Bike. He said he worried about inexperienced riders' lack of awareness of biking rules and strong negative reaction from non-cyclists. However, he said, it's still too early to tell if his business has been impacted .
While it's possible bike-share will cause a drop in business, Crooks agreed that the idea is a positive step forward for New York City. | What happened to Gotham Bikes as a result of the bike-share program? | It saw its bike sales on the rise. | ['It found its bike sales unaffected.', 'It changed its business to rentals.', 'It rented more bikes to tourists.'] |
Mass transportation revised the social and economic fabric of the American city in three fundamental ways.It catalyzed physical expansion, it sorted out people and land uses, and it accelerated the inherent instability of urban life.By opening vast areas of unoccupied land for residential expansion, the omnibuses, horse railways, commuter trains, and electric trolleys pulled settled regions outward two to four times more distant form city centers than they were in the premodern era.In 1850, for example, the borders of Boston lay scarcely two miles from the old business district; by the turn of the century the radius extended ten miles.Now those who could afford it could live far removed from the old city center and still commute there for work, shopping, and entertainment.The new accessibility of land around the periphery of almost every major city sparked an explosion of real estate development and fueled what we now know as urban sprawl.Between 1890 and 1920, for example, some 250,000 new residential lots were recorded within the borders of Chicago, most of them located in outlying areas.Over the same period, another 550,000 were plotted outside the city limits but within the metropolitan area.Anxious to take advantage of the possibilities of commuting, real estate developers added 800,000 potential building sites to the Chicago region in just thirty years - lots that could have housed five to six million people.
Of course, many were never occupied; there was always a huge surplus of subdivided, but vacant, land around Chicago and other cities.These excesses underscore a feature of residential expansion related to the growth of mass transportation: urban sprawl was essentially unplanned.It was carried out by thousands of small investors who paid little heed to coordinated land use or to future land users.Those who purchased and prepared land for residential purposes, particularly land near or outside city borders where transit lines and middle-class inhabitants were anticipated, did so to create demand as much as to respond to it.Chicago is a prime example of this process.Real estate subdivision there proceeded much faster than population growth. | Why does the author mention both Boston and Chicago? | To show mass transportation changed many cities. | ['To demonstrate positive and negative effects of growth.', 'To exemplify cities with and without mass transportation.', 'To contrast their rate of growth.'] |
I mumbled some form of " I ' m sick , but getting better " with a hopeful look on my face . She nodded , looking entirely un - convinced of the getting better part . She brought my soup and hot tea fast enough that I was sure the motive was more than good service . She wanted me to leave before my germs infected her . | Why was the narrator being brought soup ? | The narrator is ill . | ['The narrator is eating at a place with great service .', 'The narrator is eating at a restaurant .', 'The narrator is at a restaurant with great service .'] |
A new factory that turns used wine bottles into green sand could revolutionize the recycling industry and help to filter the nation's drinking water.
For the last 100 years special high grade white sand quarried at Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire has been used to filter tap water to remove bacteria and impurities--but this may no longer be necessary.
The green sand has already been successfully tested by water companies and is being used in 50 swimming pools in Scotland to keep the water clean.
_ by one million pounds from the European Union and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(Defar), a company based in Scotland is building a factory to turn beverage bottles back into the sand from which they were made.
The idea is not only to avoid using up increasingly scarce sand in Scotland and avoid any further quarrying but also to solve a crisis in the recycles only 750 000 tones of it.
Howard Dryden, the scientist and managing director of the company has spent six years working on what he calls Active Filtration Meadia, or AFM, the recycled glass. He says he needs bottles that have already contained drinkable liquids to be sure that drinking water would not be polluted.
"The fact is that tests show that AFM does the job better than glass, it is easier to clean and reuse and has all sorts of properties that make it ideal for other applications, "he claimed. He also thinks the market will be able to take 250 000 tones of green sand a year. The plan is to build five or six factories in cites in UK where the bottles come from to cut down on transport.
The factory will be completed this month and is expected to go into full production on January 14 next year. Once it is providing a "regular" product, the government's drinking water inspectorate will be asked to perform tests and approve it for general use by water companies. | According to the passage, the new idea can do the following except _ . | cutting down the cost on transport | ['avoiding using up increasingly scarce sand', 'avoiding further quarrying of white sand', 'solving the crisis in the recycling industry'] |
Cyril was a small town. The houses there were all made of wood; almost everything in the houses such as cupboards, tables and chairs were made of wood, too. And all the houses faced south. The town was never peaceful. Fire broke out once a week on summer afternoons. Residents were puzzled who the real firebug was.
One day a big fire broke out. It was said that a Negro had jumped out of the house on fire, so the police arrested all the Negroes in the street. However, fire never stopped to breaking out when the Negroes were in prison.
Mauson, a physics teacher didn't believe that the Negroes were the firebugs, for he really knew about those Negroes, He made up his mind to find out who the real firebug was.
One day he was invited to drink in a pub and happened to notice that many bottles and plastic plates were baked by the hot sunrays. Suddenly he realized what the actual fact was. He jumped with joy, saying, "I've got the answer!"
Mauson dashed out of the pub to his friend's house nearby, which also faced south. He made an experiment there to confirm his idea.
The next Saturday afternoon, Mauson asked some policemen and newsmen to come to the house. They were told that the real firebug would be shown there. At that time the sun was shining full into the house and it became hotter and hotter inside the room.
Someone wanted to draw the curtains together, while another was going to use a bottle to drink water, but neither got permission from Mauson, who wanted to let the firebug in.
"Now," said Mauson, "this house will soon catch fire." People looked at each other in surprise. Mauson asked them to look at the bottles and focus on the table cloth. After a while the cloth gave off a burning smell and began to catch fire!
The mystery of fire was discovered, but the police wouldn't believe him and insisted that Negroes had been the firebugs. Instead they arrested Mauson and put him into prison. But Mauson said he would never turn against science. | Why did the police arrest all the Negroes? | They were suspected to be the firebugs. | ['One of them had jumped out of the home on fire.', 'The police hated the Negroes.', 'The Negroes knew something about the fires.'] |
As I said at the beginning , the theme of this movie is love , ultimately and truly . No one kind of love , but the love we all share and know . Romance , friendship , lust ; this movie gives the subtlest look into each and finally into the dirty truth of what love is at it 's core as illustrated somewhat hastefully into the credits . | Why was the narrator so moved by the movie they saw ? | They related to the romantic tones . | ['They related to the violence .', 'They related to the story of a lost family member .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Before I could start to really freak myself out , I felt Simon 's body stretch behind me as he woke up . " G'morning . " His voice was barely more then a rumble against my ear , and it was not fair how much that turned me on . He drew me tighter to him , and seemed perfectly content to lay still as we were . | Why was Simon whispering in her ear such a turn on for the speaker ? | She enjoyed how close to him she felt , and how much his guard was down | ["She did n't know why she was turned on , in fact , she was n't even sure that she was", 'She has a whispering fetish , and this is a prime example of that phenomenon', 'She was pretending to be turned on , so that he would be distracted , and she could go through his phone'] |
Once again, I've analysed my year of travel to see if I'm any closer to reducing it year on year. It's an annual habit, and if often kicks off new ideas that might affect my team's next year of work. The good answer is: yes, there is less travel! And not just that, but having reduced the schlepping I do, I've been able to hire more amazing people to lead on our work, and celebrate one of NoTosh's best years ever in terms of the quality, quantity and breadth of work we're doing.
Key to traveling less has been a marked increase in the number of folk who see and are now reaping the value of working with us online. I've avoided as many as 20,000 miles of travel thanks to greener clients, who are also many dollars better off having not paid for the airmiles that are wrapped up in our regular fee structure.
The quality of our work is better, too, thanks to this. We are doing fewer of those day-long workshops with teachers or leaders, when an hour or even thirty minutes before the day gets started is more worthwhile. We're seeing more school leaders take this up, although it's harder to get teachers into the habit of taking 30 minutes 'me time' to jump into a coaching session on the day or week ahead. But it's starting, and the value to us all is huge. Coaching is very different to 'consulting a Personal Learning Network' on Twitter. It's intense, targeted, focussed and involves a one-on-one discussion that arrives quickly at resolutions to current day challenges that will have a long-term impact. And we come back to measure whether that impact actually happened. I don't think it's a way of working that many are used to in Education, although many corporate clients have had some rare experience with it. Encouraging both groups to take more regular time out for coaching, little and often, is a real challenge, but we're beginning to see some huge impact from relatively little input (and relatively few dollars!). | The online training probably lasted | a few weeks | ['a few months', 'a few days', 'not enough information'] |
I can't remember a winter being as cold as this in Pennsylvania, but I'm sure there were colder days.
Even though the daylight hours are growing longer minute by minute, it's easy to find an excuse not to go out unless you ly must, but then again I often have to push myself to accomplish things.
People I speak to have been in all kinds of _ moods. They say they're "under the weather," not feeling good about this time of year.
As I stood outside with my two dogs yesterday, it was so cold that my nose and face felt frozen and my ears were stinging.
Of course, that doesn't matter to Ricky and Lucy. They have a routine they must go through to find just the fighting spot no matter how cold or hot it is.
So I wait.
But this time it was different. As cold as it was, I suddenly was excited thinking about how wonderful this extreme cold really was.
Then the sun broke through the clouds and memories of summer's extremely hot days flashed through my mind. I could remember standing in the heat of the afternoon, with sweat pouring down my brow and the hot, burning sun against my face. I reminded myself then and there that in the cold of the winter I would wish I had this heat.
I was grateful for the extremes. Without the extremes in my life, I would never appreciate the days when things were just right. Without the extremes, life would be boring.
It's being pushed to one of the extremes that makes us appreciate the middle more. Health challenges remind us that we need to pay more attention to how we live. Financial extremes remind us that when things go smoothly it's also time to save for raining days. ks5u
I've come to the conclusion that all too often I find a reason not to be happy with where I am at that moment.
Whether it's hot or cold, good health or bad, in the money or out of it, I always
want it to be different.
I'm tired of being "Under the Weather!" | That day the writer waited in the terrible cold because _ . | his dogs had a routine | ['his dogs wanted to hunt', 'he wanted to face the cold bravely', 'he wanted to be different'] |
"So, Jenny tells me jury selection is going well," said Buford, puffing small billows of Cuban cigar smoke into the phone with each syllable.
"Yes, I think so too."
Kyle was speeding down FM-2208 in his new Lexus SC 430, headed toward Coreyville. He could barely make his lease payments, but he had to have that car. It screamed success-- especially with the top down. His wavy head of hair would be easily restored to perfection with a few brush strokes.
"Well, you be sure to take her advice. She knows how to pick a jury."
Buford figured some of Kyle's attention would be focused on getting Jenny into bed, but he didn't think it would jeopardize the case.
"Don't worry, Mr. Bellowin, I will."
At only 27, Kyle Serpentine had already developed a successful practice in Longview, defending every kind of crook. Some of them paid handsomely. He idolized Buford Bellowin. Buford had grown up in Coreyville and earned his Bachelor's and Law degree at University of Texas, graduating near the top of his class.
Now he was a high-priced, infamous defense attorney headquartered in Dallas. Nicknamed 'The Bell', he had never lost a case. Even in law school, his mock trial team always won.
And Buford put on a show in the courtroom. So, the gallery was always packed with those who wanted to see The Bell in action. Occasionally, some hotshot would think he could outsmart him. But Buford was the teacher, and it was his classroom. Before the prosecutor knew what hit him, The Bell would ring, and school was out.
"The D.A. really thought she could get a jury out of that pool of forty, didn't she? She thought this was gonna be a cakewalk. They don't get many murder trials in Coreyville. That's good for us. And she'll make more mistakes. Mark my words." | Who is the District Attorney? | Jenny | ['Buford', 'not enough information', 'Kyle'] |
It was an early September day, cool and bright and just right for running, and I was in the first few miles of a lO-knownmile race over a course with a few high hills. Still, I felt energetic; despite the hills it was going to be a fine run.
Just ahead of me was Peggy Mimno, a teacher from Mount Kiseo, New York. She too was running easily, moving along at my speed. The pace felt comfortable, so I decided to stay where I was; why pay attention to pace when she was setting such a nice one? I'd overtake her later on when she tired.
So I ran behind her. The course headed north for miles, wandered west for a hilly mile, then turned south again along a winding road. The race was getting harder. We had four miles left and already it was beginning to be real work.
Peggy overtook a young runner. She seemed to know him, for they exchanged a few cheerful words as she passed him. Their exchange worried me. You don't chat during a race unless you feeling good, and Peggy plainly was.
Still, I was close enough to overtake her if she tired, so I didn't give up hope completely. We were getting nearer to a long, punishing hill now and it would be the test. We were a mile from the finish line, so whatever happened on the hill would almost determine who crossed it first.
As I moved up the hill, my attention wandered for a few minutes. When I looked up, Peggy was moving away--first five yards, then ten, then more. Finally it was clear that there was no help of catching her. She beat me soundly.
There is an important lesson in that race. Women are thought to be weaker, slower and not nearly as skilled in sport. Yet as Peggy Mimno so clearly showed, the similarities between men and women runners are more important than differences. I have run with a number of women, and I can say it is often hard work. | What lesson does the writer learn from the race? | Women are as good as men in sport. | ['Women are better at climbing hills.', 'He should have more training in a cross-country race.', 'He should set a quicker pace at the beginning of a race.'] |
Therefore , my beloved brothers , be steadfast , immovable , always abounding in the work of the Lord , knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain . ( 1 Corinthians 15:58 - ESV ) Why bother to labor ? It is worth the work , because He is worth the work ; even if it does n't seem to work out it is worth it . | What activity does the narrator participate in on Sunday mornings ? | The narrator would attend church on Sunday mornings . | ['The narrator visits with his brothers on Sundays .', 'The narrator works hard labor on Sunday mornings .', 'The narrator does nothing but yard work on Sunday .'] |
House buyers have three main choices: building from the ground up, moving into an old house or buying a new one. All the three are very different and should be considered carefully. Your budget will probably have the biggest effect on your choice. Comparing the three will help you make a good decision.
New houses are untouched and fresh, which means they can suit your personality and you know exactly where all of the materials come from. New houses won't hold many unpleasant surprises, such as weak foundations, or other damaged areas. Most of these modern houses are also far more eco-friendly, with future decoration being just as easy to make and do as you like. Buying new houses is also a great way to save money, and you may find its benefit with the price going up in the future.
Some buildings, such as those that are rare or in certain areas, are of value over the years. Sometimes it is the history that draws more buyers into older houses. A famous person may have lived there, or an important event may have taken place in the house. This may not add any value to the house, but it can add to the attraction. There may be more repairs which will need to be done in the old houses,so before you think you've found a great bargain, be sure to get a careful inspection.
There are those who prefer building from the ground up. Building your own house can be a very rewarding, tiring, and expensive experience. While people have many expectations of planning and building their own houses, one thing is sure: it will take a while. There are always difficulties during construction, so you always find the construction time will be longer than your plan, not to mention the budget. Time can add up as well as materials and costs. Building is a good choice for those who are able and qualified. | The writer seems to believe that building a house of one's own is _ . | costly | ['easy', 'interesting', 'impossible'] |
I have been a teacher for many years and so many of my students have done nice things for me…..they are just nice people.
I retired last year and was a substitute teacher this last school year. In June a teacher I had just subbed for a half day needed emergency surgery and I was asked to go in and finish her year. Good thing it was in an area I knew…English and Social at the grade 9 level. The kids were pretty good…some were a handful but most of them were very accommodating. They were also writing important provincial exams at the end of the year and were getting stressed out about it.
As I was getting them ready to write their exam, I took a few moments to thank them for welcoming me into their classroom and making my job…while not easy….at least a rewarding experience.
One boy who seemed to complain about everything….thanked me for taking ownership and preparing them for final exams. I had recognized that his argumentative nature was his way of dealing with stress and tried not to let it affect my teaching. That mostly worked. There was a time when I told him, quite loudly, that if he had spent his time getting ready to do assignments instead of arguing…he could have been finished days ago. He just nodded his head and got to work. It was a nice gesture that he was able to thank me for doing my job….that he recognized that some things were out of his control and to just get on with it. A life lesson that I am still learning, by the way.
Every day lately, I have had something nice happen to me with my students. I am feeling blessed. | What is probably true about the student? | The student is easily frustrated which makes him angry. | ['The student has difficulty dealing with a new teacher.', 'The student is happy.', 'not enough information'] |
I have a size 6 pink pair of Abercrombie jeans ! I ' m amazed I can even fit into them but I can ! and I also got a size 10 pair of Donatos jeans which are blue with tan trim down the legs and man they are SO TIGHT but I can still wear them but go figure the difference in sizes and brands . I usually take a 7 or a 9 in pants anyways . | Why is the narrator so surprised with the jeans they have ? | The narrator feels there is great discrepancy in sizes . | ['The narrator feels are all unimpressive .', 'The narrator feels the jeans are all too tight .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Walking down any of Shanghai's main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries. Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money. Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount , the message couldn't be clearer-- it is the season to part with one's hard-earned cash.
Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home. But for Shanghai's 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season's commercial greetings. Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree with lights, or a snowman.
With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas. But some people still don't think Christmas is an important festival in China. At least it is less important than the New Year and China's Spring Festival. | Why do some young Shanghainese show great interest in Christmas? | They want to follow the up-to-date western fashions. | ['They think themselves connected with Christmas celebrations.', "They think Christmas is more important than New Year's Day.", 'They want to part with their hard-earned cash during Christmas.'] |
The Collections of Chinese Ancient Cultural Relics Abroad: Volume Victoria and Albert Museum has just been published, the fruit of ten years' efforts by Chinese experts.
The book is the first of an upcoming series that centers on ancient cultural heritage collections in different museums around the world. The book details 195 out of 18,000 items now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in England.
More than 1.64 million ancient Chinese artifacts have been transported out of China because of different reasons such as wars and smuggling since the mid 19th century. More than 200 museums in 47 countries hold such collections, according to a report from UNESCO.
"The information we now have about these pieces is still very patchy ," said Lu Zhangshen, curator of the National Museum of China. "In order to have a clearer picture about these items, National Museum of China decided to start the Chinese Ancient Cultural Relics Abroad book project in 2005. But after we began, we found it really difficult to collect information for every piece from each museum. That's why the first volume took us ten years."
"The pieces in the book include 102 porcelains , 31 bronzes , 22 lacquer , 10 enamel vessels and so on," Liu Mingqian from Victoria and Albert Museum said.
According to the National Museum of China, the volume of the Japanese museum Sen-oku Hakuko Kan is coming out soon and the museum will seek more cooperation from museums worldwide to accelerate the project. | Which of the following best describes Lu Zhangshen's attitudes towards the Chinese Ancient Cultural Relics Abroad book project? | meaningful but difficult | ['worthwhile but expensive', 'reasonable but worthless', 'meaningless but hard'] |
The "Neighborhood Watch" scheme all started a few years ago in the quiet village of Mollington after a number of burglaries in the village and the surrounding area. The villagers came up with the idea that they themselves could keep an eye on their neighbors' possessions while they were away on holiday. Since then, and with the support of the government and police, more than 50,000 "Neighborhood Watch" schemes have been set up all over the country.
The object of each "Watch" group is to reduce the opportunities that criminals have in any particular street or area. Each villager who is a member of the scheme will call the police whenever they see something suspicious. It is the police who actually check out each report and look into what is happening. Villagers who are part of the "Watch" are not supposed to act as police or put themselves in danger.
When a new "Neighborhood Watch" scheme is set up in an area, one benefit is that most burglars dare not take a chance on breaking into someone's house because they know that there is a high risk of being seen by neighbors keeping a lookout. Burglars also know that people are more likely to have fitted good locks to their doors and windows.
Another benefit is that, since the "Neighborhood Watch" schemes came into existence, there is growing evidence of a new community spirit. It is bringing people together as never before, and encouraging people to care for each other. New friendships are being made, and contact is often established with old people living on their own, who are often the most frightened and the most at risk. | When members of a "Watch" group see suspicious individuals, they should _ . | contact the police | ['try and arrest them', 'call the other members', 'try and frighten them away'] |
There are many Spanish gossip magazines being published around the world. If your Spanish is good enough, these magazines will offer a lively look into the private moments of the beautiful, rich and famous, and provide entertainment and at the same time, help you practice your Spanish.
DiezMinutos: The magazine is a classic Spanish gossip feast with daily news based on many stories of love, separation, divorce and death. The two main parts are headlined "love"and "partners".They also have an online version of the magazine for serious gossip addicts.
Hola: It is Spain's top weekly magazine and the leader of the gossip world. It contains many pictures and a round-up of well-known and less well-known nobles and people in show business. Apart from edited highlights from the present and past issues, there is a report of the week and photo of the week. There is also a French version calledOhLa!
RevistaCUORE: As the third best-selling gossip magazine in Spain, it is mainly aimed at younger teenage readers who look not only for current celebrity gossip, but also for fashion and TV news. It uses a lot of oralterms.
RevistaSEMANA: It is a Spanish magazine covering the latest news on the famous in Spain and Hollywood. It also offers its readers information on fashion, beauty, cooking and travel.
RevistaLECTURAS: Practical, friendly and informal, this magazine is one of the most widely-read gossip magazines on the Spanish market today.
Marujeo.com: It is a blog serving up a daily diet of national gossip news on Spanish and international celebrities and the celebrity world from a particular point of view.
RevistaCARAS: It is a magazine published in various countries of Latin America. It is also exported to certain parts of the United States, bringing together strange and wonderful news from around the world and the famous Latin community. | How many of the magazines mentioned in the text can be read on the Internet? | One. | ['Two.', 'Three.', 'Four.'] |
What color do you like best? Do you like yellow, orange and red? If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, or an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grey and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are likely to be strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us. They have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference, and the effects that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you do so as soon as you open your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
Black is
while light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one does, and a red dress adds warmth and cheer to sad winter days. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark grey.
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a few colorful things. Also remember that you will know your friends (and your enemies) better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about you when you choose a piece of handkerchief. | 67. According to the passage, men's 110-meter hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang is most likely to love the color _ . | green | ['black', 'grey', 'brown'] |
Hundreds of great books are published in America every year. And every year, editors, critics and other readers try to choose a list of favorites.
A few books showed up on list after list of the best fiction from this year. One of them was Ann Patchett's State of Wonder. Publishers Weekly described the novel as one " _ ." The story centers on a drug researcher from Minnesota named Maria Singh. She travels to Brazil to investigate the death of a co-worker. Her search takes her deep into the Amazon area and danger. But she also goes deep into her own soul for a close look at who she is, what she has lost in her life and how she wants the future to look. Ann Patchett lives in Tennesee. She told Publishers Weekly magazine that the state is dense and leafy, like the Amazon jungle. She visited that area while doing research for the novel.
Chad Harbach's name was also all over the critics' best lists this year for his first book, The Art of Fielding. The New Yorker magazine praised the novel for the easy way it joins a love of baseball with a love of literature. The book is about a college baseball star. He suffers a mental crisis and begins to fail on the playing field as a result. But the book is about much more than the sport of baseball. It also is a story of love, loss, friendship and growing up. Chad Harbach says his own upbringing influenced the book.
The Marriage Plot also got a lot of attention this year. It is the third book from Pulitzer Prize winner Jeffrey Eugenides. He spent almost ten years writing it. The Marriage Plot is also a story about becoming an adult. It follows the lives of three students in their final year of college and beyond. Leonard struggles with manic depression, Mitchell, with religious belief and Madeleine struggles with her feelings for both men. | What is the passage mainly about? | The introduction of three well reviewed books. | ["People's reading preference.", 'Three famous writers.', 'The common features of interesting books.'] |
British potato farmers were angry and wanted the expression "couch potato" to be taken out of the dictionary because it harmed the vegetable's image.
The British Potato Council wants the Oxford English Dictionary to replace the expression with the term "couch slouch", with protests being outside Parliament in London and the offices of Oxford University Press.
Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the Council, which represents some 4,000 planters and processors, said the group had complained in writing to the OED but had yet to receive a response.
"We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad for you," she said on Monday.
"The potato has had its knocks in the past. Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary's fault but we want to use another term instead of "couch potato" because potatoes are naturally healthy."
The OED says that "couch potato" began as American slang, meaning "a person who spends his or her leisure time sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes."
The Potato Council says its campaign is backed by dieticians who say the vegetable is low in fat and high in vitamin C.
Supporting the campaign, famous cook Antony Worrall Thompson said the vegetable was one of Britain's favorite foods.
"Not only are they healthy, they are also convenient and yummy . Life without potato is like a sandwich without a filling," he said.
John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the dictionary first included the term "couch potato" in 1993 and said "dictionaries just reflect the words that society uses."
Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words in 20 volumes.
But little-used words can be removed from the smaller dictionaries to make way for newer ones.
"If society stops using words then they get taken out of the smaller dictionaries," he added.
The first known recorded use of the expression "couch potato" was in an article in Los Angeles Times, in 1979, Simpson said.
Nigel Evans, a member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, has made a motion in support of the campaign, highlighting the nutritional value of the British potato. | What is wrong with the expression "couch potato" according to the farmers in this passage? | It is connected with unfavorable meaning. | ['Potato should be used in the expression.', 'It is borrowed from America English.', 'It refers to a kind of person.'] |
So I really do nt like writing in a white box with a limit of how much i can say . I am a diehard romantic and am looking for someone to sweep me off my feet ! I always put my partner first and I am looking for someone who will put me first and love the puddin ? out of me . | What nay be the reason to post this ? | To say how much they want to be loved . | ['To make a shopping list .', 'To talk how much they love their friends .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Erik wants to climb Mount Everest. He loves to climb, and there is no place greater for climbers than the top of 29,035 feet, the world's highest mountain.
Erik is blind. He has been blind since age 13, when an eye disease robbed him of his sight. His new book, Touch the Top of the World: A blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See, describes his blindness and climbing. He is the first blind man to attempt Everest. The team reached the base camp at 17,800 feet last Wednesday and began its climb Saturday. If all goes well, Erik will reach the top on about May 15.
"I'm not just some broken blind guy," Erik, aged 32,said for hours before he left Los Angeles on Friday for Katmandu, Nepal. "1 put my life in my fellow climbers'hands, and they put their lives in my hands. It's an honor to reach that state. "
"I want to experience the sense of adventure. Blindness has nothing to do with that. But a message of the climb is that a blind person can join a team and climb the highest mountain in the world. "
Erik has climbed the highest tops on four continents: North America's Mount McKmley, South America's Aconcagua, Africa's Kilimanjaro and Antarctica's Vinson Massif. He is an expert rock and ice climber, having scaled El Captain in Yosemite National Park. When he was 16, he attended a school that taught blind people to be independent. One day, a group went rock-climbing. "1 really liked it," Erik said, "You can solve problems. It is sense in your inner mind. People didn't think blind people could go out and become expert rock climbers. | What can we learn from the passage? | Nothing is impossible. | ['Hard work Leads to success.', 'Practice makes perfect.', 'Every advantage has its disadvantage.'] |
But he was n't there . Then as I was in town cashing a cheque , my friend calls me & tells me that the owner is there then & that I should " come right now " . Then he said " What 's your shoe size ? " and I thought " Heh ! | What might be the type of store that the owner has ? | He is the owner of a footwear store . | ['He owns a check cashing store .', 'He owns a taxi service store .', 'He owns a taxi service store .'] |
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A PS1.50 fee applies to all bookings made online and via telephone - one fee per booking.Children must be accompanied by an adult.Group rates are available for groups of more than 10 people.Groups can book by calling 0870 442 2371 or online. | .The text is probably taken from _ . | a website | ['a newspaper', 'a magazine', 'a geography book'] |
I was at the Car Pool getting Mrs. Astro 's car washed . I stood in front of the vending machine and decided I wanted a root beer . I reached for my wallet and started sifting through my receipts . I noticed I had two bills . | Why was the person in front of a vending machine ? | He noticed he was thirsty and wanted some root beer to quench his thirst . | ['None of the above choices .', 'He was trying to keep out the way of the people washing the car .', "He needed to get out of the car as Mrs. Astro 's car was being washed ."] |
This Friday is TombSweeping Day, one of the three traditional festivals that are included as the Chinese mainland's public holidays starting this year. Together with the Dragon Boat Festival in June and MidAutumn Festival in September, the authorities say observing these days is aimed at protecting folk culture and customs.
Chinese nationwide should thank Chen Jing, a 68yearold folk artist and professor from Nanjing University for the move. "It is certainly a favorable gesture for the promotion and preservation of folk culture and customs," Chen said. In 2006, Chen proposed to the authorities to make TombSweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival, a public holiday. His suggestion received wide support from other folk artists. "TombSweeping Day means a lot to the Chinese," Chen said. It is a day for people to honour their ancestors.
Two years ago, on his trip to honour his ancestor in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, he found the train full of people, most of whom were the elderly. From the conversation with them, he found the elderly thought it necessary to include young family members in the festival's activities, while working people also wanted the chance to honor their ancestors. Among those he spoke to was an elderly man from Hongkong, who told Chen TombSweeping Day is a holiday in Hongkong for paying tribute to ancestors. Chen was inspired by the experience and insight from these people and put forward the suggestion for the holiday during an interview by mainstream media.
"If we do not take immediate action, our traditional folk customs will be forgotten by the younger generation," he said. His idea soon spread all over the country and was echoed by many scholars and experts. | The best title of the passage is _ . | One man's mission to help keep a traditional custom alive | ['How people observe TombSweeping Day', 'The aim of protecting folk culture and custom', 'TombSweeping Day, a traditional Chinese festival'] |
Many French academics,teachers and parents complain because they feel that intellectual levels are falling rapidly!The figures prove it:young people visit museums less,spend their lives chatting on the Internet,read nothing but Stephen King,while watching American soaps such as Friends or reality shows like Star Academy on television,music player glued to their cars,and the games console handy.
It is,however,easy to see these habits in a positive light.Music is the favorite leisure activity:86% of 14-to18-year-olds put it at the top of their activities,above the cinema(71%),clubbing(68%),sport(56%) and television(48%).For 90% of young people aged 14to 18,radio is also very popular:they listen to it every day without exception.International popular music has a strong showing,but songs in French are still in the majority(60%).
Young people do,of course,watch a lot of television,but less than their elders,and if they tend to choose mostly soaps and reality TV shows,that is because these are the programs people talk about,which encourages social interaction.Do young people read less than they used to?Maybe,but that's also true of the elders.Young people still read more than their elders.When asked,"Do you like reading?",94% of 14-to-18-year-olds say they do,and 81% are convinced that computers will never replace books.
Contrary to popular belief,reading continues to occupy an extremely important place in leisure-time activities,but the reading matter young people choose has changed considerably:there is a greater variety of media(computers and new technologies) and young people admit to taste they would perhaps have been ashamed of in the past.For example,comic strips,Stenphen King or other authors not recognized by mainstream culture,such as Betty Mahmoody (Not Without My Daughter),Mary Higgins Clark or Jostein Gaader (Sophie's World).As Beatrice Toulon,Editor in Chief of the magazine Phosphore,see it,"They don't read the same things as their parents did,but they are not afraid to admit it.They have their own culture,which they flaunt openly!" | Which of the following can be best title for the passage? | Young People and Culture in France | ['The Future of Books', 'More Books,Less TV', 'Young People and Their Elders in France.'] |
Now , about ships . Xander / Cordelia : Saw this coming in the first season , and am quite excited about it . I love Cordelia and I love those two together , all their fighting scenes are great and the few times they are really nice to each other I ca n't help but be " Awww ... " about it . She was even willing to date him as a sea monsters . | What is Xander 's relationship to Cordelia ? | They are romantic partners . | ['They are enemies .', 'They are frenemies .', 'They are combatants to one another .'] |
Dear Mr./Ms,
I would like to suggest that the starting time be changed at our school. Classes at Sebastian Valley Middle School simply start too early in the morning. Getting eight to nine hours of sleep each night is almost impossible when classes begin at 7:30 am. In order to shower, dress, get organized, eat a quick breakfast, and meet the school bus by 6:45, I would have to get up at 5:45.
Early in the morning, students are too sleepy to learn well. Without enough sleep, young people cannot think clearly or enjoy learning. According to a report called "Are Students getting Enough Sleep?" From Sebastian Valley Times, "Sleepiness disturbs concentration, reduces short-term memory, and causes bad feelings."
Researchers have learned that teens normally fall asleep and wake up later than adults. Teens who stay up late at night have trouble getting up early in the morning. Studies show that some schools have already adjusted school hours to better match the teen sleep cycle , as a result, students in these school are learning better on the new schedule .
Some of my classmates argue that starting school an hour later will prevent them from taking part in after-school athletic programs. A solution would be to carry out these programs before school instead of after school. The students who are involved in sports and clubs would continue to arrive at the usual time. The rest of the student body could get a little more sleep and arrive an hour later.
Teens usually have a later sleep cycle, and learn and behave better when rested. So I would like to suggest that we have a meeting to discuss the problem and listen to all the students' voice.
Thank you for considering this request ! | In Tom's opinion, classes should begin at _ . | 8:30 | ['6:45', '7;30', '8:00'] |
“Please remember me to myself!”
When sliding toward mania in 2016, I begged this of my therapist. He cocked his head.
“What do you mean?”
I had no idea—on a conscious level—what I was asking for, just that I felt in a desperate sense that the self I knew was slipping away. An inability to recognize myself either in my writing or in reflecting upon my own actions was taking over.
And then…? I didn't care.
I wanted to kiss girls.
Which is fine—just not something I ordinarily do.
I wanted to drink, smoke.
Again, fine—but not something I ordinarily do.
“Do I seem…okay?” I asked a colleague at work. A woman I barely knew. Insanely, I thought that since she worked with disabled students, many of whom struggled with mental illness, she would know mania when she saw it.
This was a rather foolish assumption—especially since she's an educator, not a psychiatrist, especially with how skilled I am at wearing the mask of calm, the face of sanity.
“You seem great, Julie. Cheery. Professional as always.”
I let her reassurance placate me. Wanted to be placated.
Yet, within months I lost my job. And not only that, but a chance at a scholarship, two really important long term friendships—relationships I'd enjoyed since high school. I was hospitalized three times between September and February. I lost my ability to trust myself, lost my mind.
It is now a little over two years since I first felt that sliding. Twenty-six months since I knew that somewhere in the deepest parts of who I am, I was slipping. Nine seasons since I begged Dr. Poe, “Remember me to myself!”
I'm still recuperating.
Yes.
I have felt like I wasn't me. | Why did Julie's relationships with her friends from high school end? | not enough information | ['Because of her mental illness.', 'Because she felt her sense of self slipping away.', 'She lost contact with them.'] |
To master a language one must be able to speak and understand the spoken language as well as to read and write.Lenin and his wife translated a long English book into Russian but when they went to England in 1902, English people couldn't understand a word Lenin and his wife said, and Lenin and his wife couldn't understand what was said to them.This shows the importance of spoken language.
Speaking, of course can't go without listening.If you want to pronounce a word correctly, first you must hear it correctly.The sounds of Chinese and English languages are not exactly the same.If you don't listen carefully, you'll find it difficult or even impossible to understand the native speakers.
Well, what about writing? Like speaking, it's to exchange ideas.People usually use shorter words and shorter sentences in their writing.
The important thing is to make your idea clear in your mind and then to write it in a clear lively language.
Chinese students read too slowly.If you read fast, you understand better.If you read too slowly by the time you have reached to the end of a page you have forgotten what the beginning is about.When you meet with new words don't look them up in the dictionary.Guess the meaning to form the context. You may not guess quite correctly the first time but as new words appear again and again in different context their meaning will become clearer and clearer. If you look up every word you'll never finish a book.
Students of a foreign language need a particular knowledge, the knowledge of the life, history and geography of the people whose language they're studying. They should study those subjects in the foreign language not only in translation.In this way one can kill two birds with one stone: learn a foreign language and get some knowledge of the foreign country at the same time. | In England Lenin _ . | and Englishmen couldn't understand each other | ['could be understood by Englishmen', 'could understand Englishmen', 'and Englishmen could understand each other'] |
One night in February 1962, John H. Glenn, Jr. flew overprefix = st1 /Australia. The man in the Mercury capsule was alone, but friendly voices reached him by radio. Over the dark land 100 miles below, he saw sparkling lights. It marked the city of Perth, where people had turned on their lights as a greeting to him.
In Friendship 7, Glenn radioed, "The lights show up very well. Thank everybody for turning them on." His capsule moved on to the east.
"During his three orbits of the earth, Glenn could always reach one of the 18 tracking stations. Some of them were on ships at sea. Others were in theUnited States.
Many of the stations had been built with the help of other countries. These countries allowed Americans to bring in radio equipment and set it up. Without the help of such lands asNigeria, Zanzibar andMexico, there would have been breaks in the worldwide radio network. John Glenn, Jr. was the first American to orbit the earth. For his flight, the tracking network covered 60,000 statute miles . 500 men worked in the stations along the route. Since his flight, the network has grown. Today, it covers more than 100,000 statute miles and has about 100 stations. One-third of these stations are outside theUnited States. | People in the city of Perthturned on lights to _ . | greet Glenn | ['see Friendship 7', 'guide Glenn to land', "celebrate the date of Glenn's flight"] |
Danger-junkie orangutans in Borneo climb dead trees and shake then until they begin to fall. They scream with excitement as they cling to the falling tree. Just before the tree hits the ground the orangutans leap to another tree or vine, narrowly escaping death. While no one cab ask orangutans if they enjoy it as a person playing an extreme sport, one animal behaviorist sees this monkey fun as a bit of harmless thrill-seeking.
A growing number of scientists agree that animals are conscious and capable of experiencing basic emotions , such as happiness, sadness, boredom or depression. A few scientists even see the possibility for higher animal emotions like love, jealousy and spite.
Five years ago, behaviorist and animal-rights activist Dr. Jonathan Balcombe stood on a Virginia hotel balcony watching two crows intimately groom each other in the comfort of an abandoned billboard. He felt that the birds liked what they were doing, even if engaged in a natural, beneficial act, such as picking parasites off the other's feathers. That moment changed the way he would view animals forever and led to a book, "Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good", which is filled with hundreds of examples of animals living it up thanks to developed senses of touch, taste, sight, sound and smell.
Balcombe recounts a favorite example of Kenyan hippos having high-end spa treatment in a fresh water spring. They splay their toes, open their mouths wide and wait for a school of cleaner fish to remove parasites and slough off dead skin, he recalls. Balcombe knows that the hippos and the fish both benefit from this arrangement. "My interpretation is that it is also enjoyable for them ," he says. | Danger-junkie orangutans shook the tree to _ . | enjoy themselves | ['get some fruits', 'train their escaping skills', 'frighten other animals'] |
The US plans to extend its endangered species protection to lions in Africa. US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will classify lions in southern and eastern Africa as threatened. The move will place tighter restrictions on the import of lion "trophies ", such as paws or heads.
While the US cannot regulate hunting in other countries the move is significant because around half of all lion hunting in Africa is conducted by Americans. According to FWS data, more than 5, 600 lions have been killed and imported by American hunters over the past decade.
Under the new FWS rules, bringing lion parts to the US will be banned in most circumstances if the animal is from a country where lions are endangered. Hunters will have to show the trophies were "legally obtained" from countries that have a scientifically sound management program that benefits the subspecies in the wild.
This regulation is expected to place a far greater burden of proof upon hunters who claim that the money from lion hunting has been used to help communities in Africa and the overall conservation of lions. The persistent downward trend in lion numbers, due to habitat loss and hunting by locals and foreign tourists, suggests there has been little conservation benefit from organized hunts.
An international study, published in September, found African lion numbers have decreased by half since 1993, with a further 50% decline expected over the next 20 years for populations in west, central and east Africa.
"The lion is one of the planet's most beloved species and an irreplaceable part of our shared global heritage," said Dan Ashe, director of the FWS. "If we want to ensure that healthy lion populations continue to wander around the African savannas and forests of India, it's up to all of us--not just the people of Africa and India--to take action." | Why is the move of US significant? | Around half of all lion hunting in Africa is conducted by Americans. | ['The lions have been killed and imported by American hunters.', 'That is due to habitat loss and hunting by locals and foreign tourists.', 'The money from lion hunting has been used to help communities in Africa .'] |
I ' ve only spoken to him two or three times since he left , so either he 's having a great time or they wo n't let him use the phone in the Mexican prison . | Why would this person reference Mexican Prison ? | The person is making a joke about their friend being arrested while in Mexico . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Their friend is an international drug lord .', 'Their friend has a lengthy criminal record .'] |
Two friends have an argument that bleaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, "In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence". Given that this is the case, why aren't students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?
First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult . For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn't in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.
Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, name-calling, and accusation only add fuel to the emotional fir On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.
After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution; listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker's position. Then the two people should change roles.
Finally, students need f. consider what they are hearing. This doesn't mean trying to figure out what's wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these: How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid off As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn't, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.
There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn't mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, "64 percent of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75 percent of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92 percent of the students felt better about themselves". Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country. | This article is mainly about. | how to deal with school conflicts | ['the lives of school children', 'the cause of arguments in schools', 'how to analyze youth violence'] |