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Maurice Sendak's children's book, Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, has become very successful throughout the years and was made into a movie earlier this year.
The book's main character is a boy named Max who gets into trouble with his mother and is sent to bed without any supper. Before long, Max's room magically becomes a forest, and he sails away to a land where monsters(,) live. Max isn't scared, though, and becomes king of the wild things, but after a while, he begins feeling homesick. Max sails back home and his supper is still hot when he arrives in his bedroom.
Many teachers and professors like this story and use it to help children develop creativity and imagination. Melina Davis, an education professor, said she likes how the book contains a couple of pages that have only pictures on them. "This allows children to shape the story themselves," she said.
The book contains a few of larger words that some parents worry may confuse children, but experts say those words help improve children's reading skills and challenge them.
Davis said the book is well written which helps kids get involved in the story. "The book talks about what all children go through, like 'I was naughty but my mommy still loves me'," Davis said.
The book also encourages children to face their fears. "I think it's really good to show that Max makes friends with the monsters," Davis said. "Kids can find out monsters aren't always the thing under the bed that's going to scare them. I think this is good because it shows that the children can go to scary places but still have a positive experience."
Since the book has been successful throughout the years, a movie was recently made and many people are excited to see it. Davis said she thinks the movie will be wonderful but it might be a little scary for younger children. "You don't want bad dreams over a book that's extremely wonderful," Davis said. | What's the author's purpose in writing the passage? | To comment on a famous children's book. | ['To advise parents to help children to improve their reading skills.', 'To encourage children to face their fear and become more imaginative.', "To introduce a movie based on a children's book."] |
so yesterday was eventful i went to school and then i went to danceworks for lyrical and jazz and it was fun i did nt know anyone in the class so whatever . but so after that i picked up andrew i went home changed quick and we went to some job fair at DP highschool . | What is the narrator and Andrew likely to do next ? | Ask for applications . | ['Ask about danceworks .', 'Ask about Jazz .', 'Ask about class .'] |
Today was fabulous . I had my first client , my first ticket , and my first tip ... It was so exciting . I shook for the first 10 minutes of the hair cut , but after a few minutes it just came naturally . All the girls on my side of the room watched and said I was good with shears ... I think I ' m still a bit shaky from all the hub - bub today . | What may be the reason why she is experiencing so many firsts ? | She just started a new job . | ['None of the above choices .', 'She has used too many drugs .', 'She is clean and sober finally .'] |
I do , however , have people forever asking me if they can borrow one . One woman at the tram stop this morning asked if she could borrow mine . We ' ve shared lighters before when our butts have crossed . I told her that I ' ve quit smoking . | What may be a valid fact about the woman at the tram stop ? | She needed a lighter this morning . | ['None of the above choices .', 'She gave me her lighter this morning .', 'She has quit smoking .'] |
Out of boredom, two scientists from the New Contagious Diseases Research Centre devised themselves a new game. One day, as a result of the suspension of a research project dealing with a dynamically mutating vaccine following the pattern of the eyesocket flu bacillus, they had absolutely nothing to do until the end of the day, because the boss didn't order them to wash test-tubes.
They decided to play a game of hockey under the microscope. For a puck they used one of the millions of experimental bacillus, and one-arm pincettes, which as it happened also resembled hockey sticks, served as sticks.
The bacillus was not happy with it at all. It wanted to rest after an exhausting task involving vaccine discouragement, and these whitecoats here planned to put it to work yet again. And this time the work was much more labor-intensive and even more exhausting than before, but the condition and health of the tired bacillus not as good as in the times of youth, about two hours ago.
The scientists got excited. On a microscope slide they etched a hockey rink with laser, agreed on the rules, connected the microscope's camera to the big screen display and played until the morning. They had to change pucks several times, but that was fine, they had millions of them in stock.
The next day they didn't have anything to do either and they continued to play. They even invited other colleagues and the popularity of the game was so huge they could afford to play it in a championship system. Soon, the games were joined by the guys from the car-repair garage next door. They were tough opponents and even tougher fans - they took from the lab and carried away with them several flasks and some equipment, as it turned out - to set up their own game station in pit number 5. | What happened to the first bacillus after the hockey game? | It died. | ['It grew and multiplied.', 'not enough information', 'It took over the lab.'] |
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. | What is probably true about Lady Gaga? | most guests at the spa knew who she was | ['a few guests at the spa knew who she was', 'not enough information', 'most guests at the spa had no idea who she was'] |
Many people think the search for cleaner energy leads only to renewable resources like sun, wind and water. But it also leads to a fossil fuel. Natural gas is considered the cleanest of the fossil fuels, the fuels created by plant and animal remains over millions of years.
Burning it releases fewer pollutants than oil or coal. The gas is mainly methane . It produces half the carbon dioxide of other fossil fuels. So it may help cut the production of carbon gases linked to climate change.
Russia is first in what are called "proved reserves" of natural gas. The United States is sixth. Over the years, big oil and gas companies recovered much of the easily reached supplies of gas in America. They drilled straight down into formations where gas collects. As these supplies were used up, big drillers looked for similar formations in other countries.
But now the industry is taking a new look. Companies are developing gas supplies trapped in shale rock two to three thousand meters underground. They drill down to the shale , then go sideways and inject high-pressure water, sand or other material into the rock. This causes the rock to break, or fracture, releasing the gas. Huge fields of gas shale are believed to lie under the Appalachian Mountains, Michigan and the south-central states.
Gas shale exploration is being done mainly by small to medium sized companies. Eric Potter is a program director in the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin.
ERIC POTTER: "The types of opportunities that are left for natural gas exploration in the U.S. have changed. So it's a different class of resource -- not as easy to develop, and not even recognized as something worth pursuing, say, twenty years ago."
He says more than half the gas in the United States is now coming from these new reserves.
But hydraulic fracturing can also produce debate and anger over the risk of groundwater pollution. This method of drilling is not federally supervised under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Some in Congress want to end that exemption from the law.
Natural gas provides Americans with about one-fourth of their energy. And, unlike oil, most of it is produced in America. Gas producers invested heavily in reaching new supplies when prices were high. But prices are down sharply now because the recession cut demand for energy. So energy expert Eric Potter says it is too early to know how the new gas shale reserves will affect the market. | When did gas producers invest heavily in finding new supplies of natural gas? | When people's demand for energy increased. | ['When natural gas provided Americans with about one-fourth their energy.', 'When Americans began to look for cleaner energy', 'When the economy was in recession.'] |
John Denver has got international fame as a pop star, songwriter, actor and environmental activist ( ). Songs like Take Me Home, Country Road, Rocky
Mountain High and Annie's Song have become very popular. But less than thirty years ago, John Denver was a young man with little more than a fine voice, a guitar, and a dream. Growing up in conservative family, he was not believed to drop out of college and head to Los Angeles, where the music scene was flowering. Nor was he believed to succeed.
In Take Me Home, John Denver talked about the story that shaped his life, with the story of the rich inner journey of a shy Midwestern boy. With honesty and cleverness, he wrote about his childhood, the feeling of moving to Los Angeles as the 60s came, his first lucky breaks, his first songwriting success with leaving on a Jet Plane and finally got a world fame.
He also wrote about his relationship with his first and second wife, as well as his parents, his children, his partners through his life and his friends.
Honest and rich in the book that only a natural-born storyteller could write so well, Take Me Home is very good from the beginning to the end. It's like spending a few days with a good friend. | John Denver wrote his songs about many things except _ . | the problems of environment | ['his first success in songwriting', 'his family members including his parents, his wives and his children', 'his life in los Angeles'] |
Relatives of a dying lady I was caring for kicking and screaming not to give their Mum pain relief because they were so terrified / knew it would probably be the thing to end her life.
She had a horrible aggressive cancer that ravaged her whole body and needed very regular doses of strong pain relief which - as she had a terminal illness and was receiving end of life care - did not have an upper limit so to speak. She had pain relief as and when needed to make her comfortable and that often results in people ultimately overdosing.
Mum had Alzheimer's and was howling and writhing in agony so we were giving her pain relief but daughters knew it would probably result in her death - which they were right about possibly happening and in their grief and panic, started trying to prevent us from doing anything. Didn’t want us getting near her at all and we had to go through an awful scenario of trying to explain what we had to do for Mum and why and when they still wouldn’t have it or allow us near, we had to do what nobody wants and go against their wishes by administering the pain relief anyway.
One daughter screamed the place down, threatened to have me arrested and struck off / said she would go to the papers and tell them about how we killed her Mum and in the end she had to be removed from the bedroom.
Her Mum was given the pain relief, immediately relaxed and fell asleep then died peacefully in her sleep about 15 mins later.
The saddest thing is her daughter wasn’t able to be there and see her Mum dropping off so peacefully and her last memory will forever be of her screaming and thrashing about as she (daughter) was physically removed from the room.
Tragic. | What drug was the Mum given | not enough information | ['A nasid', 'An opiod', 'Fentanyl'] |
Four tons of hay I paid for over the winter , feeding Norman along with my horses twice a day . Despite repeated requests to either reimburse a portion of the cost or at least bring his own hay , the guy just could n't be bothered . Come spring he advised us he 'd be moving Norman over to his mom 's place , since her pasture was getting knee - deep in grass . | What might happen after Noman moves his horses to his mom 's place ? | Her pasture will be shorter . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Norman will return his horses to my pasture .', 'Norman will reimburse his mom for the hay .'] |
President Donald Trump capped what has been a difficult week politically with an all-out push for tax reform Friday. In a speech to the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington, Trump promised to deliver on a “giant, beautiful, massive, the biggest ever in our country, tax cut.”
Trump is eager to move past setbacks on health care reform and the results of a Republican Senate primary Tuesday in Alabama where he found himself on the losing side. The president and his administration also have been on the defensive over hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.
Senate Republicans put off a vote on a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare after it became clear they did not have enough votes to pass the measure, thanks to a handful of Republican defectors.
Democrats expressed relief they had beaten back another attempt to undo former President Barack Obama’s signature achievement, the Affordable Care Act.
“The reason this bill failed is because millions of Americans didn’t want it,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters at the Capitol.
On the same day, Christian conservative and former judge Roy Moore easily won a Republican Senate primary in Alabama, defeating incumbent Luther Strange, whom Trump had supported.
“We are put here on Earth for a short time, and for that short time our duty it to serve almighty God,” Moore said in his victory speech.
Moore has made controversial statements on a number of issues in the past, but he is considered the favorite in a race against Democrat Doug Jones in a general election Dec. 12.
Trump had appeared with Strange the week before at a rally in Alabama, but even some analysts said his heart did not appear to be in it.
“Trump was campaigning for Luther Strange, but you could tell he was having some second thoughts about that,” said Republican strategist John Feehery.
Moore’s victory, aided by the active support of former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon, signals what could be a series of divisive Republican primary battles heading into next year’s midterm congressional elections. | How does Trump feel that the Affordable Care Act wasn't voted down? | Disappointed | ['Happy', 'hopeful', 'not enough information'] |
But I do remember telling him that I really liked him , and I remember that I do n't remember hearing him saying anything like that back . So that was last Saturday night , and I did n't hear from him by Tuesday . I mean , while we were in bed he said he 'd be busy this week with rush , but " busy " is an excuse , not a reason . If he was really into me he 'd text or call saying that he was busy , but thinking about me . | Why were n't you more specific ? | I was too shy | ["I did n't ask enough", 'I wanted to be too assertive', 'None of the above choices .'] |
An old man lived with his family. The family would eat together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon, dropping to the floor. When he grasped his glass of milk, it often spilled clumsily at the tablecloth.
With this happening almost every night, the son and daughter-in-law became annoyed with the mess.
"We must do something about grandfather," said the son.
"I've had enough of his milk spilling, noisy eating and food on the floor," the daughter-in-law agreed.
So the couple set a small table at the corner.
There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in wooden bowls. Sometimes when the family looked in grandfather's direction, he had tears in his eyes as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp warnings when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood pieces on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy replied, "Oh, I'm making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
These words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears streamed down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. | Eating was difficult for the grandfather because _ . | he was old and weak | ["his son and daughter-in-law didn't like him", "there wasn't enough food for him", 'life was hard for the poor family'] |
Then I realized the fish was a dolphin and it was zipping though all the channels and such . So I grabbed my video camera and started to take pictures and video . I went downstairs and got closer to the channel and then went up further to see some more dolphin . | What may be the reason why they were looking at the water in the first place ? | They were fishing . | ['They were on an expedition .', 'They were on a boat .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
"Looks good, Boys." Billy-Eye knew he had been taking a big chance leaving the final details for his sons to handle. He had not even visited the place all week. It was Friday, 5:30 PM--thirty minutes before the grand opening of Billy-Eye's Arcade and Dance Barn.
The arcade room had been arranged nicely--although not the way Billy-Eye would have done it. But still, it was good. The two popcorn machines were ready to go. High school aged workers were ready to hand out bags of the stuff. The first group in the competition was warming up on the bandstand. A stand-alone blackboard to the right side of the drums had the name of the band written across it in white chalk: The Triangulators. Each band would be responsible for putting their name on that board.
"Glad you like it, Daddy." Craig beamed. Finally, he had done something right.
"So, what do you think? Will we have a full house tonight?" said Billy-Eye.
"Sure," said Lenny with a naïve smile.
"Hopefully," said Craig. "They get in free, get to hear eleven bands, and get all the free popcorn and coke they want. I'm sure the kids have heard our radio ad."
"Maybe we should have made the games free too," said Lenny.
"Hey, we can't give everything away," said Billy-Eye. "We're only charging a quarter for the games as it is." He walked back out into the main hall. "Is the refrigerator all stocked up?"
"Yes, Sir," said Craig. "It's loaded with frozen pizzas, hot dogs, and condiments. And we've got plenty of hot dogs buns and candy."
"And the soda fountains?"
"Ready to go."
"And I see you got the ice machine set up." Billy-Eye smiled. "Great. I'm proud of you boys." | Who took a big chance on leaving the final details for hi sons to handle. | Bill-Eye | ['Lenny', 'not enough information', 'Craig'] |
They're WILD animals
By Ernst-Ulrich Franzen
March 11, 2010(3) Comments
The story about the woman who lost some fingers while feeding a bear at a zoo in Manitowoc, after she ignored warnings and barriers , reminded me of the story I heard about a couple who put their baby on the back of a wild horse in South Dakota to get a really cute picture. We all do silly things at times -- no one is immune -- but treating wild animals as lovely pets has to fall into a special category. Teddy bears and Disney movies aren't actually representative of real bears.
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3 Comments
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1. TosaLeft - Mar 11, 2010 10:46AM
Don't you think that maybe, just maybe some alcohol was involved?
2. tk421 - Mar 11, 2010 11:09 AM
It was already approved that alcohol was involved. Stories that begin with a drunk person saying "Hey, I got an idea, watch this!" rarely end well.
3. Tristan Kloss - Mar 11, 2010 11:41 AM
Alcohol certainly isn't involved when people decide to keep "pets" like chimpanzees, baby tigers, etc. Stupidity, definitely. Dogs are pets because of thousands of years of domestication. Even farm animals, which have been kept by humans for thousands of years as well, aren't let in the house. So why keep animals that treat human contact with, at best, indifference(, ) and, at worst, violence? | tk421 means a drunk person _ . | usually gets himself into trouble | ['should be forbidden to enter the zoo', 'is often fond of making up stories', 'usually likes to show himself off'] |
Judging by what our customers are asking for , there 's no visible limit to the universe of software that we are just beginning to create . In the words of Steven Hawking , our universe is expanding . The technology investments we are making today will reshape the very market that we created some six years ago , and the next six years are shaping up to be just as exciting as the first . Thank you for an incredible 2007 . | How did the audience feel after the conference in which the speaker cited Hawking ? | The audience felt inspired to work on softwares to help people . | ['The audience responded to the speaker saying they were welcome for the incredible 2007 .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The audience judged what their customers were asking for .'] |
Well I went to my Orthodontist for the monthly checkup ... and my teeth were n't moving fast enough so they had to put a power chain on . Little did I know that a ' power chain ' was a torture device for one 's mouth . Felt numb and okay after the visit , had lunch and went to work . Could n't sleep at all that night , and when I started to doze , my alarm went off and it was back to work . | What is the narrator getting worked on ? | Their gums . | ['Their eyes .', 'Their back .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Greg stopped by the courthouse concession stand for a cup of coffee, even though he had already downed four cups at Jane's Diner across the street. The old man behind the counter reached for Greg's dollar with a noticeably shaky hand that looked as though it had held more cigarettes and booze than money in its lifetime.
He took his coffee and walked up the stairs to the second floor. There were about fifty people standing in the hallway outside the courtroom making small talk. He recognized a few of them, but was in no mood to start a conversation.
Only four more jurors and two alternates were needed. With a little luck, he would soon be sent on his way. The coffee tasted bitter, but he continued to sip on it anyway, just to occupy himself.
After a few minutes, a woman walked out of the courtroom and spoke to the crowd in monotone. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are ready to get started. We did not get enough jurors yesterday for the criminal trial, so we are going to use part of today's panel for that purpose. Those who are not selected for the criminal trial today must appear tomorrow at 8:00 AM for the civil trial jury selection.
"First, I will call the names of the jurors that have already been selected. When I call your name, please go into the courtroom and take your seat in the pews where you sat yesterday. Please sit in the order in which your names are called."
"Alexander Littleton… Gail Silestone… " The crowd carefully analyzed each person as he walked through the group and into the courtroom. "Mary McJohnson… William Biscayne … Judy McPhearson… John Nihmbor… Nancy Novelle… and Troy Blockerman."
Greg nearly choked on his coffee. Troy Blockerman! That's Cynthia's husband. His blood pressure shot up like a bottle rocket, exploding into a headache.
"And now I will call the names of a portion of today's panel. Those whose names are not called will need to stay here in the courthouse since we might still need you today. I will let you know when you can go home. Again, please sit in the order in which your names are called. Elsie Olstead… Lory Lip-scomb… Greg Tenorly… " | Why did Greg think that with a little luck he will be able to leave? | They only needed four more jurors and two alternates. | ['He knew one of the jurors who had been called.', 'not enough information', 'The woman had already read the names of the selected jurors.'] |
You Ca n't Fool The Heart Rate MonitorA corollary to the expression , " You can fool some of the people all of he time , etc . " is that " you can never fool the heart rate monitor".This past Friday and Sunday , I did difficult 40 mile rides with my chavrusah . Trying to keep up with him was quite challenging but the results were excellent . I finished the ride in a personal best time and my average heart rate for the ride was around 80 % of my maximum heart rate . | Why is the narrator 's heart rate so elevated ? | They just did a bike ride . | ['They just did a marathon .', 'They just did a stressful work event .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
I ' m just glad i ' m out of the house 2morrow for my big 18th and they wounder why i do nt wanna spend my bithday with them or should i say SHE ! ! ! This was supposed to be the best year ever and it turned into a pile of SHIT ! ! Sure i ' ve loved seeing my IDOLS and spending much needed time with my 2 best friends in the whole wide world but i hope to got that 2009 is the year i can get away and not have to deal with my parents . | Why am I so excited about my birthday ? | I can get away from my parents . | ['I want to have a big party .', 'I will spend time with my 2 best friends .', 'I will see my idols .'] |
If your boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he'd better offer you more money to do so -- or even double that depending on where you live now.That's because Moscow has just been found to be the world's most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.
Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.
A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24.83, and an international newspaper $6.30, according to Mercer.By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger is _ at $4.80.
London takes the No.2 place, up from No.5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar.Mercer estimates London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days.Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No.5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly.
Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world's most expensive cities.But both have fallen since last year's study -- New York came in 15th, down from 10th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42nd from 29th place a year ago.San Francisco came in a distant third at No.54, down 20 places from a year earlier.
Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada's most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82nd place worldwide.In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No.21 worldwide. | London has become the second most expensive city because of _ . | the stronger pound against the dollar | ['the high cost of clothing', 'its expensive transportation', 'the high prices of fast food meals'] |
One of the qualities that most people admire in others is the willingness to admit one's mistakes. It is extremely hard sometimes to say a simple thing like "I was wrong about that, "and it is even harder to say, "I was wrong, and you were right about that. "
I had an experience recently with someone admitting to me that he had made a mistake fifteen years ago. He told me he had been the manager of a certain grocery store in the neighborhood where I grew up, and he asked me if I remembered the egg cartons . Then he related an incident and I began to remember clearly the incident he was describing.
I was about eight years old at the time, and I had gone into the store with my mother to do the weekly grocery shopping. On that particular day, I must have found my way to the dairy food department where the incident took place.
There must have been a special sale on eggs that day because there was an impressive display of eggs in dozen and half-dozen cartons. The cartons were stacked three or four feet high. I must have stopped in front of a display to admire the stacks. Just then a woman came by pushing her grocery cart and knocked off the stacks of cartons. For some reason, I decided it was up to me to put the display back together, so I went to work.
The Manager heard the noise and came rushing over to see what had happened. When he appeared, I was on my knees inspecting (examining)some of the cartons to see if any of the eggs were broken, but to him it looked as though I was the criminal. He severely scolded me and wanted me to pay for any broken eggs. I protested my innocence and tried to explain, but it did no good. Even though I quickly forgot all about the incident, obviously the manager did not. | It can be inferred that the author _ . | has forgiven the manager for what he did to him fifteen years ago | ["regrets arguing with the manager for what he didn't do", 'would like to tell people never to be fooled by an egg sale', 'expects the woman to say sorry to him for the mistake she made'] |
Recently, I learned firsthand why it's a bad idea to judge people prematurely .
I'm a nursing supervisor, and my job is to evaluate workers' performances at the hospital.
Kenny was a new employee. After weeks' probation , I had to admit that he was clean, punctual and efficient.
But he had this self-assured and energetic presence. He was a large man, both physically and socially -- he was independent and strong. I worried that our hospital, which demanded teamwork, was not right for such a personality.
We had a patient named Mary. At 94 years old, Mary was weak. She had outlived her husband and sisters.
Mary had an obsessive belief that someone had taken her purse. She searched for it all the time. Unless tied to her wheelchair, she would go through the door onto the street mindlessly searching and never giving up. She was often sitting in her wheelchair in the hallway, where she stopped everyone who came near.
"Can you lend me a comb?" she would ask. "I've lost mine. It was in my red purse. Where is my purse?"
Every day it was the same. We all knew Mary didn't have a purse, but we would answer: "Sure, if I see your purse I'll bring it back."
One afternoon, I saw Kenny walking down the hall with a grocery bag. He walked toward Mary in her wheelchair. He pulled out a red purse.
Mary's old hands flew up to her face in a gesture of wonder and joy, and then flew out hungrily like a starved child taking bread. Mary grabbed the red purse. She held it for a moment, and then pressed it to her breast, rocking it like a baby.
Kenny leaned over, unzipped the purse open and showed Mary a comb inside. Tears of joy poured down Mary's face.
Instead of paying lip service like the rest of us, Kenny had made Mary's problem his problem. I had been wrong about Kenny. | What kind of message does the author intend to convey? | Don't come to a conclusion too quickly when you don't know all the facts. | ['Pay attention to what people do instead of what they say.', 'We should treat older people with patience and kindness.', 'We can always find a teacher in another, even when we least expect it.'] |
The speaker, a teacher from a community college, addressed a sympathetic audience. Heads nodded in agreement when he said, "High school English teachers are not doing their jobs." He described the weaknesses of his students, all high school graduates who can use language only at a grade 9 level. I was unable to determine from his answers to my questions how this grade 9 level had been established.
What the speaker was really saying is that he is no longer young; he has been teaching for sixteen years, and is able to think and speak like a mature adult.
My point is that the frequent complaint of one generation about the one immediately following it is unavoidable. It is also human nature to look for the reasons for our dissatisfaction. Before English became a school subject in the late nineteenth century, it was difficult to find the target of the blame for language deficiencies . But since then, English teachers have been under constant attack.
The complainers think they have hit upon an original idea. As their own command of the language improves, they notice that young people do not have this same ability. Unaware that their own ability has developed through the years, they suppose the new generation of young people must be hopeless in this respect. To the eyes and ears of sensitive adults, the language of the young always seems inadequate .
Since this concern about the decline and fall of the English language is not recognized as a generational phenomenon but rather as something new and strange to today's young people, it naturally follows that today's English teachers cannot be doing their jobs. Otherwise, young people would not commit crimes against the language. | In the passage the author argues that _ . | it is unfair to blame English teachers for language deficiencies of students | ['to improve the level of English requires the effort of several generations', 'English should not be the target of the blame of language deficiencies', 'to rid language deficiencies one should have sensitive eyes and ears'] |
Chloe's house reminded Paul of a cross between a used bookstore, a computer repair shop, and a college dorm. A wall of bookcases dominated the living room, each shelf crammed with two, sometimes three layers of books, videotapes, CD's and DVD's. More stacks of books and magazines stood in every corner. Paul was certain they would have taken over all the other flat spaces as well, were it not for the half-assembled computers and three dusty old monitors occupying the coffee table, end tables, and everything in between. The only semi-open spaces were the two couches that faced each other from across the room. A large red and black checkered blanket covered one of them, while the other was cracked but still serviceable brown leather. Thrift store purchases both, Paul thought.
"The computer stuff belongs to one of my roommates," Chloe said. "She's always fiddling with those things to get better performance or whatever. The books are mostly mine or my other roommate, Kurt's. Come on into the kitchen and we'll rustle up a sandwich."
Paul followed her back into the open kitchen area, which (given that he was ostensibly here to have lunch) he was relieved to see was clean. There was clutter in there certainly, but no dirty dishes or leftover foodstuffs appeared in evidence. Along the left wall was a cheap, plastic patio table with long wooden benches on each side and miss-matched chairs at either end. Newspapers, books, and a laptop occupied most of its surface area, but the end closest to Paul seemed clear enough to see actual use as a place for dining.
"Is peanut butter ok?" she asked, motioning him towards one of the chairs.
"Sure," he said and sat down at the table. As she started to prepare a couple of peanut butter sandwiches on white bread she said, "So, tell me Paul, why are you getting fired tomorrow?" | How long was Paul probably standing in the apartment? | 1 hour | ['9 hours', 'not enough information', '5 minutes'] |
When I was 7, I played this computer game where you were “babysitting” and you had to make sure everything was safe for the kids. One of the tasks was that you were supposed to make sure the windows were closed. Well, one game I forgot to close the windows, and these super creepy, red eyes popped in the window like they were looking in at the kids. That literally has made me paranoid about people looking through my windows ever since.
When I was 10, I watched an episode of CSI where some guy had a foot fetish and painted his victims toenails before murdering them. Now, something about red toenails just creep me out. I’ve never been able to shake that episode.
When I was 11, a girl in my class told me that she had played the game “Bloody Mary” in her bathroom and explained to me what it was. Ever since then, I literally cannot be in a dark bathroom, and if something happens like the power goes out or something, I instantly close my eyes and get the hell outta there as fast as I can.
When I was 15, my boyfriend wanted to take me to “see his grandpa’s farm”. I legit thought he was taking me to meet his grandpa. Well, turns out, he was just wanted to get me in the middle of nowhere so he could take advantage of me. After he had raped me, I felt like I was smaller than an ant. I felt absolutely trashed. I had always planned on being a virgin until I got married. But he took that from me. On the way back home, we drove over this bridge. I remember driving over this bridge thinking that I was totally worthless. Now, almost 10 years later, every time I drive over that bridge, I get horrible flashbacks and avoid it at all cost. | How long did the girl watch the CSI episode for? | The episode was probably 45 minutes long. | ['The episode lasted for almost an hour.', 'The episode lasted for an hour.', 'not enough information'] |
Raising pets is not a new thing in China , but recently it has taken on a new meaning .
As a famous Chinese saying goes, pursuit of petty (,) pleasures weakens one's will to make progress . The saying has been so popular that even today many people still consider raising pets as a hobby of the idle .
Things have changed much recently and now raising pets has become a popular pastime , resulting in a successful pet care industry .
Pet food is sold in almost all supermarkets and many special stores for pet needs have been set up .
Animal hospitals provide various medical services for sick dogs and cats , and pet exchange fairs are held regularly .
At the China International Pet Show which took place recently in Beijing , more than 100 factories from across the country exhibited their products . Thousands of dealers and pet owners went to the show.
"People's swollen pockets make it possible for many to raise pets , a hobby that used to be enjoyed only by the wealthy ," said Wang Wei , who works with the National Kennel Association of China .
Wang Yuyan , vice president of the Small Animals Protection Association , agreed , " In many films and novels , having a pet is used as a symbol of wealth . That's not a complete picture . " Wang added that pets are friends in a real sense of the word , not just playthings . " Anyone with a loving nature can raise pets . "
Still the high cost of keeping a pet is something many people have to think about .
"I like dogs and cats , but I have neither time nor money to raise them , "said Li Jun , in her 40's , a civil servant from Beijing .
The cost of raising a dog is high in Beijing , where registration is a must for all dogs and costs 5,000 yuan for each animal . In addition , pet owners must pay for regular injection of vaccines . Most of all , dog food is quite expensive .
Unlike his mother , Li Jun's 10-year-old son, Li Qiyu, dreams of the day he will have his own pet . "I hope I can have a dog in my house , " he said . | According to Wang Yuyan's opinion , raising pets _ . | is harmless for most people | ['is a necessary job for us all', 'should be a hobby of the rich', 'will make the poor happy'] |
For some time past,it has been widely accepted that babies--and other creatures--learn to do things because certain acts lead to "rewards ",and there is no reason to doubt that this is true. But it used also to be widely believed that effective rewards, at least in the early time, had to be directly connected to such basic physiological "drives" as thirst or hunger. In other words, a baby would learn if he got food or drink or some sort of physical comfort, not otherwise.
It is now clear that this is not so. Babies will learn to behave in ways that produce results in the world with no reward except success in sight.
Papousek began his studies by using milk in the normal way to "reward" the babies and to teach them to carry out some simple movements, such as turning the head to one side or the other.Then he noticed that a baby who had had enough to drink would refuse the milk but would still go on making the learned response with clear signs of pleasure. So he began to study the children's responses in situations where no milk was provided. He quickly found that children as young as four months would learn to turn their heads to right or left if the movement "turned on" some lights--and indeed that they were able to learn some more turns to bring about this result,for example,two left or two right,or even to make as many as three turns to one side.
Papousek's light experiment was placed directly in front of the babies and he made the interesting observation that sometimes they would not turn back to watch the light closely although they would "smile and speak" when the light was on.Papousek concluded that it was not the sight of the lights which pleased them.It was the success they were achieving in solving the problem,in mastering the skill,and then there is a basic human nature to make sense of the world and bring it under control. | According to the writer,babies learn to do things which _ . | will bring them a feeling of success | ['will satisfy their surprise', 'will meet their physical needs', 'are directly connected to pleasure'] |
Scientists who discovered a new way of generating electricity from water say they may have come across an alternative source of clean energy to rival wind and solar power.
The breakthrough, which scientists say is the first new way to generate electricity in 160 years, could lead to batteries that use water instead of poisonous substances.
The scientists made the discovery when they were investigating what happens when tap water is forced through extremely narrow glass tubes. Water squeezed down the tubes, each of which was narrower than a tenth the thickness of a human hair, generating a small electric current that ran the length of the tube. To produce a larger electric current, the team tried forcing water through a glass water filter that contained thousands of narrow channels lined up side by side. "When we took a syringe of water and squeezed it through the filter, we got enough power to light a light bulb," said Larry Kostiuk of the University of Alberta in Canada. "The harder you push the syringe, the more electric current you get."
The current is produced because of an effect in the glass tubes. When they are filled with water, positively charged ions fixed in the tubes are washed away, leaving a slight negative charge on the glass surface. When water is then forced along the tube, the surface _ negatively charged ions in the water while positively charged ions are attracted down the tube. The result is a net flow of positively charged ions that sets up an electric current.
According to Dr Kostiuk, no one has ever thought to use water to produce electricity in this way. "The last time someone came up with a way of generating electricity was Michael Faraday in 1839," he said. "So this is the first new way of generating electricity in 160 years, which is why we are so excited about it."
Dr Kostiuk says water batteries might one day be used to power mobile phones and calculators, but admitted that the engineering challenges might make other applications more realistic. "You'd need to be sure it wouldn't leak, and you'd need to make sure it wouldn't freeze," he said.
More likely would be to install the electricity-generating devices where water is already being pumped, such as at city water filtration sites, he said. "It could compete with wind and solar power," he added. | What can we infer about potential water batteries? | They have some possible disadvantages like water leaking. | ['They must be used to power mobile phones and calculators.', 'They would be needed greatly at city water filtration sites.', 'They would be better than wind and solar power.'] |
This year marks 46 years since Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon . In all , 12 American astronauts have walked on the moon , the last - Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt - doing so in 1972 .
Enthusiasm for space travel has always decreased and increased . In 2010 , President Barack Obama cut funds for a NASA mission that would have put humans back on the moon by 2020 . " I understand that some believe that we should attempt a return to the surface of the moon first , as previously planned . But I just have to say here : We've been there before , " Obama said . NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has also thrown cold water on the idea of a return mission to the moon .
But others believe there are benefits to going back to the moon . " It's the closest body to us , making it the least challenging to explore of all the planets , moons and asteroids in our solar system , " wrote Gene R. Grush , from NASA Johnson Space Center . " It's an opportunity to establish a permanent presence off Earth - a moon base for scientists or a colony for all of humanity . "
" There is a lot of good science on the moon that we've only scratched the surface on , " said former astronaut Tom Jones . Richard Vondrak , from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center , agrees , saying , " Astronauts can accomplish scientific exploration that is beyond the capability of robotic explorers . "
And then there's the private business . In the last few years , several private companies - including Elon Musk's SpaceX - have launched rockets of their own , ending the national control over space flight . NASA is even considering a partnership with SpaceX , and Musk has said that if demand to go to the moon exists , his company will help fill it .
Meanwhile , Buzz Aldrin , the second person to walk on the moon , believes that there's a much better target for exploration : Mars . " We've done the moon - we understand it better than anything else , " Aldrin said . " We've got to start thinking of long-term investments . " | Richard Vondrak may support that _ . | we cannot merely rely on robots to explore the moon | ['we have had a full understanding of the moon', 'going back to the moon is a short-term investment', 'it is a waste of money to put humans back on the moon'] |
Saturday night ... date night . Over the years I ' ve been invited to Gary Danko about four or five times ( actually , I invited myself once ) and , despite my penchant for variety , I always accept . I was eager to taste his summer menu . | What type of establishment might the person have been invited to ? | A restaurant | ['None of the above choices .', 'A casino', 'A bar'] |
Doubt usually comes along when companies talk very proudly how socially responsible they are, but Nike's decision to publish its entire list of contract suppliers on the Internet is harder to ignore. Nike's move opens a new front in companies' efforts to face their critics.
As Nike states in its latest corporate responsibility report, it is often hard to confirm exactly what is happening at about 800 factories that make its footwear and clothing under contract, many of which are remote.
Nike is hoping other companies will publish their factory lists, too. Hannah Jones, Nike's vice - president for corporate responsibility, says Nike would like to see the best - run contract factories using their social position as suppliers to the big brands to try to get more work.
Nike's approach moves corporate responsibility into its third age. The first age was corporate philanthropy - companies donating money to various community projects. The $170, 000,000 that Wal - Mart gave in charitable donations last year is a good example. Of course, some critics oppose even this form of corporate generosity , arguing that companies should concentrate on making profits, leaving it to shareholders to decide what charitable donations to make.
Corporate responsibility's second age was reputation management and risk avoidance. Second - age corporate responsibility supporters believe agreement with the wider community can warn a company of future risks in advance.
Nike is now trying to go a stage further. The company says it sees corporate responsibility as a way of improving its performance rather than just protecting its reputation. Factories which ensure that workers are registered for social - security benefits often become more productive as a result. Attention to one aspect of staff management often leads to improvement in others.
If other companies publish supplier lists, they can together work out common standards, Nike says. At present, different companies have different standards, which make life difficult for the many factories that produce for more than one brand. If other companies published suppliers' locations, they could work out common standards and save money by relying on one another's checks. | What is the best title of the passage? | Lists of Contract Suppliers. | ['A New Age of Corporate Responsibility.', "Nike's Staff Management.", 'Big Brands Working out Common Standards.'] |
A Chinese couple tried to name their baby "@", saying the character best represents their love for the child, according to an official trying to standardize the national language. The unusual name stands out especially in Mandarin, which has no alphabet and instead uses tens of thousands of multistroke characters to represent words. "The whole world uses it to write emails, and translated into Chinese it means 'love him'," the father explained, according to the deputy chief of the State Language Commission Li Yuming.
While the @ symbol is familiar to Chinese email users, they often use the English word "at" to sound it out. With a drawnout "t", this sounds something like "ai ta", or "love him", to Mandarin speakers. Li says the name is an extreme example of people's increasingly adventurous approach to Mandarin, as commercialization and the Internet break down conventions .
Another couple tried to give their child a name that in English sounds like "King Osrina".
Li did not say if officials accepted the "@" name. But earlier this year the government announced a ban on names using Arabic numerals and foreign languages. Sixty million Chinese face the problem that their names use ancient characters so uncommon that computers cannot recognize them _ , said Li, according to a report on the government website. One of them is the former Premier Zhu Rongji, whose name has a rare "rong" character that gives newspaper editors headaches. | The former Premier Zhu Rongji is mentioned in the passage because _ . | there is an uncommon character in his name | ['people often mispronounce his name', 'he often made newspaper editors annoyed during his term in office', 'he once stressed the importance of standardizing Chinese characters'] |
Many pets got separated from their families almost two years ago, when Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast. A New Jersey family was one of them. They lost their dog. He got away from their backyard during the storm.
Chuck James said that his family searched for the brown-and-white dog named Reckless for months after the October 2012 storm. Reckless was a cute dog which brought much pleasure to the whole family, and the youngest daughter Tiffany loved him most. They played together, watched TV together, ate popcorn together and Reckless even saw Tiffany off when she headed for the kindergarten every morning. Chuck James kept searching for the lovely dog in every possible way, but no luck
"We reported him missing and called the shelters from time to time, just hoping they had him," James said. "We always kept our hopes up, but finally it was time to move on."
James said the family had planned to get a new dog. The dog was to be a tenth birthday surprise for their eldest daughter, Ally. The family of five went to the Monmouth County SPCA( Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to adopt a new animal. When James and his wife walked close to the first cage, they saw a familiar face inside.
"He was a little bigger than I remembered because they had fed him well," James joked. "But then he was lying on my wife's feet and I knew it was him. It was unbelievable. I know this dog is meant to be with our family."
When SPCA officials asked if they could prove the animal was their dog, a friend sent a _ showing the family, with their dog before Sandy hit the East Coast.
"We're all so happy to have him back." James said. The family is living in hotel while their home is being repaired. This weekend, the James went on camping trip with Reckless to celebrate the dog's return | What is the text mainly about? | A family looked for a new dog but found the old one instead. | ['A dog got separated from his family in a storm.', 'A lost dog found his way home with difficulty.', 'Dogs are always devoted friends of human beings.'] |
MIAMI (AFP) -- Yao Ming's 34-point performance against Shaquille O'Neal has the 2.26m Chinese center enjoying a happiness almost as huge as himself.
Yao scored 34 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, to spark Houston past defending NBA champion Miami 94-72 Sunday night. prefix = st1 /Yaoalso grabbed 14 rebounds and helped keep "Shaq" to 15 points of 6-of-14 shooting from the field.
"Every time I score on (Shaq) I'm happy because he's such a great player," Yaosaid. "No question he's the toughest player in the league. You have to have energy and mental toughness in the fourth quarter or else he'll _ "
Yao was generous in victory, indicating that O'Neal has not yet returned to top form after missing two games with a injured left knee.
"He wasn't the same Shaq tonight as he was during the playoffs last year," Yaosaid. "That was a totally different Shaq out there."
Nevertheless, Yao's task was far from simple in containing the controlling big man who has muscled his way to three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and another last season with the Heat.
"It's a hard job. He's the most important center in this league," Yaosaid. "I just have to keep running with him and matching him play-for-play at both ends."
Yao, whose Rockets have won four games in a row, has proven he can reach that next level and made believers out of plenty of competitors, including Heat coach Pat Riley.
"Yaowas a load," Riley said. "We got our heads handed to us in the second half."
No one knew that better than O'Neal, who watched Yao hit 11-of-19 shots just two nights after a 35-point, 17-rebound performance in a victory over New York.
"He hit a lot of tough shots and when you're playing against a guy like that ... you're not going to block his shot," O'Neal said. "You've just got to try to push him out and play him tough." | From what Riley said, we can include that _ . | The team Houston led by YaoMing promises to be the most difficult one to be defeated. | ['Yao has become the best one in NBA and no one can be over him any more.', 'Any team will lose the match if they meet Houston, with Yaoplaying on the ground.', 'Yaohas become a trouble to each team because he can always lead his team defeating others in the second half.'] |
The sweet taste of cold and wood smoke hung in the air. Marlin rode low in the saddle, his shoulders curled against the hungry wind. His hat was pulled down tight and his eyes didn't move as he passed the crude shacks at the edge of town.
He tied his horse in front of the saloon, unwinding his long body as if a sudden movement might snap it. He turned down the collar of his greatcoat and checked to make sure his big Army Colt was loose in its holster. The saloon door was a single chunk of white pine, still oozing sap, and he had to put his shoulder to it to force it open.
The long room inside was quiet, and not much warmer than the street. Clusters of people sat nursing coffee and drinks, talking quietly if they talked at all. Marlin spotted a few farmers the railroad had brought in from Europe: rounded hats, nervous eyes, skin as red as blood. At the far end of the room a half-dozen cowboys turned over cards with patient boredom.
Marlin walked up to the bar. "Whiskey," he said, and when the drink came he tossed it straight down and felt it pull his lips into a grimace. He nodded for a refill.
When he turned to face the room they were all watching him. "I'm looking for a man named Kraamer," Marlin said. "Anybody here know of him?"
One of the cowboys turned casually and rang the spittoon with a stream of tobacco juice. Marlin knew the long, thin face from somewhere, the blond hair that fell limply to his shoulders. He smiled at Marlin and showed his brown-stained teeth.
Marlin felt the lines in his own face, the gray in his hair, the chill in his bones. He was too old for this. He set a half dollar on the bar and started for the door.
"Don't get in a huff," the bartender said. Marlin looked back. "Kraamer lives about a mile west of town. Follow the railroad and take the first trail south." | Where did Marlin get his Army Colt? | not enough information | ['From the bartender', 'From the blonde cowboy', 'From one of the farmers'] |
This happened several years ago.But it has stuck with me so I wanted to share it.
Every day on my way to work I would buy a newspaper from an elderly gentleman on the corner of the street.He would always smile and say,"Good morning."His smile always made my day.
Most of the people who sell these papers are homeless or poor and they do it to make a few bucks.
One day Charlie wasn't there!Someone else was in his place! This other guy told me Charlie was in the veterans' hospital.
It troubled me all day long.All I could think about was Charlie being alone in the hospital.I never knew he was a veteran who had served our country.I just knew his smile always made my day.
I asked my girlfriend if she would go with me to visit him and she agreed.When I showed up in Charlie's room he began to cry.He told us he had been feeling very lonely and was convinced no one would ever visit him.He said that we were his only visitors.
We told him we were glad to do it and thanked him for all that he had done for others.
I never saw Charlie after that,although I heard he moved to California.That was thirty years ago but I haven't forgotten my smiling friend.A big thankyou to those who serve our country and protect us and thank you Charlie,wherever you are! | In the opinion of the writer,Charlie should be thanked because _ . | he had ever fought for his country | ['he sold newspapers at a low price', 'he always helped the homeless', 'he protected the writer from danger'] |
As rules, laws are people's rights and responsibilities toward society. Laws are agreed on by society and made official by governments.
Some persons look on laws with fear, hatred, or annoyance. Laws seem to limit people's freedom to do many things they would like to do. Though laws may prevent us from doing things we wish to do at the moment, laws make everyone's life safer and more pleasant. Without laws we could not hold on to our property; we could not go to bed at night expecting to wake up in the morning and find that we had not been robbed; no stores in which we buy food, clothes, and other necessities could stay open and sell to us. Our banks would not be safe places to keep our money.
Social life would be impossible without laws to control the way people treat one another. It is not the laws that should be feared but the trouble that comes to everyone when laws are broken. Once this is understood, a citizen will not fear or hate the law. Understanding the need for good laws and the evil results of breaking laws is the first requirement of good citizenship and government.
Philosophers once believed that in prehistoric time people lived without laws in a "state of nature". People were free to do as they pleased unless someone stronger stopped them by force. As a result, life became so dangerous and unsafe that leaders had to create laws to protect life and property.
This is no longer believed to be true. Scholars now think that as soon as people began living in small groups, they worked out rules for getting along with one another. In time everyone accepted and supported the rules. Manners, customs and beliefs controlled the living habits and behavior of the group. Such rules and habits of life are called folkways.
Folkways are probably the real meaning of human laws, as well as of religion, morals, and education. As life became more complex, folkways became more complete guides to living. After thousands of years, some of the important folkways were put into writing as the earlier laws. And as life grew more and more complicated with faster transportation and the rise of modern industry and big cities, more human acts and interests had to be ruled by law. This led to a great increase in the number of laws.
But we know that unless laws are enforced, they cannot protect us. Poorly enforced laws invite crime and violence. So we agree that the best protection against crime is planned social change and law reform -- to reduce the causes of crime and to encourage people to obey the laws. Such a solution would join a sound system of law enforcement with forces working to prevent crime. To attain this goal, all citizens must understand the need for good laws and for their enforcement. | Some persons look on laws with fear, hatred, or annoyance, because _ . | they can't do whatever they want to | ['they feel it unnecessary to have laws', 'laws only protect those who worked out them', 'laws and rules are too complicated to understand'] |
Which boy hasn't dreamed of being a cool secret agent ? The wonderful fighting abilities and the world-saving adventures are much more colourful than most people's everyday lives. Well, Cody Banks is just like any other boy,except that he is not just dreaming. He has a big secret his friends never know about. He was trained to be a spy by a special CIA programme,which was made to look like a summer camp. He learned high-speed driving,hand-to-hand fighting and the use of high-tech tools.
After proving he could become a young hero by saving a baby from a runaway car,Banks gets his first real task. He must make friends with a popular girl at school,Natalie Connors. Then,he must spy on her father,a scientist who has developed a dangerous technology .Banks must stop a group of bad people from forcing Natalie's father into using the technology to endanger the world.
The CIA may have taught him first-class self-defence moves,but they didn't show him how to talk to girls. Banks has zero ability when it comes to dealing with girls. How can he get around his problem and get an invitation to the girl's upcoming birthday party? Will he finally become Natalie's boyfriend and find out whatever he can about her father's work?
Agent Cody Banks has everything that young people are interested in: big explosions, breath-taking performances and funny girl-dating experiences. It was listed No.2 in the American box office last week.
"This story is interesting and fun for the whole family to enjoy,and especially cool for young boys," said Paul Perkins, a film reviewer in theUS. | What is Banks' first real task? | To watch a scientist secretly. | ['To test a high-tech tool.', 'To save a baby from a car.', 'To study a new technology.'] |
As a kid,I was always chubby .In college I started _ . It got out of control when I went to law school.
I'd made a decision a thousand times:I'm going to lose weight now. But what motivated me to get serious about it was turning 30. I weighed 414 pounds. I was always tired. Some of my family members have suffered from heart disease,and I was scared. I also wanted to look better. So after my birthday,I walked into the office of a weightloss doctor.
She was very understanding. Her focus was on balanced meals and she wanted me to exercise.
Walking was all I could do at first. I started by walking a few blocks and gradually increased the distance,until one weekend,I found myself saying,"Wow,this seems pretty easy." So I started to run.
I was losing nine or ten pounds a month,and I had more energy. I started to think about the New York City Marathon. For years,I watched the runners and thought,"This looks like fun,but I could never do that." But now I realized that maybe I could. I joined the New York Road Runners. I ran a 10km,then a halfmarathon. I still wasn't confident I could run a full 26 miles. But I told myself I was going to do it,no matter what.
By my 33rd birthday,I was down to 180 pounds. I started formally training for the marathon. And on the morning of November 1,I stood on the Verrazano Bridge in Staten Island with more than 40,000 other runners,waiting for the event to start.
It was unbelievable to have the audience cheering me on,handing me cups of water. And I crossed the finish line. My friends sprayed (......) me with beer,as if I'd won the Super Bowl. And at that moment,I knew:If I set my mind to something,nothing is impossible. | The author who was at the age of 33 had lost _ pounds in weight during the past three years. | 234 | ['180', '414', '594'] |
It is estimated that some seven hundred million people, about half the world's adult population, are unable to read or write, and there are probably two hundred and fifty million more whose level is so slight that it is hardly called literacy .
Recently the attack on illiteracy had been stepped up. A world plan has been drawn up by a committee of UNESCO experts in Paris, as part of the United Nations Development Decade ,and an international conference of the subject has also been held. UNESCO stresses that functional literacy is the aim. People must learn the basic skills of responsible citizenship, the ability of reading notices, newspapers, timetables, letters, price-lists to keep simple records and accounts, to select the importance of the information gathered, and to fill in the forms.
The major areas of illiteracy are in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. In Africa there are at least one hundred million illiterate people, which is eighty to eighty-five percent of the total population. In Europe the figure is about twenty-four million; most of them are in Sothern Europe, with Spain, Italy, Portugal, Yugoslavia heading the list (the United Kingdom has about seven hundred thousand).
UNESGO is eager for each country in the world, poor or rich, to wipe out illiteracy. | According to the passage, which of the following countries has the most illiterate people? | Spain | ['England', 'France', 'Sweden'] |
As long as I can remember, I've always loved to draw. But my interest in drawing wasn't encouraged very much. Growing up in the 1950s, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boys were supposed to be athletic. Certain peer pressures encouraged little fingers to learn how to hold footballs rather than crayons.
My early love for drawing developed into a love for telling stories through pictures. Stories began as fragments of pictures in my mind. I created a story by posing questions to myself. I called it the "what if" and "what then" approach. For example, for my book The Polar Express, I started out by thinking "What if a boy gets on that train? Where does he go?"
From the time I come up with the idea, write and illustrate the book, and deliver it to the printer, it takes about seven months. First, I begin thinking of the idea. Then I imagine the pictures and the story. A good picture book should have events that are visually _ . I first consider scenes that are exciting to look at and then my challenge is to weave a story around those pictures. The next step is putting the illustrations and story down on paper.
When you first look at my illustrations, you see ordinary, everyday things. But if you look closer, things might not seem quite so simple. When I'm writing a book, I always try to create something strange or puzzling in each picture. By using artistic strategies, I can give the drawing a kind of mysterious quality.
All of my books are picture books, so they are generally thought of as books for children. But when I make them, I think of the books as being for everybody -- for people of all ages. When I was a kid, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, but now I'm really glad I became an artist and a storyteller. | Why does the author mention The Polar Express? | To show us how he designed his book. | ['To tell us an interesting story.', 'To introduce his famous work.', 'To make up a sentence with "what if".'] |
OH yeah I almost forgot , It would n't start normally back when it last ran in ' 95 , they were push starting it . Yes it is a standard and no I do n't know how to drive it . Any ways on Saturday , my father and I were working on it changing the spark plugs and he was like " Well your having every one over for you Mother 's birthday tonight , maybe we can get the engine running tonight . | What may be the reason why they have a standard car when they do n't know how to drive it ? | They will learn how to drive it . | ['None of the above choices .', 'They got a good deal .', 'They had no choice .'] |
I was whiney , lonesome , Jobless , no girlfriend , no fear , Hanging out with friends almost daily , having fun . All of these seems still feel so fresh to me and so natural . Almost to the point where I wish I had them back . But now , I am whiney , lonesome , have a job , a girlfriend , fear , no hanging out with friends , rarely have the same fun I use to have . | What type of mental state is the narrator in ? | They are in a dark place . | ['They are with friends .', 'They are having fun .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Now let us look at how we read. When we read a printed text, our eyes move across a page in short, jerky movement. We recognize words usually when our eyes are still when they fixate. Each time they fixate, we see a group of words. This is known as the recognition span or the visual span. The length of time of which the eyes stop ---the duration of the fixation ----varies considerably from person to person. It also varies within any one person according to his purpose in reading and his familiarity with the text. Furthermore, it can be affected by such factors as lighting and tiredness.
Unfortunately, in the past, many reading improvement courses have concentrated too much on how our eyes move across the printed page. As a result of this misleading emphasis on the purely visual aspects of reading, numerous exercises have been devised to train the eyes to see more words at one fixation. For instance, in some exercises, words are flashed on to a screen for, say, a tenth or a twentieth of a second. One of the exercises has required students to fix their eyes on some central point, taking in the words on either side. Such word patterns are often constructed in the shape of rather steep pyramids so the reader takes in more and more words at each successive fixation. All these exercises are very clever, _ Reading requires the ability to understand the relationship between words. Consequently , for these reasons, many experts have now begun to question the usefulness of eye training, especially since any approach which trains a person to read isolated words and phrases would seem unlikely to help him in reading a continuous text. | Which of the following is NOT true? | The eye training will help readers in reading a continuous text. | ['The visual span is a word or a group of words we see each time.', 'Many experts began to question the efficiency of eye training.', 'The emphasis on the purely visual aspects is misleading.'] |
When you choose a freezer, remember it's probably going to be with you for a long time. So it's important to know which freezer is right for your needs.
First, decide if you want an upright or chest model. Uprights are more convenient. Their storage space is more accessible and they take up less floor area. However, chest models are more energy-efficient because less cold air escapes when they are open.
If you are buying an upright, you'll have to choose between frostless or manual defrost . Chest freezers are always manual. Frostless freezers automatically defrost at present intervals and remove the water. Manual models must be defrosted by hand every few months or whenever frost pile up to about a quarter of an inch.
To help your freezer reach a ripe old age, try to find a spot that's cool, dry, and away fromdrafts . Drafts and heat will raise the freezer's cabinet temperature, which makes it work harder to keep cool. That means wasted energy. That means wasted energy and a shortened life.
Dry air is important because highhumidity can cause the freezer to rust outside and frost up inside. With proper care, a freezer can serve you for 15 years or more. Regular cleaning and simple maintenance will help it maintain a zero-degree temperature and keep it smelling fresh and looking almost new.
Frostless models requires less care than manual defrost freezers. The inside of a frostless unit should be washed periodically with warm water and baking soda or a mild soap, rinse, and dried.
Good habits go a long way toward a freezer that runs efficiently. To get the most from your freezer, check regularly to make sure it's providing a true zero-degree temperature.
Keep the freezer at least three-quarters full. The emptier it get, the more energy is wasted. If more than three pounds of food per cubic foot of storage space is added every 24 hours, the resulting high or low temperature can damage the food. | What can we learn from this passage? | It is more important to keep the freezer at the temperature of zero-degree. | ['It is an easy task to have your freezer serve you for 15 years.', "You don't have to worry about defrosting if you choose a chest freezer.", 'The opening of freezers has nothing to do with energy-saving.'] |
Doctors in Britain are warning of an obesity time bomb, when children who are already overweight grow up. So, what should we do? Exercise more? Eat less? Or both? The government feels it has to take responsibility for this expanding problem.
The cheerful Mr. Pickwick, the hero of the novel by Charles Dickens, is seen in illustrations as someone who is plump and happy. In 18th century paintings, beauty is equated (...) with rounded bodies and soft curves. But nowadays being overweight is seen as indicating neither a cheerful character nor beauty but an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
So what do you do? Diet? Not according to England's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. He says that physical activity is the key for reducing the risks of obesity, cancer and heart disease. And the Health Secretary John Reid even said that being inactive is as serious a risk factor in heart disease as smoking.
So, having bought some _ , how much exercise should you do? According to Sir Liam Donaldson, at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. Is going to the gym the answer? Luckily for those who think that running machines are boring, the Health Development Agency believes that physical activity that fits into people's lives may be more effective. They suggest taking the stairs rather than the lift, walking up escalators, playing active games with your children, dancing or gardening. And according to a sports psychologist, Professor Biddle, gyms "are not making the nation fit", and may even cause harm.
There's new scientific evidence that too much exercise may actually be bad for you. Scientists at the University of Ulster have found that unsuitable exercise releases dangerous free radicals that can adversely (oppositely) affect normal function in unfit people. The only people who should push their bodies to that level of exercise on a regular basis are trained athletes.
So, should we forget about gyms and follow some expert's advice to reduce sedentary activities and increase exercise in our daily life? After all, getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way can't do any harm! One final thought. How come past generations lacked gym facilities but were leaner and fitter than people today? | According to Sir Liam Donaldson, we should _ . | do regular physical activity | ['go on a diet', 'give up smoking', 'go to the gym'] |
D Before I studied psychology, I used to think that people would laugh when funny things occurred.While I was right about that, I discovered there are lots of other psychological factors that make people laugh other than the funny part of a joke.When someone laughs at a joke, there will usually be more than one reason that makes him laugh--and the more reasons there are, the more powerful the joke will be.
I was attending a stand-up comedy show in Egypt, and when the man started to make fun of pedestrians crossing streets, everyone laughed their hearts out.The main reason those people strongly laughed was that almost all of them felt angry towards pedestrians who crossed streets carelessly.The joke wasn't only funny, it also made the audience feel that they were right about being angry at those pedestrians.That is, people were laughing both because of the funny joke and because of the happiness experienced as a result of the psychological support they got.
The better a joke makes a person feel, and the more it includes other psychological factors, the more the person will like it.For example, if you envy one of your friends, and someone tells a joke that is funny and, at the same time, makes your friend seem stupid, then you will probably laugh at it louder than if you weren't jealous of him.
In short, we don't laugh only when we hear something funny; we also laugh when we experience some kind of happiness that results from the other psychological factors involved in the joke.I strongly discourage making fun of anyone or belittling someone to make someone else laugh.All I want to explain is that if your joke supports a person's emotions, he will certainly like it a lot. | Why did the audience laugh loud at the pedestrians? | Their emotion was approved of by the show. | ['They played a trick on the pedestrians.', 'The pedestrians behaved in a funny way.', "They could feel the pedestrians' happiness."] |
I recently received an assignment to write about great fall getaways . And while I love travel writing , it was tough to work on this assignment . It was almost triple - digits outside , registration for school was only a couple weeks away , and the closest thing I 'd had to a vacation was an extra - long coffee break . | What is causing the narrator to write in her blog ? | They are inspired by fall . | ['They are inspired by school .', 'They are inspired by themselves .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
I do n't usually love ceviche , but this was firm and flavorful . The mains were pork enchiladas and skirt steak with garlic chorizo mashed potatoes . The rice pudding for dessert was nice , however the other , 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream , was surprisingly plain . | Why does the narrator dislike ceviche in general ? | It 's not usually flavorful enough . | ["It 's usually too fishy .", 'None of the above choices .', "It 's not usually fresh enough ."] |
I had pushed up my ISO to 1200 and was tempted to push it higher . Since the event was supposed to last till 20:30 I started to realize I was in trouble : pretty soon there would not be light enough!I set up a flash , pointed it at the white ceiling , and used my Pocketwizard to fire it . But the light kept fading and I realized I really was in trouble . I did have a second flash - but not a sync - wire or a third pocketwizard to fire it . | What may this post be describing ? | Tech support | ['My vacation updates', 'My hardware search', 'My food reviews'] |
American black bears appear in a variety of colors despite their name. In the eastern part of their range , most of these bears have shiny black fur, but in the west they grow brown, red or even yellow coats. To the north, the black bear is actually gray or white. Even in the same litter , both brown and black furred bears may be born.
Black bears are the smallest of all American bears, ranging in length from 5 to 6 feet, weighing from 300 to 500 pounds. Their eyes and ears are small and their eyesight and hearing are not as good as their sense of smell. Like all bears, the black bear is shy, clumsy and rarely dangerous. However, if cornered, the black bear can become a fearful enemy.
Black bears feed on leaves, roots, fruit, insects, fish and even larger animals. One of the most interesting characteristics of bears, including the black bear, is their winter sleep. Unlike many other animals, bears do not actually hibernate . Although the bear does not eat during the winter months, its temperature remains almost normal, and it breathes regularly four or five times per minute.
Most black bears live alone, except during the mating season . A litter of one to four cubs is born in January or February and they remain with their mother until they are fully grown or about one and a half years old. Black bears can live as long as thirty years in the wild, and even longer in game preserves set aside for them. | American black bears have a good sense of _ . | smell | ['hearing', 'eyesight', 'taste'] |
Aaron gave her a quick squeeze , giving her comfort where it was needed ; Cassandra smiled before poking him in the stomach and heading out of the alleyway . Aaron followed her , as he knew he would always do . Hell , the whole reason he was with her now was because he had followed her out of the hospital when she had run . | Why is Aaron so excited and thrilled ? | Their loved one is away from the medical unit . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Their loved one is back after a vacation .', 'Their loved one is home after a visit to the dentist .'] |
Not exactly. I have no problem with divorce since, as others have stated, everyone has their reasons, however there was one person that I dated briefly but upon hearing the reason why he divorced I opted to end the relationship. I remember, we were having brunch and were talking about our past relationships and what happened. He brought up his marriage. I had previously known his divorce but, up until this point, not the reasoning. He told me, straight out, that he had cheated. Now, cheating in itself is one thing. I try not to judge since everyone has a past and I was never always innocent myself, however his attitude about it was what was very off-putting to me.
He didn’t seem remotely fazed by what he was telling me at all. There he was, spreading jelly on his toast as he told me about all the women he had cheated on his wife with. He told me about how it had started with a secretary (talk about cliches!) and then graduated to trysts in motels with girls off Tinder all with the same amount of casualness as someone describing how to make an omelette! And when he finally finished the tale of his cheating adventures I asked him if he regretted cheating on his wife with so many women, His answer? “Oh Definitely.” Oh good! So at least he regrets his actions, right? Or he’s at least a little sorry about it>
Wrong.
“One of the reasons I regret not divorcing her sooner. Had I divorced her sooner, I wouldn’t have to have cheated on her so much. But it is what it is and, well, I was unhappy.”
I have no problems with divorced men. I can forgive a man who has cheated in his past. But a man who had no problems cheating so frivolously and, in all honestly, would likely do it again without problems? Nope, not for me. | When were they having brunch? | After his divorce. | ['not enough information', 'After he met a girl on Tinder.', 'After he cheated with his secretary.'] |
Perhaps it is hard to imagine that a bad tooth could be deadly. But doctors in the Washington area say a twelveyearold boy died last month of a tooth infection that spread to his brain. They say it might have been prevented if the boy had received the dental care he needed.
Experts at the National Institutes of Health say good dental care should start at birth. They say breast milk is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow bacterial growth and acid production in the mouth.
When baby's teeth begin to appear,you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies,and use them very gently.
The use of fluoride to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. This natural element is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel ,the hard surface on teeth,to help prevent holes,or cavities from forming.
But the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry points out that young children often swallow toothpaste when they brush their teeth. The group notes that swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause problems. So young children should be carefully supervised when they brush their teeth. And only a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste,the size of a green pea,should be used.
Parents often wonder what effects sucking a thumb or sucking on a pacifier might have on their baby's teeth. Dental experts generally agree that this is fine early in life.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says most kids stop sucking their thumbs by the age of four. If it continues,the group advises parents to talk to their child's dentist or doctor. It could influence the correct development of permanent teeth. | Which one of the followings is NOT true according to this passage? | Dental experts suggest stopping babies sucking their thumbs. | ['Dental care should be given to babies as soon as they are born.', 'Special toothbrushes should be used for babies.', 'Breast milk and fluoride are helpful to protect baby teeth.'] |
Kids are cool to wear blue jeans and T-shirts today.It is fashionable like that.Fashion refers to the styles of dress that are currently popular.Fashion goes beyond just clothes, though.It's important for some people to wear only the latest fashions and styles.For others, though, keeping up with trends isn't that important.The one thing that stays the same with fashion is this: it always changes!
During the 1960s and 1970s, hippies made bell-bottomed blue jeans popular.Also, in the 1980s, Michael Jackson made parachute pants all the fashion.Now try to find these items in today's clothing stores!
Do you know why fashions change? The answer is probably as simple as the fact that people change.Over time, the new replaces the old.People are influenced greatly by popular culture, including athletes, musicians, movies stars, as well as popular films, television shows, books and music.We are also influenced by the fashion industry's advertising.
The stars of popular culture are always searching for a new angle to maintain their popularity.Often these new angles come in the form of new clothing or hairstyles.When people see these new styles, they often want to imitate their favorite stars.To do so, they seek out the latest fashions to make themselves look like the people they want to imitate.In this way, fashions evolve and change over time.
Clothes have been used to separate people into groups for many years.Even today, brand-name, clothing that is more expensive than other types of clothing can be used by some people to distinguish themselves from others.
Unfortunately, this can often have the effect of distancing certain groups from others.Don't forget that it's always OK to develop your own sense of style that is unique and separate from what the fashion world determines! Stay true to yourself and let your personality--not your clothes--speak for who you are! | We can learn from the text that _ . | clothes may separate and distance people | ['fashion is all about clothes', 'the author has gone out of fashion', "people like imitating others' dressing style"] |
The hardworking businessman Jones used to work all day in his shop and so hard-working was he that at times he would make the sparks fly from his hammer.
The son of Mr. Smith, a rich neighbor, used to come to see him every day and for hours and hours he would enjoy himself watching how the man worked.
" Young man, why don't you try your hand to learn to make shoe tacks , even if it is only to pass the time ? " said Jones. " Who knows, one day, it may be of use to you ."
The lazy boy began to see what he could do. But after a little practice he found that he was becoming very skilled and soon he was making some of the finest tacks.
Old Mr. Smith died and the son because of the war lost all his goods. He had to leave home and was forced to live in another country. It so happened that in this village there were many shoemakers who were spending a lot of money buying tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid high prices they were not always able to get what they wanted, because in that part of the country there was a high demand for soldiers' shoes.
Our young Mr. Smith, who was finding it difficult to earn his daily bread, remembered that once upon a time he had learned the art of making tacks and had the sudden idea of making a bargain with the shoemakers. He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him settled in the workshop. The shoemakers were only too glad of the offer. And after a while, Mr. Smith found that he was soon making the finest tacks in the village.
" How funny it seems, " he used to say, " even making tacks can make money. My trade is more useful to me than all my former riches." | Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ? | The young man earned his living by his skills learnt when he was young. | ['Old Mr. Smith enjoyed making the shoe tacks.', 'Jones had said the young man must be in need of the skill.', 'The higher prices they paid, the more tacks the shoemakers would get.'] |
Although English is not as old as Chinese , it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words and we are often able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg. They didn't speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round piece of beef, they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans didn't understand the question and answered, "We come from Hamburg." One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round piece of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called "hamburgers". Today, "hamburgers" are sold in many countries around the world.
Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. This reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary. | According to the passage, _ . | hamburgers were first sold about a century ago | ['few Americans like hamburgers', 'hamburgers are made with beef', 'hamburgers are made with ham'] |
Our attack plan for this museum was to look at the map and circle all the artists we knew , which included Monet , Manet , Degas , Van Gogh , Rodin ( this guy is like in every museum ever ) , Renoir , and Picasso , and then hit all those rooms . This lead us to actually walk through every single room and I grew to like Delecroix 's work , among others . The Orsay collection , probably because it 's smaller , is way more manageable to check out than the Louvre 's . | What will happen after the narrator visits all the works of art ? | The narrator will likely be exhausted . | ['The narrator will likely be wanting to see more .', 'The narrator will likely be feeling underwhelmed .', 'The narrator will likely be feeling unappreciated .'] |
Part of that was due to the alcohol . Part of that was also due to the fact I was in such close proximity to her and had started focusing more attention at how pretty she was . Part of everything was also due to the music she put on , which , to my absolute delight , was Explosions in the Sky-- a band whose gospel I proudly introduced her to . If you asked both of us what we like about their music , we 'd probably give different answers given our musical backgrounds . | How did he notice that he liked her ? | By them both liking Explosions in the Sky . | ["He did n't pay any attention to her .", 'He looked at her from across the room .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
When I was writing the manuscript for Florentine, I enlisted the help of an army of recipe testers — about 80 people from all over the world — to test every recipe thoroughly.
Only one came back to me consistently with problems.
From Minnesota to Melbourne, three testers wrote to me that their very first attempt at making Tuscan gnudi (ricotta and spinach balls that, rather than be encased in pasta like for ravioli, are simply dusted in flour) resulted in a pot of simmering water with “dissolved” gnudi. It reminded me of Pellegrino Artusi’s potato gnocchi recipe in his famous cookbook from 1891, where he interrupts the recipe instructions to mention a signora who, upon attempting to stir the gnocchi cooking in the pot, finds they have disappeared – O dove’erano andati? “Where did they go?”
In the case of the gnocchi, there was too little flour used, according to Artusi. But in the case of the gnudi, I already had a hunch. I grilled all three testers on a number of various factors — was the water just simmering, not on a rolling boil (which can destroy delicate gnudi), did they drain the spinach very well, and equally the ricotta (one said she even drained it overnight)? Did they use “proper” ricotta? Aha.
“Proper” ricotta. The kind that was only made a day or so earlier, the leftovers of the cheese-making process, the real deal. The kind that you can see in a deli counter, standing on its own, that gets cut into a big wedge and weighed when you order it. Not the kind you buy at the supermarket, in a tub, that so often is grainy, more like the consistency of yogurt, has no structure, and is full of unnecessary gums or additives. All my recipe testers had used the second kind — to be fair, some were new to the idea of buying ricotta and in their neighbourhood only had access to this. In that case, it would have probably been better to make your own, or choose another recipe. | Who was new to the idea of buying ricotta from a deli? | The recipe testers | ['not enough information', 'The author of the article', 'Pellegrino Artusi'] |
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 passage mainly about? | Chocolate may help keep people slim. | ['Chocolate may be healthy for us.', 'Eating too much chocolate might be harmful.', 'Allowing yourself a treat like chocolate.'] |
Once I invited a group of friends round to my house, telling them that I was going to record their speech. I said I was interested in their regional accents, and that it would take only a few minutes. Thus, on one evening, three people turned up at my house and were shown into my front room. When they saw the room they were a bit alarmed, for it was laid out as a studio. In front of each easy chair there was a microphone at head height, with wires leading to a tape-recorder in the middle of the floor. I explained that all I wanted was for them to count from one to twenty. Then we could relax and have a drink.
I turned on the tape-recorder and each in turn seriously counted from one to twenty in their best accent. When it was over, I turned the tape-recorder off and brought round the drinks, and for the rest of the evening there was general cheerful conversation--interrupted only by the fact that I had to take a telephone call in another room, which unfortunately lasted some time.
Or at least that was how it would appear. For, of course, the microphones were not connected to the tape-recorder in the middle of the room at all but to another one, which was turning happily away in the kitchen. The participants, having seen the visible tape-recorder turned off, paid no more attention to the microphones which stayed in front of their chairs, only a few inches from their mouths, thus giving excellent sound quality. And my lengthy absence meant that I was able to obtain as natural a piece of conversation as it would be possible to find.
I should add, perhaps, that I did tell my friends what had happened to them, after the event was over, and gave them the choice of destroying the tape. None of them wanted to--though for some years afterwards it always seemed to be my round when it came to the buying of drinks. Linguistic research can be a very expensive business. | The writer went into another room to _ . | get a natural recording of his friends' conversation | ['stay away from too much drinking with his friends', 'bring a telephone into the front room', 'answer a long distance phone call'] |
I made it through . Also I got my second paycheck today . I took a fourth of it to buy enough to last me until the next one ( A gas card , ground turkey , turkey sausage ( I know I do n't eat regular meat at home . ) , and a card for Mrs. K ) I feel good . Yesterday , my toliet acted up again . I was so mad because I missed my body combat class waiting on the mainance people . | Why is the person buying such mundane items ? | They are being responsible with their paycheck amid a new job . | ['They are being responsible despite having job security .', 'They are being flashy with their paycheck .', 'They are being responsible as they are in a long - term job .'] |
Rhubarb loved everyone and every dog. Whenever someone came to the house, she was always happy. We had an older Samoyed named Willie, and it was important that Rhubarb got along well with him. She wanted to play, but was very respectful of Willie and left him alone when he was tired and needed to rest. Willie was not well and died about a year later, but I believe Rhubarb's interaction helped him keep going for longer than ifhe had been alone.
But the interesting thing about Rhubarb was that she never barked. She would sometimes get excited when she saw a mouse and make a little crying sound. One hot night when she was about 4 years old, we went to bed with the windows open and the doors unlocked. At about 3 a.m., I woke up to the sound of Rhubarb barking and growling. I woke Donald and we got out of bed.
Rhubarb was coming toward us with her hackles up. We turned on the lights and noticed the door to the kitchen was open. Then we saw the door leading into the house from the garage was also open. We quickly locked all the doors, and we did not get any sleep that night.
The next day I called the police to report a break-in. I told them nothing had been taken, but they sent a police officer over to talk with us anyway. While he was here, we found out several local homes had been burglarized over the weekend. Most people had their wallets and purses stolen.
My purse was right next to the door, but Rhubarb had scared the robber away before he or she could steal it. When the police officer left, he said we should keep our doors locked and reward Rhubarb with a big steak dinner.
Rhubarb lived to be almost 12, but that night was the only time she barked in her entire life. Fortunately, she never saw the need to warn us of any other danger. We loved her like a member of the family and still miss our sweet dog. | What made the author feel fortunate? | There was no need for Rhubarb to bark. | ['Rhubarb scared the robber away.', 'She had such a family member as Rhubarb.', 'Rhubarb barked once in her entire life.'] |
When people think of Hollywood, they think of the city where dreams come true. This did not apply to F. Scott Fitzgerald, a screenwriter who had his share of ups and downs in this land. Fitzgerald was not a successful Hollywood writer because he was not good at the career path he chose. He was an amazing novelist, but his efforts of turning them into screenplays ended in disappointment and confusion. It was because of a lack of potential for screenwriting as well as his addiction and desire to be famous.
Growing up as a boy, Fitzgerald went to movies a lot. He wanted to write stories that would eventually turn into movies. The problem was: just because Fitzgerald wanted to do something didn't necessarily mean that he was good at it. He made his attempts, but most of these efforts ended in disappointment because he thought about the change from script to screen too much. His plot was too detailed and complicated; his tone was too serious or his dialogue too sentimental .
Fitzgerald's quick rise to fame also led to his fall. In life, things are not meant to happen all at once, all that the same time but it did for Fitzgerald. At his best time, three of his early stories were made into short films, including The Great Gatsby and Babylon Revisited. As the twenties approached, he was gradually forgotten by the reading public. He became drunk and constantly took pills both to sleep and wake up. His marriage was destroyed and his wife broke down mentally. He seemed unsure about his life.
Fitzgerald had another chance at success when many opportunities came his way, including revisions of Emlyn William's play The Light of Heart and production of one of his own scripts, Cosmopolitan. However, these were all put aside and he was right back where he started, left behind and called a "ruined man". Fitzgerald simply wanted too much in his life. He wanted "to be both a great novelist and a Hollywood success, to write songs like Cole Porter and poetry like John Keats". His addiction to fame held him back and led to his failure as a Hollywood writer. | What is the best title of the passage? | Fallen for Fame Addiction: F. Scott Fitzgerald | ['An Inch into Fame: F. Scott Fitzgerald', 'F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Novelist', 'F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Great Screenwriter'] |
I want to tell you the story of one of my old friends called Bob. His teachers called him A Troublemaker. They also said that he had no future and no hope. But now he owns a small second-hand bookstore store which makes him enough money to live on and also to support his mother.
He told me that after he finished grade nine, he went to study at a technical college. He was a pretty bad student so he became one of the gang leaders there. Many of them got caught many times for fighting.
It looked like nothing could change his life. That was until one sad day when his father died. That changed everything.
After his father died, his mother had to work very hard to make enough money to support the family. He told me that he really pitied his mum after his dad died. He felt that he needed to earn some money rather than let his mum work alone. He loved reading cartoon books and had been collecting them for years. As his family was short of money, he decided that he should sell them. He did this by the side of the road where his mother was selling food.
Soon he realized that his books were very popular. So he decided to set up his own business. He started his business by going around buying cartoon books from other people. He bought them for 25% and then sold them for half price. He could make enough money to help support the family.
He was a troublemaker to his teachers but he is a hero to me. If you are judged as a bad student or as someone being stupid, I suggest you pay no attention to what they say. Just do your best in everything. Don't give up so easily. Believe in yourself. If you think that you can do it, then you can. Believe me, one day you could be more successful than those persons who looked down upon you. | What does the author want to tell the readers? | People can change when they are determined to. | ['How a young man helped his mother.', 'How a young man graduated from college.', 'People can be successful after they lose a family member.'] |
It would run non - stop . This punk is one of countless thieves staying busy and spending other people 's money . He did n't have to worry very much about the camera or anything else . On the bright side I was not hurt , and neither was my friend . | What happened to me and my friends ? | We were robbed by a thief . | ["We did n't know where our money was .", 'None of the above choices .', 'We gave our money away .'] |
The scientific world continues to be amazed by the speed of the development of cloning. Some scientists now suggest that the cloning of humans could occur in the near future. Despite the benefits of cloning, however, certain ethical questions concerning the possible abuse of cloning have been raised. At the heart of these questions is the idea of humans influencing life in a way that could harm society, either morally or in a real physical sense. Some people object to cloning because it allows scientists to "act like God" in the handling of living organisms.
The cloning of Dolly raised the debate over this practice to a whole new level. It has become obvious that the technology for cloning Dolly could also be used to clone humans. A person could choose to make two or ten or a hundred copies of himself or herself by the same techniques used with Dolly. An active debate about the morality of cloning humans arises. Some people see benefits from the practice, such as providing a way for parents to produce a new child to replace one dying of a fatal disease. Other people worry about humans taking into their own hands the future of the human race.
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, many scientists say the controversy over the ethics of cloning humans is overstressed because of the unpredictability of cloning in general. While scientists have cloned animals such as sheep, mice, cows, pigs, and goats, fewer than 3 percent of all those cloning efforts have succeeded. The animal clones that have been produced often have health problems. Scientists believe the rapid reprogramming in cloning can introduce random errors into a clone's DNA. Those errors have altered individual genes in minor ways, and the genetic defects have led to the development of major medical problems. Some scientists say this should make human cloning out of the question, but others argue that cloning humans may actually be easier and safer than cloning animals. Whatever, I agree that further research in the field of cloning is needed. | Some people are against cloning of humans because they think _ . | humans control the future of the human race | ['the practice takes too much time and money', 'the cloning technology is still not mature', 'the population in the world will be too large'] |
He saw Dr. Blue again yesterday and he really likes how proactive he is . It 's good to see him respond to something . And he sounds hopeful . That 's the most important thing . Yesterday I also did something RADICAL and UNHEARD OF.Seriously . I baked . | Why was the baked good such a radical event ? | The narrator rarely bakes . | ['The narrator avoiding sweets .', 'The narrator is on a diet .', 'The narrator is gluten intolerant .'] |
thursday i only had two cookies to eat during school , one at break and one for lunch . justin did nt like the idea of me only eating a cookie for lunch , so he proposed he buy me a chicken sandwhich for lunch . | What may Justin do to the narrator after this ? | Justin will push the sandwich on the narrator . | ['Justin will encourage the narrator to eat another cookie .', 'Justin will leave the narrator alone .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Facebook and Twitter have become a significant threat to marriage - with social media now a factor in an increasing number of divorce cases, say lawyers.
One in seven married individuals have considered divorce because of their spouse's postings of Facebook or other online sites, according to research. A similar percentage admit that they search online for evidence of their spouse's _ , while nearly one in five say they have daily quarrels because of the way their husband or wife uses social media. The research was assigned by law firm Gordon in response to an increase in the number of its clients who said that Facebook, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter or other social media sites had played a part in their divorce.
Andrew Newbury, of law firm Gordon, said: 'Social media is the new marriage. Five years ago Facebook was rarely mentioned in the context of a marriage ending, but now it has become common." Social media, specific pictures and posts on Facebook, are now being routinely raised in divorces.' The survey by Censuswide among 2011 husbands and wives, found the most common reasons for checking their spouse's social media accounts were to discover who they were talking to, who they were meeting and where they were going. A quarter of the married people said the resulting suspicions led to quarrels at least once a week, and 17 percent said such quarrels were daily events.
Arguments were caused by contact with former partners, by the sending of secret messages, and by the posting of 'inappropriate' pictures. Some 14 percent said they looked at their spouse's social media with the specific intention of detecting evidence of adultery . | By saying "Social media is the new marriage minefield", Andrew means that _ . | marriage ending will be caused by social media | ['a new marriage needs social media field', 'social media is a good thing to marriage', 'social media is a new field of communication'] |
Even some of my plants had to be continually trimmed and pruned because of this law . I simply could n't find any measure that would inhibit it . The crowning realization came when my wife , now deceased , gave me an assignment that I thought was ridiculous and , impossible . | What may happen after this situation ? | They will keep their plants trimmed . | ['They will get in trouble for their garden .', 'None of the above choices .', "They will follow their deceased wife 's plan ."] |
Everyone makes mistakes . People lie for all kinds of reasons , some better than others . But honesty is very important to me , and although I can forgive dishonesty , I need some reason to forgive , some indication that it was a mistake that wo n't happen again . Tonight I shared this sentiment with her . | Why may they have a discussion with her about honesty ? | She lied to the speaker . | ['None of the above choices .', "They do n't want this relationship to work .", 'The speaker was the one who lied .'] |
A group of senior high school students are playing outside on a basketball court. They are shouting with excitement. And they all have the same dream. They wish to play in the NBA, just like Huston Rocket's Yao Ming. "Someday, there will be more Chinese players like Yao in the NBA," said 15-year-old Xie Tao, a senior 1 boy at Shanghai No. 2 Middle School. Xie always watches Yao playing on TV. "He is a great player. He makes me proud to be Chinese," he said.
Like Xie, 17-year-old Liu Yan at Beijing No. 22 Middle School is also a big NBA fan. "Since early May, I've not missed one game in the NBA," said the senior 3 student.
Basketball is becoming popular in middle schools across the country. And more young players are starting to like the sport. More students are playing the game.
Jiang Hui, a basketball teacher at Beijing No. 2 Middle School, said that 85 percent of the students at this school like the sport. "Students are full of passion for the game," Jiang's team won the regional first prize in the 2004 National High School Boy's Basketball League in march. The league is the first national basketball competition for high school students.
Playing basketball is a good way to exercise. But students also enjoy it for other reasons. For Li Yan, a Senior 2 at Shanghai No. 12 Middle School, basketball teaches him lessons in life. "When I am in a game, I feel more confident about my studies, " he said. " It also teaches me to have a good team spirit and to enjoy friendship." | Which school team won the regional first prize in the first national basketball competition for high school students? | Beijing No. 2 Middle School. | ['Shanghai No. 2 Middle School.', 'Beijing No. 22 Middle School.', 'Shanghai No. 12 Middle School.'] |
I stopped to look at a map , felt a stinging in my left leg ... and looked down to a mosquito . And then another . Sigh . I have issues with mosquitoes . Maybe I have sweet blood ? | Where might I be visiting currently ? | I might be visiting an area not familiar to me which is why I need a map . | ['None of the above choices .', 'I might be visiting an area familiar to me which is why I need a map .', 'I might be visiting an area familiar to me which is why I have a map .'] |
Cowboy or spaceman? A dilemma for a children's party, perhaps. But also a question for economists, argued Kenneth Boulding, a British economist, in an essay published in 1966. We have run our economies, he warned, like cowboys on the open grassland: taking and using the world's resources, confident that more lies over the horizon. But the Earth is less a grassland than a spaceship--a closed system, alone in space, carrying limited supplies. We need, said Boulding, an economics that takes seriously the idea of environmental limits. In the half century since his essay, a new movement has responded to his challenge. "Ecological economists", as they call themselves, want to revolutionise its aims and assumptions. What do they say--and will their ideas achieve lift-off?
To its advocators, ecological economics is neither ecology nor economics, but a mix of both. Their starting point is to recognise that the human economy is part of the natural world. Our environment, they note, is both a source of resources and a sink for wastes. But it is ignored in conventional textbooks, where neat diagrams trace the flows between firms, households and the government as though nature did not exist. That is a mistake, say ecological economists.
There are two ways our economies can grow, ecological economists point out: through technological change, or through more intensive use of resources. Only the former, they say, is worth having. They are suspicious of GDP, a crude measure which does not take account of resource exhaustion, unpaid work, and countless other factors. In its place they advocate moreholistic approaches, such as the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), a composite index that includes things like the cost of pollution, deforestation and car accidents. While GDP has kept growing, global GPI per person peaked in 1978: by destroying our environment we are making ourselves poorer, not richer. The solution, says Herman Daly, a former World Bank economist and eco-guru, is a "steady-state" economy, where the use of materials and energy is held constant.
Mainstream economists are unimpressed. The GPI, they point out, is a subjective measure. And talk of limits to growth has had a bad press since the days of Thomas Malthus, a gloomy 18th century cleric who predicted, wrongly, that overpopulation would lead to famine. Human beings find solutions to some of the most annoying problems. But ecological economists warn against self-satisfaction. In 2009 a paper in Nature, a scientific journal, argued that human activity is already overstepping safe planetary boundaries on issues such as biodiversity and climate change. That suggests that ecological economists are at least asking some important questions, even if their answers turn out to be wrong. | Kenneth Boulding and the content of his essay at the beginning of this passage are meant to . | introduce ecological economists and ecologist economics | ['point out how ignorant of nature the cowboys are', 'blame human beings for their exploitation of nature', 'ask people to take seriously the environment limits'] |
Yes, sometimes you just meet people and you know straight away that they are not trustworthy. Before my relationship there were certain boys in my life that I would meet and I would be able to tell straight away whether or not they were going to be a decent partner. I find that I am not attracted to the pretty boy, who loves himself, I go for the more reserved and shy people that I know will treat me right.
One time there was this guy back at school who I knew was all over the girls and that didn't want a relationship. He was rude to the teachers and a bit of a bad boy and all the girls swooned over him. I on the other hand was not, at one point he managed to get my number and was texting me. We spoke for a bit but once he started asking me for pictures of myself I stopped the contact, I knew he wasn't to be trusted from the beginning and decided he wasn't right for me. Then it was quite funny how one day we had a class where the rooms were next to each other and in between was a printer that both classes shared. I went to the room to print my work, and he was there waiting also. He asked me for a hug and just raised an eyebrow, then I saw my work had printed so I lent over to grab it and he thought I was going in for the hug. So he shut his eyes and held out his arms only to open them to see me walking off with my paper. His friend also saw what happened and laughed, I think he was a bit embarrassed.
But we were young back then and he has found someone now and seems very happy, as am I. | At the end of the story the bad boy is probably | Living with his girlfriend. | ['Still chasing the witer', 'not enough information', 'Going back to school'] |
January 1 -- January 31
You are charming and intelligent. You are actually quite ambitious. You like to go to parties and chat with your friends. On the other hand, you are friendly, but you are also a very private person.
February 1 -- February 28
You are determined and hard working.You are born under the sign of loyalty and faimess.You like parties and enjoy a lot of friends. On the other hand, you are quite famous for your courage. You really like to explore and you are an adventurer.
March 1 -- March 31
You are very loyal, independent, and open-minded. You are a born leader, and when you set a goal, you go to it. You adore challenges and competitions. You are most likely to be the one who calls out, "Let's go!" you are always in a circle of friends. You love animals. _
April 1--April 30
You are artistic, well-mannered, intelligent, and diplomatic.You are usually sweet and kind, of course.You are sometimes famous for your artistic sense and good taste. You love throwing grand parties. Vacations and routines are very important to you. You are also fairly popular.
May l -- May 31
You are talented, sincere, and most of all, enthusiastic. You are the master of ceremonies. You shine in the crowd.When you walk into a room, heads turn, and you hear whispers and gasps. You have a strong will to defeat any challenge in your way. You have a hunger for fashion.
June 1 -- June 30
You are very elegant, wise, and compassionate .You are very attractive and people are attracted to you. Your friends rely on you for advice. You will be someone like Jacqueline Onassis. You are also very lucky in many ways.
July l -- July 31
You are mostly agreeable, energetic, and popular.You like to try new things wherever you go. You know how to dress and you always look your best. You are talented and you love sports. You are always one step ahead of anyone else. You adore freedom and independence.
August 1 -- August 31
You are empathetic, easygoing, and compliant.You can get along with almost everyone. Many people admire you for your talent and creativity. On the other hand, you are sensitive and compassionate. You always like to dream. You enjoy peace and quiet at night.
September 1 -- September 30
You are individualistic, sociable, and very entertaining. You are capable of anything. You have an excellent memory. You like long, friendly conversations with your closest friends.You turn boring things into the life of the party.
October 1 -- October 31
You are thoughtful, intelligent, and the class comedian.You are also very popular, and nice around friends. You love to save the best for last. You are amusing and very fun to be around with. You love to spend hours each day reading and studying for final exams, when the school year has just started. You almost never turn on your friends.
November 1 -- November 30
You are unselfish, knowledgeable, and friendly. You are loyal to your friends and family. You can see the difference between right and wrong. You are very honest and you speak out when you feel something has gone wrong. You are the person who likes trendy clothes.
December 1 --December 31
You are smart, optimistic, and willing to help others. You are like a rare diamond. You are intentionally the nicest while you are with friends. You are also very affectionate. You are too good to be true. Your friends trust in you easily. You are also popular in the "Being Nice" way. | Who is the combination of very different characteristics? | A person born during January 1---January 31. | ['A person born during April 1---April 30.', 'A person born during August 1---August 31.', 'A person born during February 1---February 28.'] |
The hair on her arms stood up and she shivered . She could smell the alcohol now , very clearly , but it was n't the antiseptic smell of rubbing alcohol . " Grain alcohol " she thought . " It smells ... | What may be the plausible reason that I shivered ? | The alcohol smelled intense . | ['The alcohol made me thirsty .', 'The alcohol smelled delightful .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
So here 's an interesting tidbit : I recently visited my two brothers , ( 15 and 17 ) . Being a Self Respecting Geek , I decided to introduce them to dungeons and Dragons ( 4th edition , thank you ) . The games went swimmingly , and they are both excited to play again ( and did you know 2 third level characters can beat a young white dragon ? I was impressed ... ) . | What can be said about my two brothers before I visited them ? | They had never played the game D&D before . | ['None of the above choices .', 'The were level 2 players and beat a young , white dragon .', "They do n't play dungeons and dragons because they do n't like it ."] |
If you visited the Getty Center in July or early August, you may have encountered a group of high school students wearing white lab coats with “Teen Lab” splattered across the back. You might have spotted them testing kinetic sculptures made from recycled materials, sketching in front of artworks in the galleries, or taking Polaroid self-portraits inspired by David Hockney’s photocollages. Online, you may have seen the playful social media stories they created to share their experiments with artistic and scientific processes.
The teens were participants in the Getty Teen Lab, a four-week paid internship for high school students. Supported by a generous grant from the Vera R. Campbell Foundation, Teen Lab was the first of several teen-focused initiatives that the J. Paul Getty Museum is launching in 2017 and 2018.
The Getty’s Education Department developed Teen Lab in response to several seemingly disconnected questions that many art museums are grappling with today: How can we engage diverse youth in meaningful ways? How can museums help meet the rising demand for K-12 curriculum that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM)? Can art museums themselves be sites for STEAM learning?
To address these questions, we looked at other teen programs and discovered that the most successful models are those that give teens agency and a voice in the museum.(1) For example, many museums have teen councils that program events for their peers or offer opportunities for students to collaborate on projects with artists.(2)
The Getty wanted to build on these models by empowering teens to be active creators of educational content. In keeping with this goal, we designed the program using the project-based learning approach, which develops skills and knowledge by inviting students to explore solutions to authentic, real-world problems. | What was the Getty Teen Lab favorite activity during their internship? | not enough information | ['sketching in front of artworks in the galleries', 'taking Polaroid self-portraits', 'kinetic sculptures made from recycled materials'] |
Much like the Grand Old Duke of York, who had ten thousand men and marched them up to the top of the hill, and then marched them down again, I can’t get enough of York… (because he visited repeatedly, that was obvious, right?)
Having visited nearly half a dozen times over the years, and somehow not managing to share it on my blog over the years, I would say that although you could visit from London for the day, I wouldn’t. Go for a minimum of an overnight stay, or a few days if you can. Witness a misty morning, and a candy coloured sunset, wander out into the Dales or slip in a seaside visit somewhere like Scarborough, and really get to know the ancient city.
Alas, I haven’t really learned how to take my own advice, but hot on the end of a family visit in Lincolnshire we were lucky enough to spend sometime with one of my favourite expats on Yorkshire (ok, ok, I only know two, but they are definitely in the top two of that limited ranking system). It was of course Amanda, her fabulous husband Sam and we got to meet their gorgeous new addition to the family, a mischevious Dachshund pup who goes by the name of Harold.
Instagram was alive with “OOOOOOOH MY GOD YOU GOT TO MEET HAROLLLLLD”
Forget being a rockstar in this day and age, puppy dog eyes are all you need to make ladies weep and then squeal into their keyboards.
We tumbled off the train, cheeks ruddy from the fresh the North Sea breezes (fresh from visiting the Seal colony with a litany of pups at Donna Nook, and nibbling fish and chips with the family in Cleethorpes) and went wandering.
I’m going to make a big claim here – if you’re travelling through the UK and can only fit in one city visit outside of London, York or perhaps Bath would be excellent choices. Compact enough to really explore, full of ancient buildings and history, and good cake.
What more do you even need? | Why are the expats in the top 2 of the writer's ranking system? | because the writer only knew 2 people | ['not enough information', 'because they had a new addition to the family', "because the writer can't get enough of York"] |
Guide dogs help blind people who cannot get around by themselves.Although Yorkshire terriers and poodles are good companion dogs,guide dogs are chosen from lager breeds such as German shepherds,golden retrievers,and Labrador retrievers.The young dogs are raised by families until they are eighteen months old.During this time,they get lots of love and attention,but they are also taught to obey.Then the dogs go to a special school where,for four months,they work with a sighted trainer,an individual who can see.The dog forms a close relationship with this person who teaches it how to follow directions such as right,left,straight ahead,and stop.The young dog also learns to watch out for dangerous traffic and wait until it is safe to cross a busy street.
When the dog is two years old,it starts training with the blind person it will live with. The dog and its new owner make many trips from downtown to where the blind person lives so the dog becomes familiar with the normal atmosphere.During the training,a sighted trainer always remains with them. A blind person who is getting a guide dog for the first time will train for about a month. If the individual has had a dog before,the training takes about three weeks.After the training,the blind person depends on the guide dog for between seven and twelve years.At that point,the working dog become a family pet and the owner needs to train with a younger guide dog. | Who gives the dogs training at the special school? | A sighted trainer. | ['Other blind people.', 'A traffic peliceman.', 'The school director.'] |
The way to teach the kids to take good care of pets
The best way to teach your child how to be responsible pet caregivers is to be on yourself. This should start before you even get a pet--make sure you have realistic expectations about pet ownership. And take steps to select the right animal at the right time.
As soon as you bring a pet in, set up and enforce rules regarding proper pet care. For example, tell your child not to pull the animal's tail, ears, or other body parts, and insist they never tease(,), hit, or chase it. Teach the child how to properly pick up, hold, and pat the animal. These simple lessons are essential to helping the kid become a responsible caretaker.
Although a certain pet-care activity must be handled by an adult, you can still include your child by explaining why and what you're doing. For example, when you take your pet to the veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, explain to your child how the operation not only reduces pet overpopulation but can also make it healthier, calmer, and more affectionate.
Also involve your child in a pet-training activity, which not only make your pet a more well-mannered family member, but teach your child humane treatment and effective communication.
Ultimately, your child will learn how to treat animals--and people--by watching how you treat the family pet. And they'll pay close attention to how you react when a pet scratches the furniture, barks excessively, or soils in the house. Frustrating as these problems are, "getting rid of" the pet isn't just unfair to the pet and your child, but it also sends the wrong message about commitment, trust, and responsibility. When faced with pet problems, get to the root of the problem. Often a veterinarian, animal shelter professional, or dog trainer can help you resolve pet issues so you can keep the whole family together. | This passage mainly focuses on _ . | how to teach kids to treat pets | ['how to enforce proper rules of pet care', 'who can settle pet problems', 'how we can help pets feel safe'] |
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Thursday pushed back against a North Korean state media report that U.S. President Donald Trump agreed during this week’s Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un to gradually lift sanctions against Pyongyang, saying Trump had been very clear about the sequence of steps in the process.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Trump offered to lift sanctions against it as relations improve, indicating a phased-in approach where concessions would be provided at various stages of the denuclearization process.
Speaking at a news conference in Seoul alongside South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, the U.S. secretary of state said the Trump administration would not repeat the mistakes made by past presidents that rewarded Pyongyang for denuclearization promises.
“When we refer to the mistakes of the past. They were providing economic and financial aid relief before the complete denuclearization had taken place. That is not going to happen. President Trump made that clear,” Pompeo said.
President Trump described his meeting with Kim as a resounding success and in a tweet said, “There is no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea.” But the U.S.-North Korea joint declaration was vague on details, providing no clear definition on what constitutes denuclearization, set no timeline for the dismantlement process, and said nothing about outside verification requirements.
Pompeo, however, pointed out that in the Singapore statement both countries reaffirmed the inter-Korean Panmunjom declaration from April, in which both South and North Korea agreed to uphold all past agreements that did specify detailed nuclear prohibitions and verification requirements.
The secretary of state and his counterparts in Seoul and Tokyo said they are united in support of the U.S.-North Korea agreement, and in agreement on the goal of complete, irreversible, verifiable dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear program.
After the summit, President Trump surprised allies in the region by calling the joint military exercises with South Korea “provocative” and saying they will no longer be held, as long as North Korea continues to make progress toward denuclearization. | When will the US take back some of the sanctions on North Korea? | after they improve relations with the US by complying with denuclearization stages | ['not enough information', 'after they completely denuclearize', 'before they denuclearize'] |
A man enters a store to buy milk. He walks out of the store with milk. That is all-- milk. At the same time, a woman enters the same grocery store also to buy milk. She buys it. But, she also buys chicken and lemons to make dinner that night. Then she remembers to buy food for her son to eat at school. She also gets a bottle of wine for drinks with friends and a birthday card for her husband's niece. Then she gets coffee for breakfast, ice cream for dessert and remembers stamps to mail the bills. And don't forget soap for the bathroom.
And that is the difference between the female and male brains simply explained in a grocery store. Generally speaking,men do one thing at a time. Women do many. Doing many things at one time is often called "multi-tasking", a very popular word these days.
Now scientific research supports this theory about male and female brains. A recent study has confirmed what we have known all along--men and women think differently.
Scientist at the university of Pennsylvania studied brain images of 949 people aged from 8 to 22 years old. They found that male brains have more connections on one side of the brain, or hemisphere. In female brain, they found more activity and connections between the right and left sides of the brain. The left side of the brain is known as the side of "reason" The right hemisphere is known as the "creative" side.
Regina Verma is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She co-wrote the report. She says when women are asked to do something difficult they might use different parts of the brain. Men, she adds, generally use just one side of the brain.
As a result, men generally deal directly with a problem. There is a strong connection between the "understanding" and the "action" parts of their brains. Women, however, might include other parts of the brain, like the part connected with reason and the part connected with sensitivity when solving a problem. Women take a less direct path to find a solution.
Dr. Venma warns that the study should not lead anyone to expect some behaviors from women and others from men. | When asked to deal with a problem, _ . | men tend to take action straight | ['women tend to take action straight', 'women tend to use a single part of the brain', 'men tend to use connected parts of the brain'] |
Mars appears to be flowing with small streams of salty water,at least in the summer,scientists reported Monday."It suggests that.it would be possible for there to be life today on Mars,"NASA's science mission chief,John Grunsfeld,said at a news conference on September 28,2015.
The streams are about 12 to 15 feet wide and 300 feet or more long,scientists said."What we're dealing with is wet soil.thin layers of wet soil,not standing water,"said Aifred McEwen of the University of Arizona at Tueson!the principal scientist for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's high-resolution imaging experiment.
Because liquid water is essential to life,the findings could have major implications for the possibility of Martian life.The researchers said further exploration is needed to determine whether microscopic life exists on the planet.
The presence of liquid water could also make life easier for astronauts visiting or living on Mars.Water could be used for drinking and for creating oxygen and rocket fuel.NASA's goal is to send humans there in the 2030s.
The evidence of flowing water consists largely of dark,narrow streaks on the surface that tend to appear and grow during the warmest Martian months and fade the rest of the year.
Mars is extremely cold even in summer,and the streaks are in places where the temperature is as low as minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit.But salt can lower the freezing point of water and melt ice.
The source of the water is a mystery.Scientists noted it could be melting ice.It could be an underground aquifer,which is rock or sand that can hold water.It is possibly water vapor from the thin Martian atmosphere,Or it may be a combination Michael Meyer,lead scientist for NASA's Mars exploration program,said the only definitive way for now to determine whether there's life on Mars is to collect rocks and soil for analysis on Earth - something a U.S.lander set for lift-off in 2020 will do. | What would be the best title for the text? | Streams of Water Spotted on Mars | ['Astronauts will Land on Mars', "NASA's Mars Exploration Program", 'A Breakthrough in the Exploration of Mars'] |
Take this , stupid weather ! ) Anyway . Only minutes after the first drop of rain had fallen the steady drip hat turned into buckets of ice water . I wore a bin liner over my head . | What is the narrator likely to do next amid this weather ? | The narrator is likely to go inside and rest . | ['The narrator is likely to go workout in the sun .', 'The narrator is likely to go to a sporting event outdoors .', 'The narrator is likely to go play outside .'] |
When we first moved here I started our emergency supply but about a year and a half ago I transferred all the food products out to use them up and then never got around to replacing them . I also took the emergency kit out to take camping with us one weekend and over the past two years it 's been used and almost depleted as well . My goal over the next couple months is to build it back up . Here might be a surprise though ; I ' m always on the look out for products even if it 's from an unlikely site . | What can be said about the narrator ? | They plan ahead . | ['They play things by ear .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They are unprepared .'] |
Many birds migrate. This means that every year they fly somewhere warm in the winter and then return to the place they came from in the spring. One mystery is how birds know how to travel such long distances without getting lost. Scientists have wondered for years whether they are born with the knowledge of where to go or whether they learn it after they are born. Now, researchers have found evidence that shows that one type of bird, at least, learns how to migrate.
The bird is the whooping crane , a tall, white bird that lives in the United States. In the 1940s, the number of these birds decreased to fewer than 25 individuals, and many people feared that they would die out. Thanks to efforts to save them, they have now increased to about 600. However, the birds are not very good at taking care of their young. Because of this, eggs are brought to a site in Maryland. There, scientists from the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership raise the baby birds.
Later, the young birds are taken from Maryland to Wisconsin, where the scientists teach them how to fly. From there, they fly about 2,200 kilometers south to Florida to spend the winter. The first time, scientists lead the way in a small airplane. From the second year, though, the birds travel by themselves. For 14 years, the scientists have kept a careful record of every flight the birds have taken between Wisconsin and Florida. They have also recorded which birds fly together, the relationships between the birds, and the gender of each bird.
When scientists analyzed the data, they were surprised by the results. These showed that each bird took a very different route. However, as they got older, they flew more and more directly between Wisconsin and Florida. This continued until they were five years old. This indicates that the birds gradually learned the best route to take. Moreover, when an older bird was in a group, the whole group flew more directly. This suggests that the older birds taught the younger ones a quicker route. Scientists say that this evidence marks a big step toward solving the mystery of bird migration. | What is one thing that scientists want to know about birds? | How they manage to migrate successfully. | ['Why they migrate to warmer places.', 'When they start migrating each year.', 'Whether some birds fly faster than others.'] |
As his quitting date comes near, Matt McDonnell, 51, has been thinking about his life as a smoker. "It has such power over me," he admits, "but this is something I don't want to continue doing."
Diagnosed with a lung disease two years ago, the private investigator who has smoked 36 years is well aware of the damage cigarettes have done to his health.
When his wife Laurel bought him a bagpipe as a birthday gift a few years ago, McDonnell didn't have the lung ability to play the instrument. "I could tell it was smoking-related and I couldn't believe that my health was being stolen away."
So he quit... for a while. "In four months, my skin tone improved and I noticed that I wasn't getting chest pains." But after a stressful day, McDonnell went out and bought cigarettes. " _ "
Now working with non-smoking coach Angela Forfia, McDonnell says, "I find that it takes the average person seven attempts to actually quit and the big trip wires are emotional. Lesson learned: I will now follow this program-- and it had better work!" | When did McDonnell begin to realize that something was wrong with his lung? | When his wife bought him a bagpipe. | ['When he first began to smoke in his life.', 'When he was diagnosed with a lung disease.', 'On a stressful day.'] |
For nearly a century before there was such a thing as a space program,a view of space was possible.People could see full views of the Moon,explore Mars ,and study the outer space beauty.All of this was made possible by a small group of artist-astronomers who worked to show people how other worlds in space might look.
Lucien Rudaux,a French artist,was the first to use his artistic ability and his knowledge of astronomy in art.His paintings show a mixture of skilled observations,brilliant imagination and careful attention.As a result,many of his works have come surprisingly close to actual conditions on distant planets.His painting of Mars included moonlike craters that were first photographed by the astronauts in 1965.His 1930 painting of a dust storm looks remarkably like a photograph of a storm taken by the astronauts in 1976.
The artist-astronomers,including Rudaux,made people interested in outer space by painting what turned out to be exact portraits of the planets. | The passage tells us _ . | the surprising exactness of space artists | ['the popular success of Lucien Rudaux', 'the imaginations of great artists', 'the likeness between the Moon and Mars'] |
I was an extremely verbal child, and growing up with my dad was an experiment in linguistics . My father was a man of few words. Whenever I wanted his permission for a certain activity, I planned a speech that included who would be there, where it would take place, how long it would last, and why it was an incredibly wonderful opportunity for me. He would listen and then say either "Yes" or "No." There were never any qualifiers; not "Yes, but be home by dinner" or "No, unless you can convince me otherwise." It was yes or no, plain and simple.
My father's phone messages were also lessons in patience and long-suffering to a teenage girl. I was quite active in high school. Not only did I enjoy being involved in many areas, but I came into contact with many a great teenage guy. I can recall one busy day when I had met two great guys and had given each of them my phone number. The first words out of my mouth when I walked through the front door were, "Dad! Did anyone call?" His answer, of course, was simply "Yes".I required for a more accurate description of the caller. His answer: "A boy." Since I had met two guys that day, this did not help me. I ran to my room in tears.
Knowing my dad's dislike of language in general and his fondness for briefness, it surprised me to hear that he was going to teach the eleven-year-old boys' Sunday school class. He did so for not one, but many years. I always wondered if he actually said anything, or if they all just sat in their chairs and stared at each other. I was sure that if people were waiting on my father to _ with brilliant conversation or a springboard comment, they'd be badly disappointed. Still, September after September, my father hung his sign outside the Sunday school room: Mr. Ernst--Eleven-Year-Old Boys. | When the author says "My father's phone messages were also lessons in patience and long-suffering to a teenage girl.", it means that when she was young _ . | she suffered and had to be patient because of her father's brief phone messages | ['her father once gave her a lesson about patience and long-lasting pain', "her father's brief phone messages angered her a lot but made her patient", "she was trained to be patient and brave because of her father's brief phone messages"] |
As Julie kept asking question after question, all I could think of was how desperately I needed a normal, healthy relationship. As far as most of my relationships went, mine with Julie was great. But it was great in all the wrong places. There really wasn't much more to it than sex. Even though it was a mind-numbing, bathe-in-gasoline-to-slough-the-shame-from-my-soul kind of sex, it didn't matter. At the end of the day we were just objects to each other. We couldn't talk about anything else. We'd tried before, but it had usually led to an afternoon of power-fucking in every changing room on Rodeo Drive. It was a fun ride, but nothing more. And like every great ride, Julie was beautiful, fast, and could turn on a dime in the blink of an eye.
"I don't understand, Dingo." I couldn't tell if it was the 12 stitches over my eye giving me the headache or Julie's prattling. I bit off a stretch of red tape and put it over the empty socket where my taillight should have been while I balanced the phone between my shoulder and swollen cheek.
"Julie, I told you. Darby took the box."
"I get that, but--."
"The box my dad hand-carved just before he died." I could feel the two edges of skin stitched together pull at each other every time my jaw moved.
"Yes, yes, and the box protects your family's dirty little secret or your mother's pride and joy or whatever the hell it is you're calling it this week."
"Hey, I told you not to go digging--. "
"I don't care what it is, Dingo! I couldn't give a shit about that damn box or what's inside. The only thing I want to know is what the fuck your ex-wife was doing there."
So there it was. And I thought she was jealous just because somebody else got to beat the living crap out of me for a change. "Julie, I didn't even know she was in town until after I was in the hospital." | Why would Darby probably want the box? | To know more about Dingo | ["To have a memory of Dingo's sister", 'not enough information', 'To know more about Julie'] |
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — The U.S. election calendar could be a key factor in determining the scope and timing of a potential deal to end the North Korean nuclear program.
Planning is progressing for both the upcoming summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the end of April and the expected meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in late May or early June.
President Trump said Tuesday that there had been talks at “extremely high levels” between his administration and the North Korean government. Later it was reported that Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and a secretary of state nominee, met recently with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.
Trump also noted the talks have been marked by “a lot of goodwill” and that “there has been a major change in terms of North Korea’s behavior,” since Kim’s Olympic outreach this year, in which he sent a large delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter games in South Korea, suspended nuclear and missile tests, and expressed a willingness to engage in denuclearization talks.
The turn toward diplomacy has reduced, for now, the potential for conflict over the North’s accelerated efforts last year to develop an operational nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the U.S. mainland.
The North Korean leader’s decision to engage in denuclearization talks was likely motivated by both Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign, which increased sanctions and the threat of military action against the North, and by South Korean President Moon’s reassuring outreach efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.
Trump’s motivation in pursuing a nuclear deal with North Korea, in addition to resolving a growing national security threat, could also have a political component.
According to North Korea analysts at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, the Trump administration is likely calculating how achieving such an agreement could help boost the president’s chances for re-election in 2020.
“If I were Trump, I would try to make a tangible accomplishment on the North Korea nuclear issue within the first term by 2020, and in my personal opinion, that would be a really huge achievement for Trump,” said Lee Sang-hyun, with the Sejong Institute. | Who is the Secretary of State nominee? | Mike Pompeo | ['Kim Jong Un', 'not enough information', 'Trump'] |
I'm fat. I'm too skinny. I'd be happy if I were taller, shorter, had curly hair, straight hair, a smaller nose, bigger muscles, longer legs. Do any of these statements sound familiar? Do you often put yourself down? If so, you're not alone. As a teen, you're going through a ton of changes in your body. And as your body changes, so does your image of yourself. Lots of people have trouble getting used to it and this can affect their confidence.
Some people think they need to change how they look or act to feel good about themselves. But actually all you need to do is change the way you see your body and how you think about yourself.
The first thing to do is recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size, or color it comes in. If you're very worried about your weight or size, go to your doctor to check that things are OK. But it's no one's business but your own what your body is like-finally, you have to be happy with yourself.Next, find which aspects of your appearance you can change and which you can't change and need to accept-like their height, for example, or their shoe size.
If there are things about yourself that you want to change and can do this by making goals for yourself. For example, if you want to get fit, make a pan to exercise every day and eat nutritious foods.
When you hear negative comments coming from within yourself, tell yourself to stop. Try building your confidence by listing three things in your day that really gave you pleasure. It can be anything like the way the sun felt on your face, the sound of your favorite band, or the way someone laughed at your jokes. | . The passage is mainly about _ . | how to adjust to the changes of your body | ['how to build confidence by changing your body', 'how to keep an attractive body image', 'how to find pleasure in your day'] |
Dear Water Use It Wisely,
More and more water is getting wasted each day.I want to help out and teach people how to conserve water.Please continue reading because your organization is very influential.I had an idea that you could send some workers from your organization to schools all around the world, and they could inform the students about water usage.
Did you know that every minute, 1,000,000,000 (one billion) tons of water falls to the earth from rainfall? We are lucky to have rainfall water.It helps fill up our lakes.There is about 326, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 (326 quintillion) gallons of water on Earth.Yes, this is tons, but it is getting wasted.I want to keep this number BIG.
Everyone needs water ?so why waste it? I think it is very irresponsible to let the water run when you are not at home.We can use water with respect by making good choices.Take a shower instead of a bath, use an automatic dishwasher instead of hand washing.You can buy Earth Friendly Cleaner Spray , so that our drinking water will not be polluted.If your washer isn't full then don't start it.With water being wasted every day, by the time we get to the 3000's we are going to have to survive on milk and juice! ! ! Won't that be boring?! ?! ? That means we will have to give our dogs a bowl of juice instead of water with their food.I mean, come on, we're talking real life here! !
Water wasting needs to come to a stop and without delay.Water Use It Wisely, PLEASE inform people about their water usage! It plays a big role in my life.It would be really great if you take part in spreading the news about this! Thanks tons! !
An impatient fourth grader waiting for a reply,
Mya Oleksiak | According to the passage, what is a proper way to save water? | Starting the washer with a full load. | ['Washing dishes by hand.', 'Feeding our pets with juice and milk.', 'Encouraging people to use cleaner spray.'] |
In high school, "cool" is the rule, so teenagers will do anything to avoid possibly embarrassing situations.
But not Samantha Elton, 15. She seeks them out. And if she can make a fool of herself as in the process, well, that's even better.
For the past two years, Elton, has been a practitioner of improvisation, doing things that others would be embarrassed to consider.
Elton is a member of High School Jesters, a group that teaches improvisation techniques to students. The group was founded two years ago by Nicholas Kopatich, himself a keen improviser.
"I was sitting in my dorm room and some friends were having chats about comedy and improvisation," Kopatich recalls. They asked for lessons after Kopatich told them he had improvisation experience. The small group turned out to be pretty good at it, so they did a show for the dorm. And things snowballed.
While even her mother marvels at Elton's ability to get up in front of audience without a script to fall back on, the teen enjoys such opportunities. Performing improvisation comes with a certain freedom that theater doesn't provide.
"What I like about it the most is that I don't have to be a certain character or a certain way, and because of that I can't get anything wrong," Elton says, "I get to write the story while I'm doing it."
Monica Elton, Samantha's mom, thinks the workshops are a valuable outlet that a lot of students may not get in their schools. High school kids don't usually like to act silly or look uncool, she says, but improvisation teaches them that it's OK to have flaws.
"I like to think we give kids positively that allows them to gain confidence," says Brent Mukai, a High School Jesters instructor. The great thing about improvisation is that it is an art form that is open to anyone. But there's more to it than getting up in front of audience and telling jokes or acting silly.
"You don't need to be the most amazing actress to be an improviser," Samantha Elton says, "It's really a place where I can show people my creativity. I can paint pictures for people and entertain others."
It's really free. | According to Monica, practicing improvisation made Elton _ . | treat flaws as normal things | ['accept cool as the rule', 'avoid doing embarrassing things', 'care about what others comment on her'] |