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Emergency rooms (ER) are supposed to cure people but Dr. John Stemgold wonders if working in an ER in Willits made him sick. The ER was downwind of the Remco chrome plant. "I used to sit facing that window and kind of daydream out the window, looking at Remco, looking at the fog coming out of there. Then I would cough and cough." Stemgold said.
What Dr.Stemgold didn't know was that Remco was flowing out Chromium VI into the air--- a chemical known to cause cancer and breathing problems in humans. A recent state health department study found that people who were in Willits when Remco was in operation from 1964 to 1995 are at higher risk for cancer because of Chromium VI exposure.
Today Dr.Stemgold has lots of time to play his guitar. It turns out he has a form of breathing difficulty. Hospital chemicals cause coughing so violently that he's broken bones and it's cost him his career. Others in this town believe the Chromium has made them sick, too, and their families. Actually, Chromium VI was classified as a carcinogen , a cancer-causing substance, thirty years ago, Twenty years ago, a group of state scientific specialists found no exposure level below which carcinogen effects would not have some probability of occurring. Still, Remco was allowed to flow out Chromium VI into the air.
In the battle to balance public health and a healthy economy, laws often favor business, Alan Ramo is a professor of law at Golden Gate University. "There is a real drive to make money, to have employment. When there's a real job that's available and a theoretical risk of a chemical, jobs win out, business wins out."
And chemicals are allowed to flood the marketplace and the government requires strict testing before any drugs can be sold. But the vast majority of industrial chemicals are put into use little testing of any kind Chemicals that people like us, you and me might be exposed to. Marilyn Underwood is with California state health department. " You need to have the convincing evidence that something is bad to then start regulating it." However, in most cases, chemicals are not tested until someone reports the abnormal, unnatural condition of the environment in general.
"I think that if people really knew what really goes on with environmental protection I think they would be shocked and they should be." Says Professor Ramo. "It might be valuable for other people to know what has happened to me, not for me but for them." He said "because they might be in a similar situation because of where they work." | One of the important issues in the story is _ . | The battle to balance public health and a healthy economy | ['The dangers of emergency rooms that create health problem downwind.', 'Doctors prescribing too many drugs.', 'Why scientists restricted chemical, like Chromium VI'] |
People stopped to simply listen to Joshua 's unintended concert , not because of the absurdity of a self - playing instrument . And it was amazing - Neku might , just might tell Joshua that he was talented at playing , but not if it 'd earn a smug look and a well , of course Neku , dear . Joshua ran through a series of melodies , pausing every now and then as if searching for a tune to start once the old one had finished . | What may be the reason that Neku is so apprehensive about giving Joshua a compliment ? | Neku may not want to inflate Joshua 's already inflated ego even more . | ['None of the above choices .', "Neku is stubborn and does n't like to give anyone compliments .", 'Neku may not want Joshua to know that she was there .'] |
Grandma celebrated her fifty-third birthday just weeks before grandpa died of cancer in 1965. Although his passing was very difficult for her, I think their shared struggle to make his life longer taught grandma that good health was not to be taken for granted, and she made up her mind to live the rest of her own life as fully and as long as she could. One day, when she announced to attend lessons at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Portland, Oregon, where she lived, we rolled our eyes in embarrassment and helplessly wished she would just stay home and bake cookies as normal grandmothers did. Many years filled with countless dance lessons passed before we learned to appreciate the wonder of having a dancing grandma.
I suppose grandma's primary motivation for wanting to learn to dance was social. She had been a shy girl, always very tall and heavy, and had married into grandpa's quiet lifestyle before developing any elegance or confidence in her personal appearance. Dancing, on the other hand, filled her life with flash lights, wonderful parties, beautiful dresses, handsome young dance instructors, and the challenge of learning. Although the weekly dance lessons did not change her ample, two-hundred-pound figure, grandma surprised everyone with energetic performances on the dance floor, which soon gave her as much elegance and confidence as any Miss American competitor.
Having taken weekly dance lessons for years, my grandma learned various dances easily and was soon participating in dancing matches all over the Northwest. When I was fourteen, grandma proudly invited me to watch her compete in one of these matches to be held in the grand ballroom of the Red Lion Inn. My attitude was still unenthusiastic at that point, but to make her happy, my mother and I attended the match. As if to prove me wrong, grandma made a wonderful showing in every event she entered. I thought she was truly the queen of the ball during the dance, and my thoughts were shared by the judges a short time later when she was awarded a gold cup for her outstanding performance. | Normal grandmas usually _ in the author's point of view? | did some housework at home | ['took dance lessons', 'did some exercises at home', 'took care of grandchildren at home'] |
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is a great film, and often regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. I never much paid attention to how the film was lit, but on examination I don’t know what I think of the lighting. Maybe i’m totally wrong, but the lighting seems quite obvious when you pay attention to it, which makes me thing it could have been done better? Certainly the lighting is masterfully done, in the way it properly exposes the characters faces and splashes off and around certain props and objects, adding a great deal of dimension to many of the shots. But it does look quite obvious, once you pay attention to it, especially when you can see multiple shadows coming from a single character. All that said, the lighting is still pretty masterful and I’m very intrigued to properly analyse it.
The first shot of the scene has extremely beautiful (even though it is obvious 😉 ) lighting. As the cowboy stands in the hallway you can tell that there is a strong key light coming from the left of the frame, that will light his face once he steps out of the shadows. It seems like there is another light, maybe coming from high up near the roof, lighting the right hand side of the frame, near the back of the hallway. Most likely facing towards the character to light him from his right hand side, to seperate him from the background. The lighting setup of this shot is extremely beautiful the way it enhances the various pieces of wood and props within the frame, and how they’ve managed to keep the cowboy drenched in shadows as he sneaks around, even though there is quite a lot of light within the frame. It looks like they may have used a cutter to achieve that effect as its a very specific area, essentially just the top half of the cowboy thats drenched ins shadow. Theres also this curious black circular shadow which exists at the very top of the door near the cowboys head which permanently stays extremely dark, much darker than the rest of the shadows in the frame. I wonder how they achieved this effect? Maybe a very specifically located circular cutter. | What did the author notice after additional viewings of the film? | the lighting | ['the soundtrack', 'the costumes', 'not enough information'] |
The very wealthy English Baron Fitzgerald had only one child, a son, who understandably was the apple of his eye. His wife died when the child was in his early teens. So Fitzgerald devoted himself to (...) fathering the kid. Unfortunately the son died in his late teens.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald's wealth greatly increased. He spent a lot on art works of the masters . Later Fitzgerald himself became seriously ill. Before his death, he had carefully prepared his will as to how his wealth would be settled - to sell his entire collection at an auction .
Because of the large quantity and high quality of his collection, a huge crowd of possible buyers gathered for the auction. Many of them were museum directors and private collectors eager to bid . Before the auction, the art works were shown, among which was a painting of Fitzgerald's son by an unknown artist. Because of its poor quality, it received little attention.
When it was time for the auction, the auctioneer gaveled the crowd to attention. First the lawyer read from Fitzgerald's will that the first art work to be auctioned was the painting of his son.
The poor-quality painting didn't receive any bidders, except one old servant who had served the son and loved him, and who for emotional reasons offered the only bid.
As soon as the servant bought the painting for less than one English pound, the auctioneer stopped the bidding and asked the lawyer to read again from the will. The crowd became quiet, and the lawyer read from the will: "Whoever buys the painting of my son gets all my collection." Then the auction was over. | The English Baron Fitzgerald was _ . | an art collector | ['a museum director', 'a master of art', 'an art dealer'] |
Vegetable gardening is the relaxing art and science of turning a love for growing plants into a worthwhile activity.
Vegetable gardeners agree that many home-grown vegetables picked at their best are superior to those vegetables purchased from markets. From spring through late fall, a well-planned and well-kept garden can prove a supply of fresh vegetables, thus increasing the nutrition of the family diet. Freezers make it possible to keep some of the vegetables to be enjoyed at a later date. Other vegetables can be stored for a few months in a cool area.
Having vegetables in the backyard makes home gardening appealing for many people. In addition, vegetable gardening provides exercise and fun for both urban and suburban families.
Although the money spent for a garden may be little, one cannot escape the fact that gardening requires hard work and time. Many of the gardening tasks must be performed at times that are most inconvenient. Not doing jobs that should be done on a regular basis may result in failure and a negative feeling toward gardening.
One should not plant a garden that is too large for him to care for. A small, well-kept garden is more enjoyable and profitable than a large neglected one. Vegetables do well in full sunlight and need at least five or six hours of sun during the middle of the day. Too much shading results in poor plants and few vegetables. If possible, the garden should be near the house so the gardener can work in it at odd moments.
Soils for vegetables should be easily broken up and porous for quick water drainage and good aeration . A deep, fine, sandy good quality soil is best.
Usually the hoe owner has little choice in the soil type he can choose. Fortunately, many vegetables can be grown on poor soils if the soils are properly prepared. | The author suggests that an ideal vegetable garden _ . | should be sunny | ['should be within walking distance', 'should be large-sized', 'should consist of sandy soil'] |
Ans is an ' artist ' and attends EVERY goddamn party there is for celebs . You can always find her on the ' who - wore - what - where ' pages in your local tabloids . The funniest part is that she ALWAYS looks exactly the same , that her daughter also looks the same , and that every portrait she paints looks the same ( and usually looks like Ans or her daughter , Siegfried , or a combination of them ) . The funny thing is that Ans Markus is fucking everywhere , like EVERYWHERE , today she biked past us while we had lunch . | Is ans a well known artist ? | Ans is very well known | ['Ans is known by some', 'None of the above choices .', 'Ans is rarely seen at parties'] |
Well , it 's been quiet for 12 hours , so perhaps my little stalker has found a new victim . She sent another rant in response to my cease and desist message , so I filed a complaint with her mail service ( Yahoo ) . I ' m hoping they ' ve enlightened her . I also filed my first copyright infringement complaint in quite a long while yesterday . | What might I be trying to do with my complaints and message ? | I am trying to get an internet troll to quick following and harassing me . | ['I am trying to get someone to remove an infringement complaint .', 'I am trying to get someone to answer my email that they are ignoring .', 'I am trying to enlighten someone who said they need my help .'] |
This was 20 years ago, maybe.
My girlfriend (at the time) and I were planning to go on a day trip on a Saturday, and so the Friday night before, we decided to celebrate our mini vacation by having a few drinks at a local bar. It was a known hangout for bikers, and had a reputation of being a rowdy place, but I was on good terms with a few of the regulars, and felt safe enough.
As the night wore on, I started getting out of control, and didn’t even realize it. I loved my girlfriend deeply, and had no desire to be with anyone else, but that night I was most definitely not myself. I was told that I openly flirted with the barmaid in front of my girlfriend, bet and lost on the pool table several times, and tried to start fights with some of the patrons, as I strongly suspected that someone had slipped something into my drink.
At the time, I was a seasoned drinker, and the amount of alcohol I had consumed that night was pretty minimal in comparison, so naturally I was convinced that someone was messing with me.
To this day I’m still not sure if my drinks were spiked, or it was just one of those nights. I do know that I hadn’t eaten prior to that, so I would tend to choose the latter culprit, even though it pained me to admit it.
I woke up the next afternoon in my own bed, with no memory of the trip home, a screaming hangover headache, and no girlfriend.
She eventually forgave me, and we were together off and on for a few more years before we grew apart. I haven’t set foot in that bar since, so I have no idea if I’m barred, or how the people there felt about me. I hope they’ve moved on, but I’m still too scared to find out.
It’s an experience I never want to repeat, even though I didn’t actually experience anything. :/ | When did the character start drinking alcohol? | Before his first blackout | ['after he went to jail', 'not enough information', 'after his girlfriend dumped him'] |
Regular readers of Beauty Best Friend will know that wherever possible I use organic bodycare products, and that I simply adore the organic brand Botanicals. A British brand whose aim is to create products ‘which are as close to nature as possible’, their bodycare and skincare is simply second to none and they’re certified by The Soil Association. Over the past couple of years I’ve tried several of their products including my favourite Cleansing Melt and I haven’t found anything that I don’t like yet!
This month I’ve been trying their Deep Peace Aromatic Body Oil which arrived with me just at the right time – my husband had man flu, I had a cold and I was looking after our 16 month old toddler alone. Deep Peace was just what my body was craving!
I was sent a small glass bottle of the oil to try, but the full size product is a larger 100ml pump bottle (it also comes in 200ml and 1 litre bottles too). The directions say you can use it in two ways, either massage it into shoulders, neck and arms before bed, or apply it all over the body after batheing. After a bath or shower is the best time I feel as the skin is damp and warm and the Deep Peace oil helps lock moisture into the skin and the warmth helps the scent to lift.
This Aromatic Massage Oil is 99% organic and the ingredients include Lavender, Rose Geranium and Orange Peel oils. The fragrance is very subtle and perfect if you don’t like products that smell overpowering. It’s a bit ‘planty’, I think it’s the scent of the Rose Geranium that comes through the most, and personally I don’t absolutely love the fragrance, but it’s pleasant enough and it does help the head to feel calmed (even when nursing a husband with man flu!). | what is probably true about the woman? | she like organic products | ['not enough information', 'she likes natural products', 'she likes Botanicals'] |
Upon arriving in school I headed straight to Arena to somehow catch my friend there and deliver a requested material for him . Around lunch time before heading out to Chiggy 's with Reckless I met with an old friend , well I guess I think of her as a friend ? , and returned a 2 - 3 year old book . I managed to invite her to eat along with us , and we tried the jumbo liempo in Chiggy 's . It 's like this meatier portion but the seasonings used for flavor in the meat was different , and the sauce we prepared was n't appropriate for the food . | Why did you invite your old friend to eat with you ? | I wanted to spend more time with her because I see her as a friend | ['I thought she might be hungry', 'She seemed like she had not eaten in a while', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Stalling out , skipping class , screaming in the car about how fuckin ' cool we are , laughing at Endi in biology class , driving through rain , driving on the WRONG side of the road , planning our futures so delicately , over analyzing everything , hugging the right lane , sneakin ' up to my bathroom , having the worst possible things in our purses , 8 charges , and LOVING YOU . It 's so nice to have my best friend back . It 's so nice to have a constant . | What may be a fact about this person and their situation ? | They have been reunited with their best friend . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Their best friend had just been released from jail .', 'They had moved away from their best friend .'] |
Clive Roberts,a director at ELS Educational Services,says English tests are changing greatly in response to the global growth in the use of English as _ -- the common language used among people with different native languages.For that reason,a lot of new tests are being developed while old tests are being improved to meet the needs of universities and employers worldwide.
Changes in language testing
"A lot of tests are now delivered online,all four skills are being tested,in some cases,by computer,in particular speaking and writing skills,which are the most difficult to assess on a computer environment,"says Mr.Roberts.
Computer testing will reduce the length of time required for testing,because the tests adjust to the test-taker's ability.These computer-adaptive tests also increase accuracy in scoring.Computer-adaptive tests change depending on the test-taker's responses.They can become more or less difficult during the testing session.For this reason,the set of correct answers will be different for each test-taker.
Cultural sensitivity
Another change to language testing relates to cultural sensitivity.The term refers to material on a test that is based on a certain culture or is hard for test-takers from different cultures to understand.
Mr.Roberts says test development companies are now hiring people with intercultural communication backgrounds to review test items.The companies want to make sure the test does not upset test-takers.
Proficiency in language
Changes to English proficiency tests make them better at measuring the learners' ability.However,Mr.Roberts says the changes may mean the tests are more difficult for some students.
"The tests have become more proficiency-oriented.The items are being designed in such a way that they test real-world proficiency and not simply sort of an artificial environment or a specific set of skills that are taught in a classroom.So a lot of authentic texts,a lot of authentic listening passages are being used."
The changes mean students have to be able to understand English the way it is used in everyday life, not just in textbooks. | Which of the following is true about online English tests? | Online English tests make scoring more accurate. | ['Listening is more difficult to be tested online than speaking.', 'Online English tests need more time.', 'Online English tests are more difficult.'] |
Justin Nelson, Jr., pounded the last of the stakes of his new cattle pen into the dry dirt. Like sentinels, they sprouted in a line from the barn, swerved north of the stream, veered at a right angle for the stump, and followed Justin to where he stood. The cross-beams remained, after which he'd finally be done.
He took a white handkerchief from his shirt pocket and wiped his forehead. The task had been lengthened considerably, although Justin refused to admit it, by incessant thinking, an activity which often stopped him with his hammer in mid-air. But now, he would soon be able to think all he wanted from the comfort of his porch as the cattle wandered from shade to shade. After he bought some cattle, he reminded himself.
Under the entirely blue vault of sky, Justin felt something pass between himself and the morning sun. His leathered face turned up to see nothing but ubiquitous light, curving toward him in all directions. He arched his aging back, feeling the popping and hating it more than usual, before wiping his neck and replacing the handkerchief. He had that feeling that he'd better drink something and sit down or he'd end up in that damn hospital again. Twice last year, whether he needed it or not, he went in for a check-up, and twice a year, some intern treated him like the village idiot. Truth be told, everyone who knew about him had treated him that way for nearly eleven years, except his niece. With a sigh escaping from the bellows of his withering chest, Justin shuffled back to the porch he had added onto his small two-room home. In the distance, a plume of dust was billowing off the road. Mail truck. Must be time for breakfast. About time I ate something. | Who or what wandered from shade to shade? | The cattle | ['a homeless person', 'not enough information', 'a stray dog'] |
" C'mon , get it going ! " " Uwaa ! " Rin grabbed a branch to avoid a stumble . " Are you trying to break my neck ? That 's steep ! " " Sorry . " He pushed past her , jumped down a waist - high rock ledge , took a couple of sliding steps through loose talus and fallen leaves and looked back . | Why is Rin barking at the person she is traveling with ? | Rin feels that her friend is not being careful with her . | ['Rin feels that her friend is very careful .', 'Rin feels that her friend is not a good person .', 'Rin feels that her friend is very prudent .'] |
Amy Chua may well be very _ . What kind of a mother will drag her then 7-year-old daughter's dollhouse out to the car and tell her that it is going to be donated if the poor kid doesn't master a difficult piano composition by the next day? What kind of a mother will inform her daughter that she is nothing but "garbage"? And what kind of mother will believe, as Chua tells readers, that "an A- is not always a good grade"? The only activities her children should be permitted to do are those in which they can eventually win a medal, which must be gold.
What kind of a mother she is? Why, a mother who is raising her kids in the typical Chinese way, rather than the Western way. In her new book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Chua tells her adventures in Chinese parenting, and -- so _ as she may be -- she is also mesmerizing . Chua's voice is that of a happy, knowledgeable serial killer -- think Hannibal Lecter -- who's explaining how he's going to cut his next victim, as though it's the most self-evidently normal behavior.
There is another attractive aspect of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. There are methods to Chua's madness, enough method to stir up self-doubt in those readers who support the more educating parenting styles. It is trusted that Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is going to be a book club and parenting blog phenomenon; there will be fevered debate over Chua's tough love strategies, which include unchangeable bans on such Western indulgences as sleepovers, play dates, and any after class activities except practicing musical instruments, which must be limited between the violin or the piano.
The back story to Chua's book is this -- she is the daughter of a couple of Chinese immigrants and is now a professor at Yale Law School and the author of two best-selling "big-think" books on "free-market democracy" and "the fall of empires". When Chua married her husband, her fellow Yale law professor and a novelist Jed Rubenfeld, they agreed that their children would be brought up in "the Chinese way," in which punishingly hard work, enforced by parents produces excellence; excellence, in turn, produces satisfaction. The success of this strategy is hard to debate. Their older daughter is a piano talent who played at Carnegie Hall when she was 14 or so. The second, a more rebellious daughter, Lulu, is a gifted violinist. Chua rode the girls hard, making sure they practiced at least three hours a day even on vacations, when she would call ahead to arrange access to practice in hotel lobby bars and basement storage rooms.
Chua also rarely refrained from criticizing her daughters. She explains: Chinese parents can do things that would seem unimaginable to Westerners. Chinese mothers can say to their daughters, "Hey so fatty, lose some weight." By contrast, Western parents have to tiptoe around the issue, talking in terms of "health" and never ever mentioning the f-word, and their kids still end up in treatment for eating disorders and negative self-image. ... Western parents are concerned about their children's minds. Chinese parents aren't. They assume strength, not weakness, and as a result they behave very differently. | From the passage we can learn that Chua's way of parenting is _ . | quite controversial | ['widely acceptable', 'very traditional', 'out of date'] |
Nothing evokes Alaska like a whale exploding out of the water or an eagle pulling a silver fish from the river .Combine these images with high mountains,brilliant icebergs and wonderful meals and you really do have the Best of Alaska! Join us for an unforgettable 7-day excursion to the last frontier!
Highlights:
JUNEAU:Juneau, the state capital,is rich in culture and scenic beauty.It is here that we start and end our trip.
HAINES:Haines is a small community located along the fjords .The natural beauty and expansive wilderness found here have made Haines a premier center for adventure in Alaska. ALASKA INDIAN ARTS:Alaska Indian Arts is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and continuation of traditional native craft and culture of the Northwest Native Tribes.We spend a few hours learning carving, native beading and culture from these master artists.
SKAGWAY:Skagway is a lively town,which still reflects its gold rush roots and contains colorful shops.In Skagway, we stop by the Klondike Gold Rush National Park Visitor's Center and ride the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
GUSTAVUS:Gustavus is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park.We'II stay at a comfortable lodge here for two nights.This will be the base for both the whale-watching excursion and a full day cruise in Glacier Bay.
DATES/PRICES:
May 15,June 17,July 16,August 14.
7 days--$3500,including lodging,all meals,excursions,guides,park fees,sales taxes,and transportation between Juneau,Skagway, Haines,and Gustavus.Not included:Alcohol,personal items,airfare to and from Juneau.
Contact:
E-mail:[email protected]
Call:800--766--3396
Write:Alaska Mountain Guides &Climbing School
P.O.Box 1081,Haines AK 99827 | According to the advertisement, the participants of the excursion _ . | are able to experience some adventurous activities in Haines | ['will spend one day experiencing the local culture at Alaska Indian Arts', 'can contact Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School by email or fax', 'can get lots of traditional native artworks free of charge'] |
two days ago , my mother told me that one of her old colleauges had died . i asked her why she was telling me ; because in my mind , i met the man once , 6 years ago . he was pleasant enough , i hold no negative feelings for him . | What might the writer 's mother do after this ? | She may invite her daughter to the funeral . | ['None of the above choices .', 'She might forget that the death happened .', 'She may write out a few words in his honor .'] |
The concept of Emotional Intelligence(EQ or EI)was first given by Peter Salovey and John Mayer.but it became widely popular after the publication of Daniel Coleman's best seller"Emotional Intelligence"in 1995.The meaning of emotional intelligence is"Knowing how you and others feel and what to do about it."
The control center of our emotions is a small part of oily brain called the amygdala,,which scans incoming signals from our sensory organs(eyes,ears...)and acts as the emotional alarm center of our bed.When it detects a condition that we hate,that we fear,or that could hurt us,it sends an immediate signal to the other parts of our brain that controls our actions.
The amygdala's widespread web of neural connections allows it,during an emotional emergency.to take control of much of the rest of the brain including the mind.This explains why we sometimes do things "without thinking'' like closing our eyes just before a flying insect hits our face or losing control during the course of a heated argument.
Emotions are important for good decision-making and to keep friendly relationships with others around us.We admire people with determination when have the ability to control their emotions when they face pressure,arguments or aggression(attack).We also enjoy being with people who can express co-operation and forgiveness.We need these emotions to be happy in our professional life as much as we need them in our private life.
The majority of problems at work are caused by unmet emotional needs.The emotional-intelligent manager knows bow to make out and manage the emotional needs of both the customers and his team.He or she.wants to help others feel respected,supported,helped,trusted,important,special,useful,needed and valued.
When our emotional needs are satisfled, we feel better,and when we feel better,we are more productive,patient,creative,open-minded,and caring.
Emotional intelligence requires that we develop our abilities in four main areas:
1) self-awareness
being aware of our emotions as they happen;
2) managing emotions
keeping a healthy balance of emotion and thinking;
3) recognizing emotions in others
it's a great communicating skill;
4) handling relationships
managing emotions in others increases our popularity.our leadership ability and our
communication effectiveness. | Which of the following controls our emotion? | Amygdala in our brains. | ['Our sensory organs.', 'Our mind.', 'Our head.'] |
What were you doing before you started reading this? Were you fully focused on another article? Or eating breakfast? Organizing your day? Or were you staring out of the window, feeling restless and bored?
It is likely to have been the latter. Brief moments of boredom are universal, and are frequently what drives us to stop what we are doing and move to something that we hope will be more exciting.
But although boredom is common, it is neither unimportant nor favorable, according to Dr John Eastwood, a psychologist at York University, Toronto. Eastwood is the joint author ofThe Unengaged Mind, a major new paper on the theory of boredom.
Boredom, he points out in the paper, has been connected with overeating, depression, anxiety, and an increased risk of making mistakes. Mistakes at work might not be a matter of life and death for most of us, but if you are an air traffic controller, pilot or nuclear power plant operator, they most certainly can be.
Commercial polo Sami Franks confirms that boredom can make pilots lose attention. "When you fly a lengthy distance, there are two pilots, one of whom is monitoring all the screens while the other does the paperwork, talks to air traffic control and so on. You need to be alert for landing and takeoff, but once you're 500 ft above the runway, the plane's on autopilot and it can be very quiet and boring. In a study I saw of pilots who woke up after a short sleep. 30% of them reported seeing the other pilot asleep too," said Franks.
However, Dr Esther Priyadharshini, a senior lecturer in education at the university of East Anglia, has studied boredom and says it can be seen in a positive light. "We can't prevent boredom--it's an unavoidable human emotion. We have to accept it and find ways to control it. We all need downtime. There's no need to be fully busy with work at all times." she says.
Children who complain that they have nothing to do on rainy holidays may try to find other things to focus on. The artist Grayson Perry has reportedly spoken of how long periods of boredom in childhood may have improved his creativity.
"We all need vacant time to mull things over," says Priyadharshini. | What is the best title for the text? | Is boredom bad for you? | ['Why am I so bored?', 'Can I have your attention?', 'How can I get rid of boredom?'] |
Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We' re looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You' ll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, l0:30 - 16:00.
Excellent pay.
Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 24 -45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions ,and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of PS15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs. R.. Oglivie, Palmlaee Limited. | We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who | can work for about a month | ['is aged between 24 and 40', 'may do some training work', 'should deal with general duties'] |
This is the VOA Special English News Report.
Single - handed
Zhou Yang, 18, China
Against three strong Republic of Korea competitors, Zhou single - handed took the 1,500 - meter short speed skating gold to become Chinas' youngest winter Olympics gold medallist. According to coach Li Yan, Zhou, who is usually a gentle girl, took some risks and skated fiercely to take the gold. This is the third gold the Chinese have won at the Vancouver Olympics.
Unobtrusive
Liu Xiang, 26, China
The Olympic gold medallist said on Friday that he's not the same old him, after setting his worst record in years - 8.08 seconds for 60 - meter hurdles. Liu said he still had some way to go before he's back to his best. Many fans have been expecting his taking - off in the 2010 Doha, but Liu said unobtrusively "Robles is still the best in the 60 - meter and 110 - meter hurdles. I'm no match now". He added the performances of Terrence Trammell (US) and Robles would be the highlight of the Doha meet.
Coveted
Michael Jackson, 1958 - 2009, US
Thanks to a whopping $ 350,000 bid, Michael Jackson's rhinestone - encrusted glove has gone to a Macao company. Jackson wore the sparking glove when he did his first "moonwalk" dance in 1983, so it was a really coveted piece of equipment. The pre - auction estimate put its value at $ 40, 000 - 60,000 , _ . The glove and nine other items from the auction will be on display in a Macao hotel. | From the first news we can learn that Zhou Yang _ . | likes taking chances in the competitions. | ['won three gold medals at the Olympics.', 'is not a gentle but a fleece girl', 'is a hard working and strong minded girl'] |
so today i went to walmart and pushed carriages in a circle around someones car and waited til he came outside to take a picture of his response . then i went to coldstones and had a birthday cake remix . one of the guys there had a nice smile and was flirting with my friend . | Why would the narrator feel jealous of their friend ? | The narrator 's friend is being hit on . | ["The narrator 's friend has more money .", 'None of the above choices .', "The narrator 's friend has a new job ."] |
Canada is a very large country. It is the second largest country in the world .By contrast it has a very small population. There are only about 29 million people there. Most Canadians are of British or French origin, and French is an official language of Canada as well as English .About 45%of the people are of British origin, that is, they or their parents or grandparents, etc, come from British. Nearly 30%are of French origin. Most of the French-Canadians live in province of Quebec.
Over the years, people have come to live in Canada from many countries in the world .They are from many countries in the world .They are from most European countries and also from China, besides other Asian countries.
However, Canada was not an empty country when the Europeans began to arrive. Canadian Indians lived along the coast, by the rivers and lakes and in forests. Today, there are only about 350,000 Indians in the whole country, with their own languages. In the far north live the Inuit There are only 27,000 Canadian-Inuit. Their life is hard in such a difficult climate. | About 23% of people came from _ . | some other countries except France and Britain | ['China', 'England', 'France'] |
Movie World
Movie world is the only movie-related theme park in Australia. With one of the best coast and a good handful of movie-related rides, you'll experience a fun-filled adventure with the glamour of Hollywood. Get "behind the scenes" movie information and stunt shows to keep the whole family entertained for the best part of a day.
Contact Information:
Phone: 07-5573-8485
Address: Pacific Motorway, Oxenford, Queensland 4210
Website: www.movieworld.com.au
Sea World
With an obvious emphasis on things that live in the water, Sea World has a fantastic range offish, sharks, dolphins, seals, polar bears and other assorted animals in the water. Throw in a bunch of great rides, water slides and roller coasters, Sea World emerges as perhaps the best all-round theme park on the Gold Coast.
Contact Information:
Phone: 07-5588-2222
Address: Sea World Drive, Main Beach, Queensland 42
Website: www.seaworld.com.au
Tropical Fruit World
Home of the world's largest variety of tropical fruit, it's free to get in and shop for gourmet varieties of bizarre, and wonderful fruits, or you can pay to check out the plantation safaris , mini train rides, jungle cruises and fruit tasting shows. Admission is about $32 for adults and $15 for kids and free for kids under 5.
Contact Information:
Phone: 02-6677-7222
Address: Duranbah Road, Duranbah, NSW 2487
Website: www.tropicalfruitworld.com.au
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Crocodiles, kangaroos, koalas and almost all of the other famous Australian native animals are living in Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. You can look at them, feed and pat some of them or just experience the fantastic 27 hectare bush land setting -- an oasis of wildlife amidst the Gold Coast bustle.
Contact Information:
Phone: 07-5534-1266
Address: 28 Tomewin Street Currumbin, Queensland 4223
Website: www.currumbin.sanctuary.org.au | If you want to watch stunt shows, you can go to _ . | Movie World | ['Sea World', 'Tropical Fruit World', 'Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary'] |
Today I was feeling better . But my stomach is still a bit twitchy . Breakfast : Oatmeal and coffee . Snack : Handful of trail mix . More coffee at work . Lunch : Various lunch meats , 2 cheese sticks , several Triscuits . My yogurt and some Weight Watcher granola . Snack : I had fruit left over from lunch that I was too full for at the time . | What may be a fact about this person ? | They are watching what they are eating . | ['None of the above choices .', 'They have lost weight .', 'Other foods have been hurting their stomach .'] |
Countess Nicolette de Gobignon pressed a wet cloth tothe King's brow. Though he lay there helpless, still she found him an awesome figure, like a fallen cathedral tower.
Only two other men are as tall, she thought. Amalric and Orlando.
She felt a pang of guilt. How could she be thinking about the troubadour here where her royal master lay slowly dying?
She fixed her eyes on Louis, and on the ivory and wood crucifix that rose and fell on his chest with his labored breathing.
Nicolette felt as if she, too, could hardly breathe. Across the crowded room a fire roared in a huge stone-lined fireplace. The air was stifling. She resented all that made it so, down to the woolen draperies and wall hangings and the thick carpets that sealed in the heat. But she knew that this northern chateau, Pontoise-les-Noyons, a day's ride from Paris, had had to be built to withstand cold, its walls thick and its windows tiny ? so totally unlike the bright, airy Languedoc manor she had grown up in.
Sweat trickled down her brow and stung her eyes. Her breath was coming in little gasps. She felt as if she would faint if she couldn't go outside soon.
Dozens of people, the King's family and courtiers, had packed themselves uselessly into the room, making it even more suffocating. Their whispers, like the buzzing of mosquitoes, irritated Nicolette.
Almost all of them, she was sure, worried more about their own welfare than about the King's. And even Louis's wife and mother, though they grieved for him, were too distracted to do much to alleviate his suffering.
She saw the King's lips quiver, and quickly she bent close to him. Any last words could be terribly important.
"Jerusalem," he mumbled. "Towers - golden. Gates of pearl. Crystal waters." Then he panted heavily.
"Hush, sire," she whispered. "Rest easy." | The King in the story: | Mumbles to Nicolette | ['not enough information', 'Dies', 'Gets better'] |
HK's Family Affair
The 39thHong Kong Art Festival, to be held early next year, will be based on the topic of "family"
The art festival, considered to be Asia's best, began in 1973.
"We hope that people from Beijing and from all over the world will go to Hong Kong to enjoy the different performances in our art festival,"Douglas Gautier, the festival's management director, said in a press conference in the capital.
In the 29 days of the festival, which runs from March 8 to April 7,2012, the audience can choose from 111 performances of 51 programmes given by 700 foreign performers, 450 local artists and 160 actors from the mainland.
Programmes vary from classical music, jazz, world music, Western and Peking opera, drama and dance to outdoor shows.
The programmes include Beethoven's only opera Fidelio, Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet, the ballet Mozartina and African dances, to name just a few.
The lineup includes the English Touring Theatre, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Ballet, The Spanish National Dance Troupe, as well as Europe Galante the Petersen Quartet, pianists Angela Hewitt and Lang Lang, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek.
In order to increase attendance, hotels and airlines are offering _ along with art festival ticket sales, most of which are at 20% and 30% cheaper.
For more information, please check:
_ | The main purpose in writing this text is _ . | to make the 39th Art Festival known | ['to announce the plan of the art festival', 'to introduce the cost of the art festival', 'to sell a service during the art festival'] |
Pirate gold. Coins, rings, ingots. Necklaces of emeralds and opals and sapphires. Chalices, bracelets, daggers inlaid with diamonds and lapis and ivory. Malone rolled over in the soft hotel bed. Not just gold but the things it would buy. A two-story house of brick and wrought iron. Greek columns in front and coaches parked in the drive. Built high on the center of Galveston Island, away from the deadly storms of the Gulf, away from the noise and stink of the port. White servants and negro slaves. Fair-haired women to sit at the piano in his parlor. Dark-skinned women to open their legs to him in the secrecy of the night... He sat up in a sweat. I will think no evil thoughts, he told himself. Outside, the sun rose over New Orleans. Horse-drawn carts creaked and rattled through the streets, and chickens complained about the light. The smell of the Mississippi, damp and sexual, floated through the open window. Malone got up and put a robe on over his nightshirt, despite the heat. He turned up the gas lamp over the desk, took out pen, ink and paper, and began to write. 'My dearest Becky...' * He smelled the French Market before he saw it, a mixture of decayed fruit, coffee, and leather. He crossed Decatur Street to avoid a side of beef hung over the sidewalk, swarming with flies. Voices shouted in a dozen different languages. All manner of decrepit wooden carts stood on the street, their contents passed from hand to hand until they disappeared under the yellow canvas awnings of the market. Beyond the levee Malone could see the tops of the masts of the tall ships that moved toward the Governor Nicholl's Street Wharf. | At the end of the story, Malone is: | At the French Market | ['Writing a letter.', 'not enough information', 'On his way to the Street Wharf.'] |
U.S. President Donald Trump is sending a $4.4 trillion budget request to Congress that includes money for a southern border wall and building up the military, but is projected to increase the federal deficit by more than $1 trillion.
White House officials all but acknowledged the proposal unveiled Monday has little chance of becoming law — Congress alone controls federal government spending. But the White House insisted the budget proposal still sends an important message about Trump's priorities.
"This is a messaging document," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told reporters at a briefing Monday.
The Trump budget calls for major cuts to domestic programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps. But the plan would still not balance the federal budget, in part because of reduced federal revenue due to tax cuts passed last year.
Democrats widely rejected the plan. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the proposal a "brutal collection of broken promises and staggering cuts."
The proposal's failure to eliminate debt is also likely to upset some Republicans, who have traditionally opposed budget deficits.
"It's simply adjusting to the Washington, D.C., we live in," Mulvaney said, stressing that the new budget plan would help "turn the tide" on national debt.
The White House proposal builds on the massive, two-year spending bill passed last week by Congress and signed by the president. That bill includes a major boost for the military, as well as domestic programs.
Mulvaney, a former lawmaker and long-time opponent of federal debt, has acknowledged he likely would not have supported the bill were he still in Congress.
But he said the new White House proposal does not mean that all of the money approved by Congress must be spent.
"These are spending caps, these are not spending floors," he said.
Under the two-year budget deal reached last week by Congress, the Pentagon will get a record-high $700 billion for 2018 — fulfilling a Trump campaign pledge.
"We took care of the military like it's never been taken care of before," Trump said Monday. | How long did it take to get a funded budget proposal? | A week | ['4 weeks', '2 weeks', 'not enough information'] |
After all this time I expected there to be major damage , and that I might need surgery to fix it - but thankfully , that 's not the case at all . Apparently ( once the jargon on the report was translated into English ) , I have two bulging discs that are in danger of slipping , and one bulging disc ( the first one I injured ) which is already slipping . The recommended treatment is strengthening muscles in the area through light exercise ( walking , aquarobics , pilates , etc ) , possibly with a little remedial massage thrown in for good measure , as well as losing a little weight and improving my posture . If I can do these things ( and do them sensibly ) , then eventually the problem should correct itself . Yay . | What part of their body might this person have problems with ? | Their back | ['Their arms', 'Their legs', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Henry Loomis served as director of the Voice of America for seven years starting in 1958.Mr Loomis played an important role in creating the Special English service .
Henry Loomis was born in 1919 Tuxedo Park , New York. His father was Alfred Lee Loomis , a rich New York City businessman .In 1940, Henry Loomis dropped out of Harvard University to join the United States Navy .He was able to put to good use his knowledge of radar technology that he had learned about because of his father's work .After graduating at the top in his naval training class, Henry Loomis became a teacher at the Navy's radar training school in Hawaii. By the end of World War Two, Henry Loomis had received many honors for his service, including a Bronze Star and an Air Medal. He left the Navy in 1946 to begin graduate studies.
Henry Loomis later moved to Washington, D.C. to begin another part of his career in public service. He held positions in the Department of Defense and other agencies: In 1958, he became director of the Voice of America.
During his travels around the world, Mr. Loomis saw that English was becoming an
important international language. He believed that it was important to make English easier to
understand by listeners of VOA broadcasts whose native language was not English. So Mr. Loomis asked VOA program manager Barry Zorthian to develop a way to broadcast to listeners
with a limited knowledge of English:
The result of this effort was Special English: The first Voice of America broadcast in Special English took place on October 19th, 1959. Those against his ideas at the time said the Special English method of broadcasting at a slower rate with a limited vocabulary would never work, it was not practical. American embassies demanded that the program be called off. But Mr. Loomis supported the program.
Soon, VOA began to receive hundreds of letters from listeners praising the program. Special English programs became some of the most popular on VOA. We are pleased to say that our programs still are. | Those who were against his ideas of Special English programs said _ | Special English programs were not practical | ['it would cost too much to make Special English programs', 'it was unnecessary to broadcast Special English programs', "Special English programs wouldn't help listeners in improving their English"] |
"How did Norman know, Sister Emma?"
"He overheard you and Aryan arguing. I suspect that he purposely overheard on you. Norman knew or concluded what profession Aryan practiced. He might well have followed Aryan on his explorations. Whether he did or not is beside the point. When Aryan came back yesterday afternoon, Norman certainly decided that he had made some find, for Aryan told Norman that he would be leaving for the capital to meet the detective the next morning. He probably followed Aryan to your room and overheard what passed between you.
"Since you could not act against the law of man and God, he would serve a natural justice in his own way. He took the jar of poison hemlock from the chemistry shop and when Aryan asked for a drink, he supplied it. Norman did not know the precise quantity needed and so Aryan did not suffer the full effects until after the bell called the community into the dining hall for the evening meal."
Abbess was following Sister Emma closely.
"And then?"
"Then I began my investigation, and then the detective arrived seeking Aryan for an explanation for his death."
"But who killed Norman?"
"Norman knew that sooner or later he would be discovered. But more importantly in his guileless mind there was also the guilt of having taken a man's life to be considered. Norman was a simple man. He decided that he should accept the punishment--the honor-price of a life. What greater honor-price for the life of Aryan could he offer than his own? He also took a draught of poison hemlock."
There was a pause. | What can we conclude from the above story? | Norman seemed very devoted to Abbess. | ['Abbess served the detective.', 'Emma knows all the people mentioned.', 'Aryan was sent to kill Abbess but failed.'] |
It takes years of school to develop math skills, but learning about numbers starts earlier than you might think. Now according to a new study, at three months, babies have already started acquiring a concept of "how much".
Previous research had suggested that very young babies can tell when the number of objects in a group has changed. But the babies in these studies were simply reacting generally to the fact that something had changed, they suspected.
Researchers of Harvard University studied 36 babies, all three months old. During the tests, each baby wore a hat with sensors . The babies watched a series of images on a computer screen. _ showed the same object, such as a cartoon character. For a while, the number of the objects in the pictures didn't change. Then the images began to display a different object, or a different number of one of the objects the babies had previously looked at. As soon as something changed, the babies' brains responded with a specific pattern of electrical signals, which would be recorded by sensors.
By analyzing these signals, the researchers discovered that one part of the brain (near the top on the left side) responded when the object in the image changed. A different part of the brain (lower and on the right side) responded when the number of objects in the image changed. This was not the area of the brain that is involved in attention. That suggests that the babies' brains are doing more than just reacting to a change in what they're seeing - they actually seem to be able to tell number changes from other types of changes.
Numbers and amounts are important concepts in our lives. Even though babies are years away from adding, subtracting , multiplying, and dividing, their brains seem to be preparing for a time when they finally will. | Which part of the brain is responsible for responding to the changes of numbers? | The lower and the right side. | ['The top.', 'The left side.', 'The upper and the left side.'] |
Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.
The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade plantings. He says, "The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices."
For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours' direct sunshine a day, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six, eight, even twelve hours' full sun a day. It also shows how plants and tree roots can share nutrients and water.
Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.
Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide . Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.
Time of day, sun intensity , shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term "shade" can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world. | Which of the following can best describe Mr. Hoffman? | Experienced | ['Curious', 'Easy-going', 'Funny'] |
I already gave this example in another post but I think it was a really interesting situation with an interesting outcome so I’m going to repeat it. When I was 21 years old I produced a play. It was actually my second. The first was really successful. With the second I bit off a lot more than I could chew and I got too big for my britches and I ended up with a sprawling money eating disaster that caused me to have to move to a poor part of town and to go to court with my publicist and to be in debt for a couple of years. I could have absolutely let this ruin me and discourage me. And I realized this was a very delicate situation for my creativity and my sense of hope for the future. So I said to myself one day, “let me take a walk to the park and have this situation out with myself once and for all.” Two blocks from my house was this wonderful neo classical park with beautiful stairs leading from level to level. I walked up and down the stairs and basically said to myself “this was a failure. I am having a failure experience. But I have a choice of how I look at this. And the big Takeaway for me with this experience is that I have talent and there is a big creative future for me. And I have hope. I have to slow down. I have to make sure I don’t get ahead of myself. I definitely have to clean up this mess and be patient for however long it takes . But bottom line the big take away from this experience is that I have talent and I have a future and I have Hope.” It was one of the most amazing moments I’ve ever had with myself. There are about 100 other experiences in my life where I wish I had had a conversation like this. This one was a treasure. | Why did the second play fail? | He bit off more than he could chew. | ["He didn't have enough experience", 'not enough information', "He didn't prepare enough"] |
Travis loves you , Patrick . He just thinks you 're too good for him , so why risk the rejection of coming crawling back . " he said . " And I know you feel the same way , so I ' m saying it now , you both love each other . You both think the other is too good for you . | What is the reason Travis is worried of rejection ? | Travis feels inferior and does n't want to risk rejection . | ["Travis does n't want you to know he 's gay .", 'None of the above choices .', 'Travis hates you .'] |
ATLANTA, Georgia--- Alternative medicine --- including yoga, meditation, herbs and the Atkins diet ---appears to be growing in popularity in the United States, perhaps because of dissatisfaction with conventional care, the government said Thursday.
More than a third of American adults used such practices in 2002, according to the government survey of 31,000 people, the largest study on non-conventional medical approaches in the United States.If prayer is included, about 62 percent of U.S.adults used some form of alternative medicine.
The results seem to indicate more people are turning to alternative medicine, though the 2002 survey could not be directly compared to previous studies because of differences in size and survey methods, health officials said.
The top alternative therapies included prayer (43 percent of adults) , natural products(19 percent), meditation(8 percent)and diets such as Atkins, Ornish, or the Zone (4 percent).More people also are using natural products such as herbs or enzymes to treat chronic or recurring pain , said Richard Nahin of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.
"Many conditions are not easily treated with conventional medicine," Nahin sad. "It may be the public that is turning to complementary and alternative medicine because it's not getting relief from conventional medicine."
But people should not be turning away from conventional treatments that are proven safe, said Dr.Stephen Straus, director of the alternative medicine center.
"People are making individual decisions to neglect those therapies and we have concerns about those choices," he said.
Health officials said they were concerned that 13 percent of those surveyed said they turned to alternative medicine because regular medicine is too expensive.
"It needs to be explored ---we need to find out whether they were insured or not" Nahin said.
Health officials also were surprised that 6.6 percent of those surveyed used the supplement kava , which has been associated with liver disease.
"People make the assumption that because something is natural that it's safe" Nahin said. "But a number of studies have shown that natural products can be unsafe when used inappropriately or with other drugs."
He said people considering using alternative medicine should consult their doctor first. | Which can be used as the proper title for the passage? | Alternative medicine becomes more popular | ['Differences between alternative medicine and conventional medicine', 'Comparison of the effects of different medicine', 'Conventional care remains to be most acceptable'] |
When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother's Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously ,did not give her good service ,pretended not to understand her ,or even acted as if they did not hear her .W _ w w.k*s*5 u.c@o m
My mother has realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was she . I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker .I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, "This is Mrs.Tan.."
And my mother was standing beside me ,whispering loudly, "Why he don't send me cheek already two week late."
And then , in perfect English I said : "I'm getting rather concerned .You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived."
Then she talked more loudly. "What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss." And so I turned to the stockbroker again, "I can't tolerate any more excuse. If I don't receive the check immediately , I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week."
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs.Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.
When I was a teenager, my mother's broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother's English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world. | After the author made the phone call, _ . | they failed to get the check | ['they forgave the stockbroker', 'they went to New York immediately', 'they spoke to their boss at once'] |
It is common sense that children who walk or cycle to school have a lower risk of obesity than those by car. But driving your youngsters to the gates could also cause their academic work to suffer.
Researchers found children who were driven to school, or who took public transport, had poorer concentration levels than those who took a more active route such as walking or cycling.
The joint study by researchers at two Danish universities found the regular exercise could advance a student up to half a year in their studies. Children who were driven to school, or who took public transport, performed less well in a test measuring concentration levels, than those who had walked or cycled.
The results surprised the researchers, as their hypothesis originally focused on the effects of eating breakfast and lunch on pupils' ability to concentrate.
"The exercise one uses to transport oneself to school is reflected in the level of concentration one has about four hours later," Niels Egelund, a co- author of the report said. "The results showed that having breakfast and lunch has an impact, but not very much compared to having exercise."
"As a third-grade pupil, if you exercise and bike to school, your ability to concentrate increases to the equivalent of someone half a year further in their studies," he added.
In the survey, taken by 19, 527 pupils aged five to 19 years old, participants were asked about their exercise habits and were then given a basic test measuring their concentration.
"Most people know the feeling of being refreshed after having exercised, but it is surprising that the effect lasts for so long," Egelund said.
Previous research from the university of Montreal has found that exercise helps our brains make better use of oxygen. It may also reduce mental fatigue and sharpen your thinking in between gym sessions. And last week Swedish researchers said they found that muscular boys will live longer than their weaker friends.
And even if they are overweight by the time they get to adulthood, those with stronger muscles tend to live longer. | Children driven to school performed badly in their academies work in that_. | they are not focused | ['they are too lazy', 'they are not healthy', 'they are not smart'] |
Perhaps every older generation since ancient times has complained about young people, and today is no different. Isn't it obvious that kids these days are self-absorbed social network addicts?
However, this summer, my impression of today's kids has been restored by the story of Rachel Beckwith. She could teach my generation a great deal about maturity and unselfishness -- even though she's just 9 years old, or was when she died on July 23.
At age 5, Rachel had her long hair cut off and sent to Locks of Love, which uses hair donations to make artificial hair for children who have lost their own hair because of cancer or other diseases. After that, Rachel announced that she would grow her hair long again and donate it again. And that's what she did.
Then when she was 8 years old, her church began raising money to build wells in Africa through an organization called "charity: water". Rachel was astonished when she learned that other children had no clean water, so she _ her ninth birthday party. Rachel set up a birthday page on the charity: water website with a target of $300. Instead of presents, she asked her friends to donate $9 each to charity: water. Finally Rachel raised only $220 -- which had left her just a bit disappointed.
Then, on July 20, a serious traffic accident left Rachel critically injured. Church members and friends, seeking some way of showing support, began donating on Rachel's birthday page -- charitywater.org/Rachel -- and donations reached her $300 goal, and kept rising.
When it was clear that Rachel would never regain consciousness, the family decided to remove the life-support machine. Her parents donated her hair for the final time to Locks of Love, and her organs to other children.
Word spread about Rachel's last fund-raiser . Contributions poured in, often they donated $9. The total donations soon topped $100,000, then $300,000.
This is a story not just of one girl, but of a young generation of outstanding problem-solvers working creatively. | What would be the best title for the text? | Rachel's last fund-raiser | ['Rachel and her birthday page', 'Kids are addicted to social networks.', "What's wrong with the young generation?"] |
One of the challenges that every community faces, particularly teams inside a larger community, is the ability to coordinate what goals and ambitions the team is going to work on. Traditionally this has always been somewhat ad-hoc: people join a team and work on whatever they feel like. Ideas are ten-a-penny though. For most teams that work on larger projects (such as events, software, products and more) to actually be productive, coordinating this work can be complex: some projects require coordination across many people with different skill-sets, time-availability and resources.
Something I would like us to work towards in the Ubuntu community is encouraging a culture of best-practise in how we plan our work and coordinate our awesome teams to work together on projects. I believe this kind of coordination can help our teams increase the opportunity for success in their work, feel more empowered and productive and provide greater insight to people outside those teams on what the team is doing.
An effective way of doing this is to build a Roadmap for each cycle. This provides an opportunity to capture a set of goals the team will work together to achieve in each six-month period. This article outlines how to build such a Roadmap.
While at first a roadmap can feel a little like a nod to the gods of bureaucracy, they actually possess many benefits:
* Direction – one of the biggest complaints teams often report is a lack of direction. If a team gets into the habit of creating a roadmap at the beginning of a cycle, it gives the team a sense of focus and direction for the coming cycle.
* Documented commitments are more effective – a common rule in Project Management training is that actions assigned to people in a shared document are more effective than ad-hoc or private commitments. By documenting who will work on what in a cycle and putting their name next to an action can help seal a sense of accountability for their contributions to the project.
* Feeling of success – regularly revisiting a roadmap and checking off items that have been completed can develop a strong feeling of progress and success. It makes a team feel productive. | Why are some teams not productive | Because the work can be complex | ['Because some ideas are ten-a-penny', 'Because its too easy', 'not enough information'] |
There is a joke among flu researchers: "If you've seen one flu season, you've seen one flu season." The joke is about the unpredictable nature of the flu virus. Every year it looks different, and everystrain follows its own pattern -- it's the reason why new strains like H1N1 are extremely difficult to predict.
Dr. Michael Osterholm is a former adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "I know less about influenza today than I did 10 years ago," he says in a joking way. "Every stone we've turned over, we get more questions."
The flu rectums every season and the world experiences terriblepandemics , but researchers still do not understand why some strains infect people and others do not; they are not entirely sure about how the flu is transmitted; nor do they understand why some patients become seriously ill while others develop mildsymptoms . As a result, when a new strain shows up -- like H1N1 -- they often have little information to _ , and the lessons of previous pandemics are only somewhat helpful. While researchers are still putting together a complete picture of H1N1, for example, its most striking difference with the seasonal flu is that the elder1y are not the mostvulnerable population.
Influenza's unpredictable nature makes it a moving target for researchers, says researcher Allison Aiello at the University of Michigan. "Even if we had complete seasonal flu data from the past, it wouldn't be much helpful for a new strain of influenza," she explains.
Whi1e researchers are frustrated by the holes in their knowledge, they say, however, that the pub1ic--health community is generally doing a very good job responding to H1N1 with seasonal flu data that do exist. Studying influenza, says Osterholm, is "like looking through the windows of a house you can't get into because the door is locked." Gathering the data researchers do have is like "looking through the windows to get a pretty good picture of what the inside looks like."
One thing researchers do know for sure: the best way for people to protect against H1N1 is to get the vaccine once it becomes available to them. | Which of the following could be the best title for the passage? | Mysteries of the flu | ['Outbreaks of the flu', 'Symptoms of the flu', 'Risks of the flu'] |
It was a mistake . an accident , reallythey were climbing a tree , being childishhe misstepped and fell , dragging her along , falling on top of eachother . they were giggling.it did n't help that they 'd had a few beers already.her glasses had fallen to the side . | What age are the people likely to be ? | 21 + | ['9-May', 'None of the above choices .', '15 - 20'] |
He 's a Browns fan and I ' m a Steelers fan . Today when I was smiling for my pictures he laughed and said " Quit smiling so big . Why are you doing that ? " and I said " I ' m thinking about all of those Super Bowl wins that the Steelers have accomplished . " | Which of the following is true of the narrator ? | They are interested in sports . | ['None of the above choices .', "They are a Brown 's fan .", 'They think the Superbowl is boring .'] |
I decided that I wanted the back of the postcard to be simple , lots of blue , and I wanted my contact information and website listed there . I really liked the idea of putting beautiful stamps on this card design , and I picked the stamps out ahead of time at the post office . Lots of blue , repeating spirals , and showing off those gorgeous deckle edges . The last touch was grommets added to make the postcard design easy to display , and then packing for shipping . The postcard went out on Thursday and I got a call from the gallery this afternoon that the piece had arrived safe and sound . | What feature is the narrator discussing and what they tried to improve ? | They are discussing formatting . | ['They are discussing shipping .', 'They are discussing ways to improve contact information .', 'They are discussing way to improve the post office .'] |
At an early meeting of the British Sociological Association’s “Activism in Sociology Forum” members met to discuss how we might play a more campaigning role in the world outside the academy. Pragmatically, academics tend to work long hours. We are faced with multiple and competing demands: teaching, administration, publishing, marketing, research, grant-bidding, and so on. The REF has ramped up the requirement to demonstrate the efficacy of our research in “the real world” (our impact upon society, economy, and culture rather than upon knowledge per se, or upon the academic discipline). Maybe here – I suggested, as my contribution to the meeting – was a chance for those of us interested in progressing social justice to lever officially sanctioned space, in our busy day-to-day lives, to do more of this sort of work? Maybe we should welcome the REF impact agenda?
I learned afterwards that eminent British sociologists, whom I respect enormously, regarded such a viewpoint as “naïve” and “embarrassing”. Indeed, critics interpret REF as just one mode of the heightened, neoliberal, managerial control that is degrading academic life and infesting universities. So, how should we think about the REF impact agenda?
Because of its obvious connections with social improvement and reform through policy action, social policy is regarded as one disciplinary area that is well-placed to meet and benefit from the impact agenda. Yet there has been surprisingly little concerted discussion amongst scholars about REF and impact. This is despite the fact that many millions of pounds of public funding accrue to the proposed or claimed impact of research (with monies channelled through research councils to individual projects or via regular, six-yearly centralised assessments of the quality of research in university departments). In addition, there is substantial funding directed toward the “impact industry”; the consultants, think tanks, PR firms, funding schemes, new software programmes, impact managers, specialist impact case study authors, etc., that have become embedded in the academy. | What is probably true about the narrator | they like to contribute ideas | ['not enough information', 'they are reserved', 'they are shy'] |
A blog can be a very effective way of spreading the words about yourself,and your other writing.It can _ your knowledge,and create an ongoing relationship with your readers.A good blog is more than just a marketing tool;it's also an expression of your personality.
An obvious starting point is to post samples of your work that not only show off your skills and writing ability but also leave people wanting more.Post elections from the most exciting parts of your stories but end them just as the action reaches its peak.If you write nonfiction ,show people what they can achieve,and give them a few steps to get them started.
Give tips,information and advice about the subjects you cover.For example,something about struggling with difficulty and many other issues like this.Your writing tips can also be included,as well as interesting,strange or funny things you discovered during your research.Whenever you contact an expert,ask if he or she has any interesting stories you could use.You may also give background information about your stories and locations
Give details of coming posts on your blog,so people can watch out for you,or come and meet you.Personal news will help people feel better connected to you.Include photos of objects and locations in your writing,famous people you meet,the views from your window, and your favorite things--with a note about where they come from and what they mean to you.Look out for things that will help your readers get to know you better,know the subject better,or anything else you think they might find useful,inspiring or entertaining.
If you only occasionally post things on your blog,people have a tendency to forget you.As a writer you shouldn't ever run out of interesting materials to fill your blog with----and your readers will love you for it. | Which is the best title for the text? | What to Blog about? | ['How to Start a Blog?', 'Why to Launch a Blog?', 'How to Make Website Attractive?'] |
So this thing happened today.
I am living in a society where there are almost 90 houses and almost all of them are occupied. We have one sweeper hired for whole society to collect waste and sweep out dust from our society roads.
BTW her name is Hira masi (my brother calls her diamond masi :p). And she is extremely poor and she lives in those slums where almost nothing is available. She earns 50/100 per house each month.
(Source)
As she is extremely poor, all the society people help her a lot. From giving 2 times food to giving clothes and giving bonuses on special occasion as much as Rs. 1000, they almost help her in each and every aspect. And this is by far the most incredible thing our society has which is humanity.
But the twist comes here. On the other side, she is extremely cunning. She rarely cleans the road, takes rarely wastes from homes, gives excuses that she is sick and does not come for work, etc. She does not do her work properly. She also request money from us saying that her family members are ill as much as Rs 10000, even if they are not.
So this thing was discussed in our meeting and there some decided to continue her as she was very poor and some decided to leave her.
But my mom today told me a great thing- If a person is doing her work seriously, then we will surely help him in every way, even if it is a matter of money, but the person who is not sincere and not doing work properly, then sometimes we have to step back from humanity and be strict.
If the person is honest and he is REALLY in need of help, we should definitely help them. But the person who just fakes that he is in need, we should be strict/ignore them, else they will not do any work, and just simply rely on us.
Sometimes, being strict and giving up humanity will make the person grow. | How long has Hira masi been sweeping in the society? | a few years | ['not enough information', 'a full week', 'a couple of days'] |
It was big , and if he went deep into the woods , he was fairly certain no one would find him there . After walking for most of the day , the Shinigami decided to settle down and rest . Only it would n't be a smart thing to rest on the ground , so he jumped up into some low hanging branchs of a tree , got comfortable , and closed his eyes . It only seemed like a few seconds but a few hours later and he was still asleep . | Where did the Shinigami decide to rest ? | deep in the woods up a tall tree | ['None of the above choices .', 'under a big tree branch deep in the woods', 'under some leaves of a big tree'] |
Once she sustained wounds , it was her lone battle to fight . All he could do then was watch and have faith . Idleness made him feel helpless . Blind trust aside , there was no shaking the looming shadow of doubt in the back of his head . | What may happen before it became her lone battle ? | She was struck with a sword | ['None of the above choices .', 'She asked him to have faith', 'She deflected a blow with a shield'] |
What Is Today's American Dream
They may not have called it the American Dream, but for centuries people have gone to America in search of freer, happier, and richer lives. But is today's American Dream a mythical concept or still a reality?
Isabel Belarsky's tiny Brooklyn apartment fills with the sound of her father's voice. Sidor Belarsky sings an Aria in Russian and 90-year-old Isabel, her lips painted an elegant red, sways gently to the song coming from her stereo.
Isabel speaks with pride about her father's talent and his success as an opera singer: Albert Einstein was such a fan she says that he invited Sidor to accompany him on his speaking engagements and would ask him to sing to the audience.
How the Belarskys came to be in America is an extraordinary tale that Isabel loves to tell. It was the offer of a six-month job by a Mormon college president, who had seen Sidor singing in Leningrad, that enabled the Belarskys to escape from Stalin's Russia in 1930. "Our dream was being in America," Isabel says. "They loved it. My mother could never think of Russia, it was her enemy and my father, he made such a wonderful career here."
Like generations of immigrants before them, the Belarskys came to America in search of freedom--to them the American Dream meant liberty. But Isabel says it promised even more. "The dream is to work, to have a home and to get ahead. You can start as a janitor and become the owner of the building."
The American Dream is not written into the constitution but it is so ingrained in the national psyche that it might as well be. Many point to the second sentence in the Declaration of Independence--the "certain unalienable rights" that include "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as the "official" version of the phrase. But it was actually in 1931 that the term was popularized, when historian James Truslow Adams wrote in The Epic of America that the Dream means "a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank".
The concept of the American Dream has not stayed static. For European immigrants, like Isabel, fleeing persecution in the first half of the last century, the Dream was about a life without persecution.
But somewhere in the middle of the last century the dream changed. As America's post war economy boomed, the new arrivals wanted more than freedom--they wanted a share of the prosperity as well.
In the 1950s, TV commercials featured housewives proudly showing off kitchens filled with gleaming appliances. The quest for liberation became a quest for Coca Cola. As the century wore on, the materialistic slant of the dream overtook the political side. Dallas and Dynasty suggested this was a country where it was possible to become not just rich, but filthily rich.
Cheyanne Smith was shocked at the deprivation that greeted her in America. She arrived in New York from the Caribbean seven years ago. Having watched endless American TV shows as a child, she thought she knew what to expect when her family moved to Brooklyn. Instead, the deprivation of one of New York's poorest neighbourhoods shocked her.
"I thought this is not America because this is not what I see on television," she says. Like Cheyanne, 18-year-old Franscisco Curiel is also ambitious. He came from Mexico City three years ago to go to college here but he's worried that Brooklyn's schools aren't going to give him a good enough education. "The system is broken; we can't get the superior education that they supposedly want to give us," he says.
Through the centuries America's immigrants have endured terrible hardship and sacrifice so that they and their children can get ahead. Perhaps it's not surprising to hear the members of the Bushwick youth group lament the multiple, low paid jobs that their parents must do simply to get the rent paid and put food on the table. What is startling is that these bright, ambitious youngsters just don't believe that talent and hard work are enough to ensure they will ever have a shot at that mythical American Dream. | What is Cheyanne Smith and Franscisco Curiel's attitude toward American Dream? | Disappointed. | ['Hopeful.', 'Optimistic.', 'Neutral.'] |
LONDON(Reuters)--Organic fruit, delivered right to the doorstep.That is what Gabriel Gold prefers, and he is willing to pay for it.If this is not possible, the 26-year-old computer technician will spend the extra money at the supermarket to buy organic food.
"Organic produce is always better," Gold said."The food is free of pesticides , and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms.And more often than not it is locally grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty." Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into _ , and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business.But how many shoppers really know what they are getting, and why are they willing to pay a higher price for organic produce? Market research shows that Gold and others who buy organic food can generally give clear reasons for their preferences--but their knowledge of organic food is far from complete.For example, small amounts of pesticides can be used on organic products.And about three quarters of organic food in Britain is not local but imported to meet growing demand."The demand for organic food is increasing by about one third every year, so it is a very fast-growing market," said Sue Flock, a specialist in this line of business. | More and more people in Britain are buying organic food because _ . | they consider the food free of pollution | ['they are getting richer', 'they can get the food anywhere', 'they like home-grown fruit'] |
Now , if I were naive 7th grader , this would n't be a big deal because when you 're that young it does n't matter how well you know the person or how they ask you out because you 're pretty much guaranteed to eventually break up . That 's just how it is . He , on the other hand , is 21 and I ' m almost 20 . | What may happen with the narrator and their relationship ? | The narrator seems to be moving to a split . | ['The narrator seems to be moving to a marriage .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The narrator seems to be moving to several future dates .'] |
Companies, communities, families, clubs, and other clumps of humans all have some inherent social dynamics. At a simple level there are leaders and followers, but in reality the lines are rarely as clear as that.
Many leaders, with a common example being some founders, have tremendous vision and imagination, but lack the skills to translate that vision into actionable work. Many followers need structure to their efforts, but are dynamic and creative in the execution. Thus, the social dynamic in organizations needs a little more nuance.
This is where traditional management hierarchies break down in companies. You may have your SVPs, then your VPs, then your Senior Directors, then your Directors, and so on, but in reality most successful companies don’t observe those hierarchies stringently. In many organizations a junior-level employee who has been there for a while can have as much influence and value, if not more, than a brand new SVP.
As such, the dream is that we build organizations with crisp reporting lines but in which all employees feel they have the ability to bring their creativity and ideas to logically influence the scope, work, and culture of the organization.
Sadly, this is where many organizations run into trouble. It seems to be the same ‘ol story time after time: as the organization grows, the divide between the senior leadership and the folks on the ground widens. Water cooler conversations and bar-side grumblings fuel the fire and resentment, frustrations, and resume-editing often sets in.
So much of this is avoidable though. Of course, there will always be frustration in any organization: this is part and parcel of people working together. Nothing will be perfect, and it shouldn’t be…frustration and conflict can often lead to organizations re-pivoting and taking a new approach. I believe though, that there are a lot of relatively simple things we can do to make organizations feel more engaging. | Divison between employees and senior management starts | Over years of growing apart | ['not enough information', 'time after time in every work environs', 'Over the time of a week'] |
Britain's symbolic red phone boxes have become out of date in the age of the mobile, but villages across the country are stepping in to save them, with creative intelligence. Whether as a place to exhibit art, poetry, or even as a tiny library, hundreds of phone boxes have been given a new life by local communities determined to preserve a typical part of British life. In Waterperry, a small village near Oxford, the 120 residents have filled the phone box next to the old house with a pot of flowers, piles of gardening and cooking magazines, and stuck poems on the walls.
They took control of the phone box when telecoms operator BT said it was going to pull it down, an announcement that caused such dissatisfaction that one local woman threatened to chain herself to the box to save it. "I'd have done it, " insisted Kendall Turner. "It would have been heartbreaking for the village. " Local councilor Tricia Hallam, who came up with the idea for the phone box's change, said quite a few people would have joined her, adding, " We couldn't let it go because it's a British symbol."
Only three feet by three feet wide, and standing 2.51-meter tall, the phone boxes were designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in 1936 for the 25thanniversary of the reign of King George V. Painted in "Post Office red" to match the post boxes, they were once a typical image of England and the backdrop to millions of tourist photographs.
Eight years ago there were about 17,000 across Britain, but today, in a country where almost everybody has a mobile phone, 58 percent are no longer profitable and ten percent are only used once a month. "On average, maintaining them costs PS800 a year per phone box-about PS44 million annually," said John Lumb, general manager for BT Payphones. | What is John Lumb's attitude towards pulling down the red phone boxes? | supportive | ['Opposed', 'Neutral', 'Indifferent.'] |
Our clothes are a powerful tool that can make us feel better about ourselves. One way in which this works is by wearing different color1s of clothes.
Normally when we are sad, we will wear dark color1ed clothes. Oppositely, when we are happy, we often choose to wear brightly color1ed clothes. The reason for this is that our choice of color1 mirrors is how we are feeling.
Those who don't believe in the idea are often heard saying, "if only this truly worked". Well in reply to those people, there has been a lot of research into what happens to someone's feelings when they are asked to wear just one color1 of clothes. It has been proven that if we wear particular color1s of clothes they can change our feelings.
Suppose we are feeling sad, if we wear black we may begin to feel worse. However, if we wear green, red or yellow, we may begin to feel better.
Each color1 is said to have its own healing power. So remember, if you are not feeling your best, you can always try out some different color1ed clothes. If one color1 has no effect on your feelings, maybe another will. | When you are feeling sad, you'd better not wear_. | black | ['red', 'yellow', 'green'] |
Despite being tall, Michelle Obama is much smaller than she appears on television. And she seemed a little short by her surroundings in the great hall of Christchurch College as she spoke quietly without a microphone because of a technical mistake. Her audience were 40 young girls from a London state school where 50 languages are spoken.
"I remember how well-meaning but misguided people questioned whether someone with my background could succeed at an elite university," she said. "When I was accepted, I had all kinds of worries and doubts. I wouldn't be as well prepared as students from privileged families and I wouldn't fit in. But you are just as capable and have just as much to offer as anyone else."
This was Mrs. Obama's only solo outing during the state visit and part two of an unusual relationship which she has struck up with Anderson College in Islington. Two years ago on her first visit to the UK she visited the school.
Yesterday she returned to meet the pupils but this time at Christchurch College where they were taking part in an open day run to improve Oxford's still poor record on diversifying student intake.
Mrs. Obama was asked why she married her husband, what it was like being First Lady and when there would be a female President in the White House. Her message--which she repeated time and again--was work hard, have self-belief, and don't be afraid to fail. _ Afterwards there were hugs for everyone and a photo with her.
And watching the group of multicultural young Britons surround her among the splendor of the college building one thought stood out. Had Mrs. Obama been born in Britain, she would almost certainly not have made it to Oxford as she did to Harvard. But now--thanks in part to her--some of these children just might. | Michelle Obama thinks success may come from the following EXCEPT _ . | good opportunities | ['working hard', 'believing in yourself', 'facing failure without fear'] |
The Canada's Most Interesting Towns Contest is started by Reader's Digest Association (Canada) and is open to all Canadians. All entries must be submitted by December 18,2012.
Entry requirements
Participants must submit a story in English or in French and one photo that tell why their town is the most interesting town in Canada. The story must not be over 250 words and the photograph must not be over 2M B. The story is a must but the photo is optional. Submission will require your full name and the name of the city you are recommending. You must write clearly which of the following categories you are covering: Best Destination; Greenest; Healthiest; Best Cuisine; Most Community Spirit; Most Artistic.
Voting
Submissions will be voted by people entering the contest. During the Voting Period anyone may vote for their favorite submission by clicking the vote button online. Each person may vote for as many submissions as they wish in any given day. The Voting Period begins on September 18, 2012 and ends on December 18,2012. You may vote for your own submission.
Prize and awards
At the end of the Voting Period, the top 20 entries will be judged by a group of judges. The entry with the highest score from the judges will be the Grand Prize winner, who will receive a $5,000.00 cheque. And the city featured in the Grand Prize winner's entry will be awarded a prize as well, a $5,000.00 cheque. The entries with the next seven highest judges' scores will be the seven Runners Up each deserving a $1,000.00 cheque. On January 17,2013 at our Montreal office, the prizes will be awarded to winners. | The total prize money for this contest is worth _ . | $17,000.00 | ['$6,000.00', '$11,000.00', '$12,000.00'] |
Mark Ramirez, a senior executive at AOL, could work in the comfortable leather chair, if he wanted. No, thanks. He prefers to stand most of the day at a desk raised above stomach level.
"I've got my knees bent. I feel totally alive," he said. "It feels more natural to stand."
In the past few years, standing has become the new sitting for 10 percent of AOL employees at the firm's Virginia branch. Part of a standing popularity is among accountants, programmers, telemarketers and other office workers across the nation.
GeekDesk, a California firm that sells desks raised by electric motors, says sales will triple this year.
Standers give various reasons for taking to their feet: It makes them feel more focused, prevents drowsiness , and makes them feel like a general even if they just push paper. (Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfels works standing up. So does novelist Philip Roth.)
But unknown to them, a debate is spreading among ergonomics experts and public-health researchers about whether all office workers should be encouraged to stand--to save lives.
Doctors point to surprising new research showing higher rates of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even mortality among people who sit for long stretches. A study earlier this year in theAmerican Journal of Epidemiologyshowed that among 123,000 adults followed over 14 years, those who sat more than six hours a day were at least 18 percent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who sat less than three hours a day.
"Every rock we turn over when it comes to sitting is astonishing," said Marc Hamilton, a leading researcher on inactivity physiology at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. "Sitting is harmful. It's dangerous. We are on the cusp of a major revolution." He calls sitting "the new smoking".
Not so fast, other experts say. Standing too much at work will cause more long-term back injuries. Incidences of varicose veins among women will increase. The heart will have to pump more.
Hedge, the Cornell professor, isn't a fan of all this standing. "Making people stand all day is dumb," he said.
The sensible and most cost-effective strategy , he said, is to sit in a neutral posture , slightly reclined , with the keyboard on a tray above the lap. This position promotes positive blood flow. Workers should occasionally walk around, stretch and avoid prolonged periods at the desk. The key, he said, is movement, not standing. | The following are the reasons why some experts are against standing too long except _ . | standing too much at work per day is too tiring | ['It will cause more long-term back injuries', 'it will raise the burden of heart', 'incidences of varicose veins among women will increase'] |
Another week and still no answers . At this point in looking for a job , I am becoming a little nervous . I mean , I know that everything will work out , as it always does , however at this point I do not know how it will all unfold . | What may happen after another week of looking for a job ? | None of the above choices . | ['Things will unfold without any effort , and I may cease simply seek looking .', 'Since I know how it will unfold , the nervousness ceased to exist .', "Last week 's answers will lead me to a job ."] |
I missed both veep speeches , but caught the commemorative documentaries and speeches of the presidential candidates . Everyday I remind myself that this is not my country . Most people live in a different country , with different values , and different hopes and fears . | Why am I watching these speeches if I am not a native of this country ? | Because I am interested in the culture and learning more . | ["Because I 'm trying to confirm that I do n't belong here", 'Because I need something to complain about', 'None of the above choices .'] |
At this point i really need to stress how much of a religious experience i had with the Osama Tezuka exhibition that was going on on the first floor of of the place . For those of you not too familiar with anime or manga culture , Tezuka was the main originator of ALL the genres of anime that are being pooped out today . And compared to the crazy epic manga he produced in the 1960s and 70s , today 's manga is all pretty much recycled crap . | What can we deduce about the narrator in this passage ? | They are a manga fan . | ["They do n't like Osama Tezuka .", 'They are religious .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC.
1.Digital money
We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money.
You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash.
When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next.
2.Bionic eye
It's no longer something only in a scifi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back--by wearing bionic eyes.
A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to "see" the environment and send data directly to the brain.
Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a highresolution version could be just a few years away.
3.Selfdriving cars
Everything is going automatic these days--washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a selfdriving car won't get _ by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself.
Many vehicle companies are now planning selfdriving cars. "By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road," said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine. | Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards selfdriving cars is _ . | optimistic | ['pessimistic', 'doubtful', 'cautious'] |
I was small for my age. I was shy and sometimes it was hard for me to make friends with the others. However, learning came fairly easy for me. I was the best in most of my classes, but PE class was my nightmare and made me feel that I was not as good as the others.
Miss Forsythe was our PE teacher. She was young and energetic. Everyone liked her. She said that we all had to come to her classes. No one could hide from Miss Forsythe! One day she told me that she wanted me to play a game with another girl in a PE show. I was rather worried that I wouldn't do a good job when she explained her idea, but she was excited. With her encouragement, I had no choice but to agree. It was a "boy meets girl" game. I played the boy and my classmate, Margaret Ann, played the girl. We were dressed in evening clothes and danced around the floor. According to Miss Forsythe, I had to pick up Margaret Ann when we finished the dance. Since I was not strong enough to pick the tallest girl up, it was she who picked me up. I suddenly felt ten feet tall! It was a huge success and everybody applauded for our excellent performance. What a wonderful ending! Afterwards, I smiled confidently .
Miss Forsythe's understanding and willingness to create a place for me in her show (which certainly did not need me) gave me some much needed confidence. She was and always will be my favorite teacher. | What do we know about Miss Forsythe? | She was young and energetic. | ['She was good at dancing.', 'She liked to play games with the students after class.', 'She taught students how to dance.'] |
Tanzania Tarangire is a national Park which lies in Tanzania. The park itself covers an area of around 2,850 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest park of its kind in the country. I recently visited Tarangire to see what it was like....
One of the first sightings upon entering the park which I found was a huge herd of elephants. Our guide told us that Tagrangire was probably the best place in Tanzania to find large herds of elephants, and that their population in the park was around 2,500. We continued to watch the elephants as they stood under trees and scratched themselves against the trees to hit the spot of an itch .
To the right of the elephant herd, we noticed a big tree! Our guide informed us that this was a Baobab tree and that they could live for hundreds of years. Compared with this tree, the elephant just looked like dwarfs ! We were informed that Tarangire was one of the best National Parks in Africa to see so many Baobab trees.
As we continued our drive through the park, we finally reached a watering hole. Our guide warned us that there were lions all around us. It took us all a while to find them, but there they were! Most of them are resting in the shade under brushes, but there was one that was drinking from the watering hole directly in front of us. We then noticed just to our right, there were a couple of fresh zebra corpses -- it seemed as if the lions which were resting had killed them! We were unlucky not to have seen the actual kill, as our guide had mentioned that the zebra corpses were fresh and the kill had occurred within the last hour.
Our final big sighting was one that none of us were expecting to see, even our guide! We pulled over to where there was a large gathering of cars, with a sleeping leopard there! We took photos happily and excitedly and observed its surprising body before returning to our hotel as it was getting late.
So, I hope you enjoyed my description of Tarangire, and that I have inspired you to add this amazing park to your very own Tanzania travel route. | What does the writer think of his trip in Tanzania Tarangire? | Enjoyable | ['Boring', 'Challenging', 'Dangerous'] |
When it's five o'clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, for many workers, is defined by time. They leave when the clock tells them they're done.
These days, the time is everywhere: not just on clocks or watches, but on cell-phones and computers. That may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research shows that clock-based work schedules hinder morale and creativity.
Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example: a meeting from 9 am to 10 a.m., research from 10 a.m. to noon, etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish. They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all of us employ a mix of both these types of planning.
What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Does one make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experiments conducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organize different activities--from project planning, holiday shopping, to yoga--by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under "clock time" vs "task time." They found clock timers to be more efficient but less happy because they felt little control over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but less productive. They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up.
The researchers argue that task-based organizing tends to be undervalued and under-supported in the business culture. Smart companies, they believe, will try to bake more task-based planning into their strategies.
This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but the researchers argue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy: work organized by clock time. While most people will still probably need,and be, to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when performing a job that requires more creativity. It'll make those tasks easier, and the task-doers will be happier. | What do the researchers say about today's business culture? | It does not attach enough importance to task-based practice. | ['It does not support the strategies adopted by smart companies.', "It places more emphasis on work efficiency than on workers' lives.", "It aims to bring employees' potential and creativity into full play."] |
Around the world coral reefs are facing threats brought by climate change and great changes in sea temperatures. While ocean warming has been the primary focus for scientists and ocean policy managers, cold events can also whiten corals. A new study by scientists compared damaged to corals exposed to heat as well as cold stress. The results show that cool temperatures can cause more damage in the short term, but heat is more destructive in the long run.
Climate change is widely known to produce warming conditions in the oceans, but extreme cold-water events have become more frequent and serious as well. In 2010, for example, coral reefs around the world faced on of the coldest winters and one of the hottest summers on record.
During a unique experiment, corals under cold temperatures suffered greater damage in just days compared with heat treated corals. Yet the researchers found that corals were eventually able to adjust to the cold conditions, make their health stable and continue to grow. However, over the long term corals subjected to heat suffered more greatly than those in cold, with evidence of severe whitening and growth stoppage, which leads to death.
The coral's ability to adjust to cool temperatures surprised the researchers, who say the study's results show the complexities of monitoring coral health in response to different environmental factors .
"Global warming is associated with increases but also decreases of temperatures," said Deheyn, one of the researchers. "Not much has been known about the comparative effects of temperature decrease on corals. These results are important because they show that corals react differently to temperature differences, which is important for future management of coral reefs in the field of climate change." | Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? | Heat and cold damage corals in their own ways. | ['Corals are unable to adjust to temperature changes.', 'Cold temperature causes greater damage to corals.', 'Hot temperature helps coral reefs to grow quickly.'] |
Design is the single most important criterion that determines a successful web application , yet web application development tools are totally oriented around programming and exclude designers from all but the initial stages of the development life - cycle . There is growing debate now emerging : do designers need to learn programming or do programmers need to learn design ? The profound difference in these two disciplines makes such hybrid skills extremely unlikely . Time , then , for a new paradigm , where web application development is abstracted into a primarily design - focused discipline , with programmer input reduced to a relatively small , though necessary part of the process . | What does the narrator focus on when designing software ? | They focus on design . | ['They focus on the code .', 'They focus on the coding .', 'They focus on the memory .'] |
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog . He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."
"No, " the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel .
"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly.
"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."
And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia .
What saved him? Penicillin.
The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.
His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill. | Whose life did the Scottish farmer save? | Sir Winston Churchill's. | ["Lord Randolph Churchill's.", "Sir Alexander Fleming's", "Penicillin's."] |
In 1939 two brothers, Mac and Dick McDonald, started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. They carefully chose a busy corner for their location. They had run their own businesses for years, first a theater, then a barbecue restaurant, then another drive-in. But in their new operation, they offered a new, shortened menu: French fries, hamburgers, and sodas. To this small selection they added one new idea: quick service,no waiters or waitresses, and no tips.
Their hamburgers were sold for fifteen cents. Cheese was another four cents. Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity , for the brothers had developed a strict routine for the preparation of their food, and they insisted on their cooks' sticking to their routine. Their new drive-in became surprisingly popular, particularly for lunch. People drove up by the hundred during the busy noontime. The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened. They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc.
Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954 when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines. He quickly saw the special attraction of the brothers' fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise other copies of their restaurants. The agreement included the right to duplicate the menu, the equipment, even their red and white buildings the golden arches .
Today McDonald's is really a household name. In 1976, McDonald's had over$1 billion in total sales. Its first twenty-two years is one of the most surprising successes in modern American business history. | Which of the following statement is NOT true? | The first twenty-two years of McDonald's is the most surprising success in American business history. | ["Today McDonald's is very popular in the world.", 'Mac and Dick McDonald were content with their business at first.', 'It is convenient to eat in a drive-in.'] |
Before writing what I did and what he did please let me tell you I was just a teenagerand it all seemed new, so kindly don't judge me. Even if you want to..I am anonymous for the same reason.
So this happened when I was 16 year old. I belong to a very humble and conservative family, from Indore. @I never had a lot of exposure to guys, until we went to attend a marriage of one of our wealthy relatives in Delhi.. it was one of the best times I had, as we had a group of 4–5 similar aged cousins, though most of them were very distant relatives. One of them was a 19 year old dude, and he was kind of cute. But I never thought I would have this urge to you know… it was teenage and everything seemed new and exciting.
So the second day, after having roamed all around Noida, we finally returned to our hotel and that guy accompanied me to my room. I asked him if he wants to come in as my parents were involved in the late night Sangeet rehearsals. He nodded gently and before I could know, we were cuddling and watching TV. I felt like a rebel, though it was the strangest and least expected thing I had done. Then he kissed me. Before I knew it I let him in my mouth …and he kept rolling his tongue on mine. It was my first kiss, and I don't regret it. The warmth of his mouth, the wetness of his lips and his breath felt like the only thing I ever wanted. I was a teen so please not judge.
Sadly… before we could proceed, rest of our cousins called us to play Antakhshree with them. Never have we met since, but we often exchange messages on Facebook. It will be hard and awkward to attend his marriage. I love him. | What is probably true about the author? | She does not typically do such things | ['not enough information', 'She has kissed many boys', 'She often parties'] |
Some American high schools are for students with special interests, like science or the arts. New York City even has a program for those interested in the food service industry, called Food and Finance High School.
New York also has what are called international high schools, or internationals, for immigrant students. They must be new learners of English who have been in the United States less than four years. The first school opened in nineteen eighty-five. The city will begin the new term next month with ten.
New York works with a nonprofit organization, the Internationals Network for Public Schools. Support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has helped the network expand. The network says the graduation rate was seventy percent last year in the four New York schools open long enough to have graduating classes. That, compared with twenty-three percent for English language learners in all of the city schools.
Over all, New York officials recently reported that the city's four-year graduation rate, reached fifty-two percent last year. At the same time, they reported that the city's dropout rate fell below fifteen percent. The Internationals Network says its schools have an average dropout rate of just five percent.
Claire Sylvan is the executive director of the group. She says students drop out mainly because their families need them to work or because parents arrange marriages for girls.
The Internationals Network mainly helps find teachers and trains them in the teaching method of the internationals. Claire Sylvan says the teaching approach is to have students use their different strengths to help each other. They work in small groups, but she says they are not grouped by ability. She says the students discuss issues, then produce a product like a paper, a play, a poster or a report. They learn English as they work. | The international high schools in New York _ | will expand from having one school to having ten | ['have been opened for less than 20 years and set a good example', 'can bring great profit for the Internationals Network for Public Schools', 'have given great support to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation'] |
Many science fiction stories tell about explorers arriving in a new world. The explorers then use some kind of high-tech device to test for breathable air or signs of life. But here on Earth, science fiction is becoming reality through a new sampling technology called environmental DNA, or e-DNA for short. Scientists can use it to identify rare or invasive species, study bio-diversity or estimate fish populations with just a little air or water.
Ryan Kelly is an ecologist at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle. He works in a laboratory there with other researchers. They study the genetic material released by living creatures. "Essentially we can take a sample of soil or air -- and in our case -- water, and we can sequence(to arrange the order of genes)the DNA out of it and tell you what is there."
Ryan Kelly says he and his research team are studying water samples collected from Puget Sound. He says the cost of gene sequencing has "been reduced greatly in recent years." That makes DNA testing more widely available.
Environmental DNA can be used in two ways. One is to identify the creatures that live in a certain place. The other is to confirm the presence or lack of a specific creature.
Caren Goldberg heads the new e-DNA lab at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. She is one of the first biologists in the northwestern United States to take the technology from the testing phase to actually using it.
"It is extremely useful for species that are really hard to find. I have spent many hours looking for species that I was pretty sure were there -- looking under rocks, looking in water, doing all kinds of surveys."
Caren Goldberg sees e-DNA as a way to get answers more efficiently, safely and with less destruction compared to traditional survey techniques. Until recently, scientists depended on diving deep, netting or using an electric current to temporarily catch fish.
"We're absolutely at this point where proof-of-concept has been established. I don't think everyone necessarily is ready for it yet, but I think the majority of people are."
This newer way to identify what lives in the environment is becoming popular around the world. Animal experts in Vietnam are using the e-DNA to find the last, wild Yangtze giant softshell turtles. One researcher on the Caribbean island of Trinidad is using the sampling technology to find endangered golden tree-frogs. And in Madagascar, it is being used to identify amphibian diseases.
Ms. Goldberg has used e-DNA testing to confirm the local extinction, disappearance, of a leopard frog in the American state of Idaho. She has also been asked to document the spread of the New Zealand mud-snail in the state of Washington. The creature has been found in lakes and other waterways across the state.
Now, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management wants Caren Goldberg to look for the Columbia spotted frog in two other western states. The rare amphibian is a candidate for the federal government's threatened species list.
Scientists working with the technology say they do not expect robots to replace field biologists anytime soon. But the old-fashioned field work could soon be more targeted.
A related research goal is to show how long environmental DNA can last and how far it can travel in different environments. | What has made E-DNA magic is that with E-DNA _ . | you are likely to find information about a species with a little air, water, or soil | ['some kind of high-tech device can be used to test for breathable air or signs of life', 'you are able to get answers more efficiently, safely though with more damage', 'the cost of gene sequencing has been reduced greatly in recent years.'] |
I was a waitress at the New England regional chain Newport Creamery for seven years in Jr. High, High School, and College. In college, I needed money for school supplies, so in addition to slinging ice cream cones and “Awful Awfuls” at the Creamery, I picked up a few more jobs: working the dinner shift at a family restaurant, heaving trays of cocktails at a bar until 3AM, and cleaning houses. Needless to say, I was a wreck, and a big time abuser of coffee and cigarettes.
One day just before my shift at the Creamery began, I slung back a huge coffee and hauled on a Newport cigarette in the kitchen (this was when you could do things like smoke in a restaurant kitchen.) I then went out to the dining floor and approached my first table, who had been given menus and was waiting for me to take their order.
“Hi, How are you today?”, I cheerfully asked the mother and her three daughters, all looking under 12. “What may I get you?…..” Then, fade to black as a huge swooshing sound took over my head.
Next thing I know, I’m on the floor, covered in blood, the girls are screaming blue murder, and my manager is shaking like a leaf as he coddles me. Apparently, I passed out right onto the table of the nice family I was waiting on, then fell back and whacked my head on the corner of a wall. I remember noticing that my kelly green polyester dress was an awful shade of bloodied brown. My main concern was that I had a hot date that night, and now I had to go to the emergency room!
The ER doctor was able to sew my head up, and sent me home with a diagnosis of “syncope, unknown origin”. After a few hours, I still felt spacey, but insisted on going on the date. I remember we went to a nice Italian place on Federal Hill!
Here’s the Garden City location, where I worked. | why did the girl pass out? | it was unknown | ['she whacked her head on a wall', 'her manager was shaking her', 'not enough information'] |
"Humans should not try to avoid stress any more just as they would not _ food, love or exercise," said Dr. Hans Selye, the first physician to record the effects of stress on the body. While here's one question that continuous stress is harmful, several studies suggest that challenging unexpected and difficult situations can be good for you.
In a 2001 study of 158 hospital nurses, those who faced considerable work demands but dealt with the challenge were more likely to say they were in good health. In a study at theprefix = st1 /AcademicCenter, researchers put volunteers through a stressful experience: a timed task that required memorizing a list followed by a short test. Those who did well on the memory test had an increase in levels of immunoglobulin A, which is the body's first line of defense against germs .
Stress makes the body produce certain stress hormones. In short bursts these hormones have a positive effect including improved memory function. "They can help nerve cells deal with information and put it into storage," says Dr. Bruce McEwen of Rockefeller University inNew York. But in the long run these hormones can have a harmful effect on the body and brain.
"Continued stress is not good for you," says Dr. Bruce," it's the short burst of stress that could be protective." | Dr. Bruce believes that_. | short bursts of stress hormones increase memory function | ["a person's memory is determined by the level of hormones in his body", "a person's memory improves with continued experience of stress", 'stress hormones have lasting positive effects on the brain'] |
Mr. Backer is a kind-hearted man. Once he gave some food to a poor woman . Mr White, the boss of the restaurant, found it and became angry. He often gave the leftovers to some poor workers. Mr. Backers lost his work for it. It was difficult for him to find work in the small country though he was an able cook. The war made all stop. Children couldn't go to school, most shops were closed, even some farmers were hungry. Some people were made to leave their houses and they had to find the safe places. It was an autumn night. Mr Backer hadn't any food to eat and went to bed, but he couldn't fall asleep, because he was very hungry . suddenly he heard a noise in his room. He saw a man looking for something useful there. He said nothing and watched it carefully. At last the man took a few old clothes out of a broken paper box and took them away. He got up from his bed quickly and followed him gently , with his _ on his back. The man didn't find him and went into a small and wet house. Mr. Backer also went in and saw there was nothing in the room. The thief saw him and was surprised. He asked, "What did you come here for?" "You have carried my things here," said Mr. Backer. "I have to move here, too!" | Mr White sent Mr. Backer away because _ . | he gave some leftovers to the poor woman | ["he couldn't cook", "he didn't work hard", "he didn't like him at all"] |
It was their first official date. Greg Tenorly and Cynthia Blockerman had been through quite an ordeal together--being hunted by police for the murder of her abusive husband while they ran from the real killer.
But all that was behind them now. All charges against them had been dropped, and Cynthia's husband had been buried. And the rumors would have died down eventually if they had gone their separate ways.
They could feel the stares as they walked to their table. Greg had requested the most private booth, way in the back. Coreyville Pasta House was the oldest Italian restaurant in town. And still the best. Mama Castilla had run the place for over thirty years. She had taken over for her grandfather in 1973. A sign on the wall said so.
Cynthia ordered the Fettuccini Alfredo. Greg went with his favorite, the Chicken Parmesan. Both ordered iced tea and salad. The bread and olive oil with roasted garlic and pepper came with every meal. Greg could not resist great bread. And this was the best. He tore off a chunk as soon as the waitress delivered it. Cynthia would wait for the salad.
"So we're finally on a real date," said Greg.
"Yeah. So how does it feel?"
"Kinda weird and scary and...wonderful."
Cynthia smiled and Greg momentarily forgot all about the amazing aroma in the restaurant. All he wanted to do was kiss her. But that would have to wait. So, his hunger came rushing back.
Cynthia's mood turned serious. "I don't want to spoil our date, but I've got to tell you something."
Greg wondered if he had done something wrong. He could fix it--whatever it was.
"I've asked Mom to move in with me."
"Why? I thought she was happy living in Marshall."
"She was."
"What do you mean? What happened?"
"The other night a friend of hers was murdered. And the woman lived on her street. They killed her nurse too." | Who Killed Cynthia's husband? | not enough information | ['Cynthia', 'An unidentified suspect', 'Greg'] |
It is always amazing to me how some days start out with promise and go flat , and other days , just the opposite . The last few days have started out slowly , but have all ended up really well . On Saturday , I went to a party called " Summerween . " Since October is really cold here , some people got together a few years back and decided that that the last Saturday in July is Summerween . | Why did the narrator have a surprisingly good day ? | They got to go to a rowdy party . | ['They got to go to Saturday mass .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They got to a July 4th party .'] |
My heart was pounding , I was completely out of breath , my head was buzzing . It took nearly half of the walk around the circle for me to calm down . Granted , this is the first time we encountered an off - leash dog on our walk . But I ' m sure it will probably happen again , and what if the other dog bounds right the hell onto Blake and he spazzes ? | What may be the reason they have never run into a stray dog before ? | They recently got a new dog . | ['They live in a bad neighborhood .', 'They usually bring treats just in case and being prepared has been enough to keep them away .', 'They wear a perfume that repels dogs .'] |
Just to recap for newcomers and those whose lives do n't revolve around me - I have a heart condition that causes me to get more tired , more easily , than most . I know 80 year olds with more energy than me . Add to the heart condition the fact that one of my lungs is n't connected to my heart ( no oxygenated blood delivered from it ) . | Why does the person feel the need to let everyone know about his condtion ? | Some people may not be aware of this person 's health issues . | ['This person is a hypochondriac and always thinks he is sick .', 'None of the above choices .', 'This person likes to draw attention to himself .'] |
The fourth quarter of 2006 was a tough one for the online gaming software provider CryptoLogic . With the passage of the UIGEA and the loss of one its key poker licensees , Betfair , Cryptologic has worked hard to better position the company for growth . But in its r ecent earnings report , the Dublin - based company was still only able to show marginal improvement year - over - year . | What may be the reason for the company 's tough quarter ? | They had lost some of their growth . | ['They needed to work harder on their software .', 'They were spending more money than they had .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
I passed my driving test at the fourth attempt. You might think that means I'm not as safe as someone who passed on their first attempt. But would you feel safer with no driver at all? Maybe not, and that's why automotive firms have included driverassist functions in their driverless cars. This allows the human driver to take over if there is a problem.
Google is one producer that has prototype driverless cars. These cars have been newly equipped with autosteering wheels and conventional controls to allow normal driving. But this is just a stage -- the vision is to have fully automated cars very soon. The director of Google's selfdrive project, Chris Urmson, hopes his 11yearold son will never have to take a driving test. To achieve that, the cars need to be on the roads in five years. He says driverless cars will greatly reduce accidents and traffic jams.
According to Chris, about 1.2 million people are killed on the roads around the world each year. That number is equivalent to a jet falling out of the sky every day. He thinks gradual changes to existing car designs are not enough to deal with the problems. "If we are really going to make changes to our cities, get rid of parking lots, we need selfdrive cars," he says.
Google's prototypes have covered over a million kilometers on the road. They have also had to deal with unexpected situations, such as a child driving a toy car in the road, and a woman in an electric wheelchair chasing a duck. In each case, the car reacted safely.
Some are not convinced. Sven Beiker of Stanford University thinks driverless cars will still need human input in extreme circumstances. | Chris Urmson mentioned his 11yearold son in order to show that _ . | driverless cars will come soon | ['traditional cars are harmful for kids', 'his son is not good at driving', 'his son is a slow learner in driving'] |
Jenny and I were twins, and we were always close growing up despite our very different personalities. Besides a birthday and a couple dead parents, there wasn't much else we shared in common. She was an over-achiever and a bit of a kiss-ass, always trying to make mom and dad proud, which she seemed to pull off with ease. She was the girl in high school who played every sport, joined every club, ran the student council, and somehow still managed to pull A's without breaking a sweat. Intense doesn't even begin to describe her. I could never compete with that, so instead I decided to build an identity for myself as the rebel. Unfortunately, I somehow equated rebelling with turning into a giant asshole.
We grew up in a middle-class suburban family. Our father was a teacher and our mother an architect. They were the kind of couple that kept a date night to go dancing every Friday for the 31 years they were married. They died when Jenny and I were twenty-two. We sold the house where we grew up and split the cash; neither of us wanted to set foot in it again.
Jenny used the money to pay for her Master's. After school she went to work for James McPherson, one of the most powerful and richest men in the city. Aside from owning the St. Augustine, McPherson had interests in real estate, land development, venture capital, and other things I really should've known more about. The McPherson family was old money here going back to when this valley was nothing but orchards. If I said that at one time or another the McPherson family had owned every single square foot of land in our city, I'd probably be exaggerating - but not much.
Jenny ran the McPhersons' charitable foundation, which basically meant that not only did they have so much money that they had to start giving it away, but they even had to hire someone else just to get rid of it for them. | Were Jenny and the main character fraternal twins? | not enough information | ['No, you could tell them apart', 'Yes, but one always kept short hair.', 'Yes, but they had different personalities'] |
As his days in office wane, U.S. President Barack Obama is pushing to commute sentences of non-violent drug offenders convicted under what the White House called "outdated and unduly harsh" sentencing laws. It has become the centerpiece of his effort to reform the country’s criminal-justice system, which has the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Last Friday, the President granted commutations to 42 convicted nonviolent offenders, bringing the total so far in his presidency to 348 commutations — more than any president has in nearly half a century. His predecessor, George W. Bush granted clemency in just 11 cases.
It's not just Obama pushing for reform. Top Republicans and Democrats in Congress also support relaxing the sentencing laws that have tripled the federal and state prison populations in the last 30 years, reaching more than 1.56 million inmates at the end of 2014.
However in Congress, the main legislative effort for sentencing changes, the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, has failed to pass either chamber of Congress. The bill would reduce long mandatory minimum sentences for many nonviolent drug crimes, give judges more control over the terms of punishment and provide inmates with more opportunities to get out early by participating in rehabilitation programs.
Failing congressional help, Obama has in recent months relied on his presidential powers to commute the sentences of non-violent offenders.
Under the Constitution, the president has the power to grant “pardons for offenses against the United States” or to commute federal sentences. A pardon is an act of presidential forgiveness and wipes away any remaining legal liabilities from a conviction. A commutation reduces a sentence but does not eliminate a conviction or restore civil rights lost as a result of the conviction.
The American Bar Association has joined Obama's push and put its support behind the Clemency Project 2014, a national effort by multiple justice groups to help inmates who meet U.S. Department of Justice criteria apply for sentence commutations. | What is probably true about the bar association | they are still looking to reform | ['left it with obama', 'not enough information', 'they stopped puttin in effort'] |
As it turned out, Greg would have had a hard time canceling the check, even if he'd changed his mind. Chloe's crew had already sprung into action as soon as they left the building. The company used a computer controlled switchboard to route phone calls and this immediately went down, same for their Internet access. Meanwhile, a crude but effective denial of service attack was launched against their company Web site. If Greg decided to use his cell phone there wasn't much they could do, but the hope was that he'd be so tied up with all this other crap that he wouldn't have time to think of that.
Paul didn't think any of that was necessary. Greg had given in and he wasn't going to call and cancel the check now. He'd agreed for a reason, and once Greg had a reason for making a decision it was usually impossible to change his mind. And it didn't make sense anyway. All he would have done is buy himself a little more time. Chloe and Paul would just march right back in and start all over again - probably after sending out pics of Evan in drag to all the employees. From his point of view, there was no reason for Greg to do that.
Of course, it was still a huge risk for Chloe and Paul. If Greg just wanted a delay to get the lawyers involved, then they were in trouble. Chloe and he had broken a fist full of laws in the past twelve hours. They needed to cash that check and disappear as soon as they could.
The bank put up a bit of a fuss about the check, which was one more reason Paul hated Bank of Fucking America. They always had some rule to screw a customer. But Chloe made a bunch of noise and actually jumped up and down at one point and eventually they walked out of the bank with a cashier's check. | Why was Chloe jumping up and down? | She was worried about the check | ['She wanted to send Greg pictures', 'not enough information', 'Because the internet was out'] |
Have you ever sat around and thought about how you’d create your dream kitchen if you had the chance? Well, we are on the verge of a move (whenever the house sells, we’ll move), and I keep thinking that I need to sit down and write a list of our “would likes” and our “must haves.” That way, when we are house hunting, we’ll already know what we’re looking for.
For a chance to win an Un Amore custom-designed KitchenAid Stand Mixer from PartSelect, I have been thinking about the top three “would likes” for our new kitchen and decided to check out what KitchenAid has to offer! I discovered three appliances that would change our reality kitchen into a dream kitchen.
We have two young boys that will change into tweens and teens before we know it. Big Brother has always been a good eater, open to trying just about anything we put in front of him. However, discovering that he actually does have some control over what he does, he’s lately turned up his nose on occasion. Little Brother is exactly like me when I was young. He turns his nose up at just about anything. Although he did just spend a week with his grandparents and decided he would eat and make up for lost meals…and make me out to be a liar!
Anyway, I keep reminding myself as I find myself challenged at mealtimes, that soon enough, they’ll be eating us out of house and home. So, one of the larger dream kitchen appliances I’d like in our home would be a double oven! I just think it’d come in really handy when trying to keep up with their metabolism down the road!
When you’re preparing a lot of food, you’re typically buying a lot of products, and the garbage and recycling bins fill up faster than ever as well. The second dream kitchen appliance I wouldn’t mind having would be the KitchenAid Trash Compactor, reducing our use of garbage bags and trips to the outside dumpster. Plus, I think I’d like not having to smell the garbage all the time! | How long was the author picky about food? | Only as a child | ['Just about always', 'On occasion', 'not enough information'] |
Bean and other seed shoots are also known as sprouts . The dry bean seeds contain a store of nutrients just waiting to be released when they sprout. Under the right conditions they will germinate . As they grow, the food value of the seeds is multiplied into vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. This happens almost overnight!
It is easy to grow your own sprouts, but you need to buy your seeds from supermarkets or health food stores. Seeds for planting in the garden are often powdered with chemicals, so when becoming sprouts they are not safe to eat.
Try growing sprouts from a variety of beans and seeds. You will find different sprouts at different stages. Bean sprouts are best when they are about three centimeters long. Wheat and sunflower sprouts taste best when the sprouts and the seeds are of the same length. If the sunflower sprout is too long it leaves a funny stinging feeling in the throat after eating. Alfalfa sprouts are best when their small leaves are well developed. Pea and soybean sprouts are good long or short.
If you leave your sprouts in filtered sunlight for a few hours, the leaves will turn green as chlorophyll is added. Eating sprouts with green leaves benefits your blood, cells, and the digestive system. | As sprouts grow, the food value of the seeds will _ . | increase | ['decrease', 'remain the same', 'lose'] |
Before we send humans into deep space, we'll have to find out just how long the human body can survive in a weightless environment. One problem is that in space there's no physical sensation to let you know when you're upside down and astronauts have to rely on possible clues from their surroundings. A few hours after reaching orbit , one in three of all astronauts will experience space sickness--a feeling rather like carsickness. There is also the problem of protection from the extreme hazards of space such as constant meteorite bombardment and radiation. It is going to take some clever technology to keep rockets and astronauts from these dangers.
Even with a well-protected spaceship, space travel isn't going to be easy. No matter what you travel in, it is going to be a long flight in space! Science fiction writers often imagine using suspended animation , a kind of forced long-term sleep, as a way for astronauts to escape the boredom of long missions.
An even stronger measure might be to freeze the astronauts. We already use cryogenic techniques to preserve dead bodies and store human embryos . Freezing living adults may not be so far away, but perhaps we don't have to do that. Perhaps we should use our existing technology and send frozen embryos to the far corners of universe.
Hundreds of years from now, billions and billions of miles away, the embryos will be thawed and their hearts will start beating. These astronauts of the future will not grow inside a mother's body but will be produced in a machine. They will be brought up by robot. It may seem strange but one day it might just happen. | We can learn from the passage that _ . | cryogenic techniques will practically be used for space flight in hundreds of years | ['scientists already use existing technology to store embryos for space flight', 'it may be easier to freeze embryos than to freeze adults on the spaceship', 'most astronauts will suffer from space sickness'] |
The Worldwatch Institute said in 2011 far too many people were living with less than they
needed. It says, for example, nearly one billion people were hungry arid just as many were
illiterate .
Worldwatch Institute's Danielle Nierenberg said while a billion people went to bed hungry
each night, it wasn't because of a lack of available food.
"We produce more than enough food in the world to feed not only the 7 billion people who
are on earth today, but 9 to 11 billion people. By 2050, we expect the population to be about 9
and a half billion people and we now produce enough food to feed all of those people. But the
question is really one of how do we get food to the people who need it the most. Poverty really
delays the progress of allowing people to eat well. Not just getting enough basic crops, but being
able to buy fruits and vegetables and the things that will really nourish them," she said.
The director of the Nourishing the Planet Project said besides poverty and a lack of access
to food, much food is simply lost. Worldwatch estimates 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each
year.
"20 to 50 percent of the global food harvest is wasted before it can ever reach people's
stomachs. And this is really a moral problem when you consider all of the people who are
hungry in the world. The good news about that 20 to 50 percent of global food waste number is
that it's easy to prevent food waste.We can do it in our homes. Consumers can do a lot to
prevent food waste by planning meals better, by not buying too much food. In the developing
world there are storage systems that are beginning to be put in place that help farmers protect
their food from crop diseases or molds ,"she said.
Nierenberg said prevention measures can be put in place all along the food chain.
While it may not seem obvious, the Worldwatch Institute project director said malnutrition
and illiteracy are closely linked.
"When people, especially farmers, don't have the education that they need to live
productive lives, they can't learn new skills. And in sub-Saharan Africa, women farmers,
especially, don't have access to education. This prevents them from not only learning new
cropping techniques and learning new technologies; it also prevents them from being able to get
financial and banking services. They can't have bank accounts. They can't buy land. They can't
buy the inputs that they need to make their crops more productive," she said.
Nierenberg said despite the many challenges, Worldwatch is hopeful for the future. She
says there are a growing number of new projects to address hunger and poverty, while at the
same time protecting the environment. | What is the good news about wasted food according to Nierenberg? | Global food waste can be easily prevented. | ['Storage systems have been well developed to help farmers with planting crops.', ".Only a little percent of food is wasted before it reaches people's homes.", 'Consumers have done a lot to help reduce food waste.'] |
They asked if we were going to try for our Canine Good Citizenship certificate and I said yes and we were hoping to go further and do therapy work . They also invited us to stick around and watch the Rally class and give it shot . They said Poodles usually need more of a challenge ! | Why would poodles need additional stimulus ? | Those types of dogs get bored easily and needed more excitement . | ['Those types of dogs are are notorious for needing therapy .', 'None of the above choices .', 'Those types of dogs are known for bad temperament .'] |
The Transylvanian city of Brasov is usually just a day trip from Bucharest. People spend maybe an hour or so to wandering around the town square, and buy a drink before hopping back on their transport back to the capital city of Romania.
But, thanks to an epic tip-off from the travel ninja Shikha at Why Waste Annual Leave and a few other Brasov devotees, instead of following the crowds, we booked a couple of leisurely nights there. At the end of our day trip, instead of returning to Bucharest and getting stuck in the Sunday evening traffic, we checked into our hotel and waved our guide off.
Yes, you can easily ‘do’ Brasov in an afternoon – it’s a popular stop off at the end of a day trip after visiting the “home” of Dracula – Bran castle, and the beautiful Peles castle – but having the leisure to linger was exquisite.
In addition to trying local dishes, we also ate lunch at McDonalds. Yes, yes, as a blogger we shouldn’t pretend to eat anything other than caviar washed down with champagne and unicorn tears, but we were hungry and couldn’t be bothered to find somewhere. (For the record, we both opted for a Big Mac and a diet coke.)
For the first half day, we wandered around whilst the skies were beautifully blue…
…learned a lot of local history, admired the Hollywood style sign in the hills…
…slipped into a couple of churches (not to mention dodged giggling kids racing around on miniature cars)…
…some hidden, and some hidden in plain sight…
…and admired the sign from our cosy hotel, as it lit up at twilight
Our only full day dawned fairly murky for the most part, it was a Sunday so a lot of things were closed, so after hitting 20,000 steps and getting lost a few times in the less pretty corners of the city… | How long did the blogger spending exploring the city of Brasov? | a few days | ['a day', 'not enough information', 'an hour'] |
Like most people, I have grown up hearing the story Cinderella, in which a young girl lived with her cruel stepmother and suddenly had her life changed by a kind fairy and a smart prince. So when to see Rodger & Hammerstein's Cinderella, which is now playing on Broadway, I was very excited, As soon as I sat down, I noticed the trees lining the stage ,which gave it a magical appearance. The orchestra started to play and the lights became dark as the show began.
I loved the entire performance. Everything and everyone on stage seemed like they had just jumped off the pages of the beloved story.
It turns out that the Broadway experts agree with me. The show has received nine Tony nominations . Tony awards are the top prizes for Broadway shows. Laura Osnes, who plays the role of Cinderella, has been nominated for the Tony for best actress in a musical.
How similar is the show to the story of Cinderella you know? The answer, of course, depends on which version of the story you've seen or read. In an interview with TIME FOR Kids, Osnes pointed out that many people are familiar with the Disney movie version. There are some differences between that movie and the Broadway show. For one thing, the stepmother and the sisters are not as cruel in the show as in the movie. Also, in the Broadway version, when Cinderella escapes from the dancing party, she picks up her shoe after dropping it. So how does the prince find Cinderella again? You'll have to see the show to find out!
I just think anyone would enjoy this play, including both kids and adults. The attention to detail is amazing. In my opinion, this play deserves a double thumbs-up! | Which of the following shows that the Broadway experts agree with the author? | Broadway experts have given the show nine Tony nominations. | ['They all agree the musical is more beloved than the story.', 'They all agree the story is more complicated than the musical.', 'Laura Osnes has been nominated for the Tony for best actress.'] |
People were so friendly and we all became a family so quickly . I had a total blast ! Thank you to everyone who made the weekend so awesome . I miss all of you already . I tried to get LJ names when I talked to people there but I forgot to get a lot ( could quite possibly be because of all the alcohol ) . | Why did alcohol make it hard to remember the details ? | None of the above choices . | ['They were focused on ordering a drink', 'They only remember what they had to drink', "They ca n't remember what they had to drink"] |
I ' m impressed we managed to stick to the path . It was all worth it though - we got to the top of the mountain at about 6 am and watched the sunrise , which was really spectacular . It was also absolutely flipping freezing and I had n't brought enough layers . That was n't pleasant . | Why did n't I bring enough layers with me to climb the mountain ? | I was not prepared and forgot how cold it could be at 6 am | ['I had forgotten to bring extra layers even though I knew it would be cold', 'None of the above choices .', "I did n't have enough money to buy more layers"] |
We had a wonderful year together ( it was less than a year , actually ) , but it must have been something special because they 're close to the oldest friends I have . I do n't think any of their moms understood why three guys would hang around with one chick all the time ( well , we were innocent then ) . Aaron and I dated again in high school , sophomore year for about 5 months . Nothing happened though and I later found out that he was intimidated by me . | What happened with her and Aaron during highschool ? | Aaron had a relationship with her for about 5 monhts | ['After finishing freshmen year they broke up .', 'They dater during the sophomore year in college .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
For Rachael and Leigh Badman, there is only one wish on their Christmas list this year _ that their sick daughter survives until December 25.
Fifteen -year-old Paige suffers from a rare brain condition. The disease affects as few as 12 people in the world, and can kill her any day without warning. And her condition has _ in recent months. Each time she closes her eyes, she may never wake up. Rachael and Leigh Badman are worried that she couldn't live through Christmas. They filled their house with Christmas decorations on November1, so she could enjoy her favorite day of the year in advance.
Paige was diagnosed with the condition four years ago. Mrs. Badman described the condition as "being on death row" as she never knows if she will wake up and still have a daughter. She said, " Paige always loves Christmas and it's heartbreaking to see her suffering like this."
In the last months, Paige has been unable to eat and has never walked or spoken. But she loves music, and enjoys watching pop stars' DVDs. And in May she also went on holiday to Florida with her parents and little brother, Kefton. The family , who have already organized parts of Paige's funeral, also saw the teenager swimming with dolphins during the trip. Since then, however, her condition has worsened.
Mrs Badman, who is separated from her husband and works as Paige's full-time carer, said, "Now she can't eat or drink anymore, and her brain is shrinking. With all her problems, we just thought, 'Let's get the Christmas tree up as soon as possible.' We're praying she lives to see Christmas Day." | Mrs Badman described Paige as " being on death row" because _ . | Paige could die at any time without warning | ['she found Paige struggling painfully', "she had organized Paige's funeral", 'Paige lost the abilities to walk and speak'] |
After a grueling week of spirit wear , student / staff games and contests , and way too many cheerleaders on sugar , the day of the big game has finally arrived . Night of the big game , I meant . Of course I meant night . As a member of the student body , this is only semi - exciting to me . The best part of tonight is that the marching band gets to perform their show ( yay ! ) and hang out in the stands . | What sport are they watching ? | Football | ['None of the above choices .', 'Baseball', 'Water polo'] |
Because Auntie is going to spoil her . So towards the end of the trip I got sick . I think it was just the fact that I was up at like 6 am and not getting in to our room til like 1 am every night . The hotel was cool . | Why did the writer take so long to get to sleep ? | They were excited about the trip they were on . | ['Their aunt kept visiting them .', 'They were sick .', 'The room was uncomfortably cold .'] |
Rush Hour 15:00 23:00 My Life as Mcdull 9:00 13:00
1Action Movie
Do you like Jackie Chan? Rush Hour is another movie of his. It's so exciting. Come and have fun!
2Cartoon
Mcdull is a little pig. He's kind of silly but he's very cute. Do you want to enjoy happiness with him? Be sure to watch it!
Mr. Bean 11:00 19:00 Harry Potter III 17:00 21:00
3Comedy
Rowan is a great actor. His movie Mr. Bean is coming. It's very funny. Don't miss it!
4Science Fiction
Harry Potter has been in the wizardry school for three years. He begins a new life. How is everything going? | Mr.Li finishes his lessons at 22: 00, which film can he enjoy on Thursday evening? | Rush Hour. | ['My life as Mcdull.', 'Mr. Bean.', 'Harry PotterIII.'] |