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Only 760 pieces have been built . It takes 6 - 7 months for a master watchmaker to construct one . And only one out of every hundred units is able to meet Swiss mechanical watch standards and make it out of the factories . | What is the quality of the watch ? | The watch is very well - made . | ['The watch is cheap .', 'The watch is flimsy .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Oh man . So I was all nervous about yesterday , hanging out with the boy I like . He cancelled , lmao just like I knew he would . He IMed me giving me like three excuses and I ' m like " you know what ? | What may be the reason for the cancellations ? | The boy does n't want to stick to their plans . | ['They boy wants to avoid them .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They want to avoid the boy .'] |
Botany , the study of plants, occupies a particular position in the history of human knowledge.For many thousands of years it was the one field of awareness about which humans had anything more than the vaguest ) of insights.It is impossible to know today just what our Stone Age ancestors knew about plants, but from what we can observe of pre-industrial societies that still exist, a detailed learning of plants and their properties must be extremely ancient.This is logical.Plants are the basis of the food pyramid for all living things even for other plants.They have always been enormously important to the welfare of people not only for food but also for clothing, tools, medicines, shelter, and a great many other purposes.Tribes living today in the jungle of the Amazon recognize hundreds of plants and know many properties of each.To them, botany has no name and is probably not even recognized as a special branch of "knowledge" at all.
Unfortunately, the more industrialized we become, the farther away we move from direct contact with plants, and the less distinct our knowledge grows.Yet everyone comes unconsciously on an amazing amount of botanical knowledge, and few people will fail to recognize a rose or an apple.When nor Neolithic ancestors, living in the Middle East about 10,000 years ago, discovered that certain grasses could be harvested and their seeds planted for richer fields the next season--the first, great step in a new association of plants and humans was taken.Grains were discovered and from them flowed the wonder of agriculture: cultivated crops.From then on, humans would increasingly take their living from the controlled production of a few plants, rather than getting a little here and a little there from many varieties that grew wild, and the accumulated knowledge of tens of thousands of years of experience with plants in the wild would begin to fade away. | According to the passage, general knowledge of botany begun to fade away because _ . | direct contact with a variety of plants has decreased | ['people no longer value plants as a useful resource', 'botany is not recognized as a special branch of science', 'research is unable to keep up with the increasing number of plants'] |
At 7:55 my first born left the house and walked to the bus stop by herself to begin Middle School . I drove her to her first day of Kindergarten and first grade . I have stood at the bus stop on the first day of school waving to her every year except this one . | Why was the parent not at the bus stop ? | The child was getting too old for that | ["They did n't have time", 'The weather was too bad to wait outside', 'None of the above choices .'] |
How time flies! One month has passed before I could take any notice of it. This is the start of my freshman year in Fudan University. At the very beginning, everything and everyone was strange to me. But now, I'm getting used to it. I'd like to tell you two important and interesting things in my university life.
Freedom is what I am looking forward to since my primary school. Many people said to me, "Study hard, and you will get freedom when in university." But when I really entered university, I find the real situation is different. Freedom costs me a lot. If I refuse to wash my clothes, for example, they will just lie there, unclean. So I have to do everything and take care of myself. Well, I like this life style very much though it is hard at the beginning. It is really a challenge for me.
I appreciate a famous saying from Albert Camus, "Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better." That's right. Real freedom comes with responsibility. Some teenagers believe that freedom means doing whatever you like. But I think that is not real freedom at all. One can have his or her own freedom, while at the same time respect others'. It's not easy to think on behalf of others. And now I have the precious chance to practice it.
Another thing I want to mention is love. Now, something interesting in Fudan is that love exists everywhere. For instance, the first lesson of my English class is about love. A small play at the Freshmen Welcome Party called "Turn Left and Turn Right" is about students' love in Fudan. Some of my roommates have boyfriends. At night, while lying in bed, we always share their love stories. What's more, even our instructor once said, "In our department, girls are more than boys. So we'll have a party with the Chemistry Department, in which the situation is just the opposite." I was surprised about the attitude towards love here. Is she encouraging us to find someone to fall in love with? I cannot understand it quite well.
The above are the two things that impressed me most at the very beginning of my freshmen year, and surely I'll get more out of my university life in the future. | Based on what the instructor said, we can learn that _ . | students are encouraged to communicate with the opposite sex | ['love among students is still forbidden in Fudan University', 'students are encouraged to find someone to fall in love with', 'there are more girls than boys in the Chemistry Department'] |
Every morning Molly gave her father the lunch bag before he set off for work.
One morning,besides his usual lunch bag.Molly handed him a second paper bag.
"Why two bags?"her father asked.
"The other is something else, "Molly answered.
"What's in it?"asked her father.
"Just some stuff.Take it with you."Molly replied.
Not wanting to discuss the matter, put both bags into his briefcase, he kissed Molly and rushed off.At midday he opened Molly's bag and took out the contents:three small stones, a plastic dinosaur,a tiny seashell,a small doll,and 13 pennies...The busy lather smiled,finished eating, and swept the desk clean into the wastebasket.Molly's stuff included.
That evening,Molly ran up behind him as he was reading a newspaper.
"Where's my bag,Daddy?"asked Molly.
"What bag?"her father responded.
"The one I gave you this morning, "said Molly.
"I left it at the office.Why?"said her father.
"I forgot to put this note in it, "Molly said. "and besides,Daddy,the things in the sack are those I really like-I thought you might like to play with them.You didn't lose the bag,did you, Daddy?"
"Oh,no, "he said,lying."I just forgot to bring it home.I'll bring it tomorrow."
While Molly hugged her father' neck, unfolded the note that read, love you. s he "I Daddy. " Molly had given him her treasures--all that a 7-year-old girl held dear.
Love in a paper bag,but he missed it--not only missed it,but had thrown it in the wastebasket. So back he went to the office.Just ahead of the night guard,he picked up the paper bag. He put the treasures inside and carried it home carefully.The bag didn't look SO good,but the stuff was all there and that was of great importance.
After dinner,he asked Molly to tell him about the stuff in the sack. It took a long time to tell.Everything had a story or a memory.
"Sometimes I think of all the great times in this sweet life, "he thought.
We should all cherish the moment with the people we love.That's what really matters. It's so simple and so easily forgotten. | How did her father feel when he heard what his daughter said? | Regretful. | ['Surprised.', 'Sad', 'Satisfied.'] |
So, there I was. Hanging out in my swimsuit, hair drawn back, just minding my own business and relaxing in the delicious, luxurious Scandinave Spa, a stone’s throw from Whistler town centre.
The husband and I had split up for the afternoon – he had decided to traverse the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb on the peak2peak gondola, and I’d chosen a slightly less terrifying mountain vista to enjoy.
It was just one of those days where we’d decided happily to do two different things, and meet up afterwards for a spot of dinner.
Cascading down the hillside, the Scandinave Spa’s rustic installations nestle on the edge of the Lost Lake Park spruce and cedar forest and promises to both relax and invigorate you, and provide an escape from daily stress. With several levels of hot and icy plunge pools, sauna and steam rooms, everyone wanders from indoor to outdoor relaxation spots – from sun-soaked spot to waterfall spout back massages. Bliss.
It’s also a place where silence is “essential to the experience. By embracing silence one finds inner stillness, leading to complete relaxation.” To be honest, most people who couldn’t be quiet i.e. me just talked in hushed tones, but it made for a super chilled few hours. Until…
…I was sitting in one of the steam rooms (does that make the title clickbait? Sorry – using the title ‘steam room with Lady Gaga’ made it sound as though we were chickens cooking in a slowcooker) and a very, very slim blonde lady slipped in. Queen Gaga herself.
I’ve got to be honest, sticking to the ‘no eye contact with other people who are chillaxing’ rule, I didn’t pay very much attention to what was going on, but after 25 minutes or so of basting relaxing, I stretched languidly – my bones like toffee – and wandered out to the next room, and looking up from the drinks table, had to blink several times as she followed me out. Trying to play cool, I tried keep a poker face (after all, she was there to relax and recuperate in the middle of a big Canadian tour, she didn’t need a random Kiwi gawking at her) and watched from the corner of my eye as she walked into one of the big yoga rooms. | What is probably true about the writer? | she likes Lady Gaga's music | ['not enough information', "she's never heard Lady Gaga's music", 'she hates Lady Gaga'] |
I ' m still grateful that at least it did n't crack during the sportsfest . I played with my partner this afternoon ( using a borrowed racket ) and guess what , after me telling him what happened , he noticed that his racket already has a crack and poof ! It eventually cracked like mine . | What will happen as they play the game ? | Their racket will break . | ['Their racket will hold up .', 'Their racket will be fine .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Trisha dreamed of being a Playboy Bunny since the days she still had buck-teeth and fried egg boobs. She blu-tacked page threes above her bed-head and had me snap topless Polaroids till they littered the floor. She told me to imagine she had 36DDs and peroxide blonde hair. I used to wish like hell that she wasn't my cousin. When she was fifteen Trisha started putting out for the boys in the Kwik-Save car park for a tenner a time. She said she was an entrepreneur, not a prostitute. She started going steady with a kid called Keith. He was a fryer in the fish and chip shop. He had a future and a Ford Cortina. She got a job waitressing and she worked all the hours she could. Keith couldn't handle me and Trisha being as close as we were. Especially the time he caught Trisha bending over me in nothing but a frilly market stall thong while I worked the angles best I could to get a dangle-shot. Next night he took her in the car park woods and doped her up to the eyeballs. He took out a bottle of India ink and told her he would etch the love-heart she'd always wanted. Instead, he safety-pinned the word 'inbred' into her arse. Trisha's step-dad tracked the spits of blood and found her sobbing in the bathroom of their long-stay static. It didn't take him long to slap out the truth. He went straight round to Keith's place with a crow-bar and did enough damage to make sure he'd need more than laser treatment to put things right. Keith wasn't rolling in spare change so Trisha's step-dad took the Cortina as payment in lieu of her getting herself fixed up. Trisha got me to stash the Cortina up the lane at the back of Boyes' farm. Weekend nights, I drove her out to the dual carriageway truck-stop where she found a faster way to make her fortune in the fogged-up cabs. | Who believes Trisha and the author are too close? | Keith | ["Trisha's step-dad", 'not enough information', 'Trisha'] |
It is well known that the United States' population come from all over the world. The immigrants can learn the language, English, to keep this country united, but it is unnecessary to change their culture for an American way of life.
I believe that recent immigrants should learn English in order to live in the country. They should learn the "public language". If they don't learn English, they won't be able to communicate and do what they want. For example, my mother's friend came to the United States from Ecuador three years ago. She doesn't speak English. One day, her daughter, Anita, couldn't breathe. Anita didn't know what was going on, but she told her mother to call an ambulance. When her mother called the hospital, she couldn't communicate. The operator couldn't understand what Anita's mother was saying. Fortunately, her mother's sister arrived and called the ambulance. The doctor told her sister that if she hadn't arrived at the hospital on time, Anita could have died. A pill had gotten stuck in her throat.
Immigrants should learn English to speak with the public, but they can also keep their language at home. The children of immigrants should learn how to speak their parents' language. It is very important to communicate with our relatives and family. If we learn English only and forget our private "language", we won't be able to communicate with our parents. For example, Florence, my co-worker, speaks English only. Her mother didn't teach her Spanish (her mother's mother language). Now, Florence can't communicate with her grandparents or other relatives in Puerto Rico. She has lost her mother's mother language, tradition and culture.
Immigrants have the freedom to keep their culture and values. Immigrants should know where they come from and what their family's culture is. In this way, they can transmit it to future generations.
In conclusion, immigrants should learn English in order to communicate with the public and to keep the country united, but they shouldn't give up their own culture. | The author develops the passage mainly by _ . | providing typical examples | ['following the natural time order', 'comparing opinions from different people', 'presenting a cause and analyzing its effects'] |
During the 19th century, scientists found that when certain parts of the brain of a person were hurt, he would lose the power of doing certain things. And so people thought that each part of the brain does a different job. But modern research has discovered that this is not so, for it is not easy to show exactly what each part of the brain does.
In the past fifty years there has been a great increase in the amount or research done on the brain. Scientists have found out that the way the brain works is not so simple as people in general may think. Chemists tell us that about 100,000 chemical changes take place in the brain every second. Some recent researches also suggest that we can remember everything that happened to us. We may not be able to think of the things we have heard and seen but it is kept there in the store-house of the human mind. Earlier scientists thought that the power of one's brain got weaker and weaker as one grows older. But it is plenty of exercise, it keeps its power. It is now thought that is not true. As long as the brain is given plenty of exercise, it keeps its power. It has proved that an old person who has always been active in the mind has a quicker mind than a young person who has done physical work without using much of his brain. | Scientists today are still unable to show exactly _ . | what each part of the brain is doing | ['how many chemical changes take place in the brain each second', 'whether each part of the brain does the same job', 'which part of the brain is the most important'] |
Larisa Grollemond is conducting a comparative study of illuminations in the Mirror of History (Speculum historiale, Miroir historial) as a graduate intern in the Manuscripts Department of the Getty Museum. The massive text, compiled in the 1200s by friar Vincent of Beauvais and translated into French in the 14th century by Jean de Vignay, attempts to compile all of world history from creation to the present into a single source. “If our twenty-first-century way of understanding everything is to put it on the Internet,” she says, “the medieval way of understanding was to create big encyclopedic texts that try to encompass all of human history and biblical history in an organized way.”
Larisa, who recently completed her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on 15th-century French manuscript culture, is focusing on the Getty volumes’ unique program of illuminations. The French translation of the Miroir historial exists in some 40 known copies, and while the text remains mostly unchanged from copy to copy, the illuminations vary dramatically, both in how scenes are depicted and in which episodes artists choose to depict. Larisa has decided to focus on the evolution of depictions of India and its inhabitants across these various copies, because the Getty copy, which dates to 1475, contains images that are different from earlier illuminated versions. While other copies don’t dedicate more than one or two illustrations to India, the Getty copy has several that draw upon the medieval tradition of the “monstrous peoples” as well as knowledge of geography, materials, and customs newly gained through trade.
This work ties into broader scholarly efforts to shed light on globalization in the Middle Ages. “Scholars of medieval art have generally thought of Western Europe as the center and non-European places as the periphery. There has now been a revision of that view,” says Larisa. “These manuscripts provide an interesting glimpse into how late-medieval Europeans made sense of their world, including globalization and multiculturalism,” she adds. | Where does Larisa Grollemond work? | Getty Museum | ['not enough information', 'University of Pennsylvania', 'The Mirror of History'] |
Short and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. "Football, tennis,cricket -- anything with a round ball, I was useless." he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the object of jokes in school gym classes in England's rural Devonshire.
It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him. At first the teen went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to cycle along with a runner friend. Gradually, Saunders set his mind building up his body, increasing his speed, strength and endurance. At age 18, he ran his first marathon.
The following year, he met John Ridgway, who became famous in the 1960s for rowing an open boat across the Atlantic Ocean. Saunders was hired as an instructor at Ridgway's school of Adventure in Scotland, where he learned about the older man's cold-water exploits . _ , Saunders read all he could about Arctic explorers and North Pole expeditions, then decided that this would be his future.
Journeys to the Pole aren't the usual holidays for British country boys, and many people dismissed his dream as fantasy. "John Ridgway was one of the few who didn't say, 'You are completely crazy,'" Saunders says.
In 2001, after becoming a skilled skier, Saunders started his first long-distance expedition toward the North Pole. He suffered frostbite, had a closer encounter with a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit.
Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole, and he's skied more of the Arctic by himself than any other Briton. His old playmates would not believe the transformation.
This October, Saunders, 27, heads south to explore from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, an 1800-mile journey that has never been completed on skis. | What do we know about Saunders? | He once worked at a school in Scotland. | ['He followed Ridgway to explore the North Pole.', 'He was chosen for the school sports team as a kid.', 'He was the first Briton to ski alone to the North Pole.'] |
A year ago August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria , but work for Dave was scarce (,), and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift--$7,000,a legacy from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident . " It really made a difference when we were going under financially, " says Dave.
But the Fusses weren't the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by the Hatches' generosity. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars ; in others, it was more than $100,000.
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million--they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm .
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving, They thrived on comparison shopping and would routinely go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase .
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camp when their parents couldn't afford it. "Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything," says their friend Sand Van Weelden, "They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them.
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches had their farmland distributed (;). It was the Hatches' wish that their legacy--a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come.
Neighbors helping neighbors ----that was Ish and Arlene Hatch's story. | According to Sand Van Weelden, the Hatches were _ . | understanding | ['curious', 'optimistic', 'childlike'] |
Shortly after five, the hospital called. More precisely, the emergency room phoned to ask if Ray had a bed. Ray pretended to consult his admission log, just as he always did. The nightly hospital call meant one of three things: the chemical dependency floor was full (highly unlikely), the individual in question had fallen under the hospital's "one treatment episode every three months" sanction (also known as the Black List, and only moderately unlikely), or the prospective client had no insurance (in Ray's experience, very likely).
The folks at the hospital knew, as did Ray, that federal law prohibited him from turning away individuals requesting detoxification services if he had an open bed. The hospital was generous enough to spring for a cab voucher for the intoxicate.
In Ray's experience as well, overnight admissions were less interested in detox than in free food, a free bed and complimentary meds. For his two hour paperwork investment and aggravation, he would receive the benefit of knowing the client slept until noon then slipped out the side door and into another binge. Any bills for service generated for the brief stay would return in a week or so stamped "No Such Address" or simply "Return to Sender". On average, the clients of addictions services managed to muster a raging 25% of them who would ever pay a dime toward their bill. The night shift admission payment percentages were a quarter of that quarter in good years.
Thus, the frequent calls from the hospital. They had little better luck in getting good addresses (or even with those, a client who stayed sober long enough to give a shit).
No one relished treating the uninsured and uninsurable. It was fiscal suicide. The hospital was perfectly willing to let the local experts in deadbeats handle the workload.
Tonight, Ray could tell them no. He liked telling them no, especially when it was the truth. | How long do most patients stay in admissions? | 12 hours | ['not enough information', '2 hours', '30 minutes'] |
Roland felt his stomach knotting. Having ridden out of the city through the Saint-Denis Gate, he now was nearly home, and the hurt inside was cutting so deep that he thought it would drive him mad. He repeated again and again the pledge he had just made to Nicolette: I am your true troubadour, now and forever. It felt like a knife stabbing into him.
I do love her, as I have not loved any other - except Diane.
Under his fur-lined mantle he was sweating, despite the bone-deep chill of the January night.
Was my pledge to Nicolette a lie?
No, not now that Diane has vowed herself to God.
He had always believed that a man or a woman could love but one person. For all the years he had loved Diane, he had accepted that as a sacred law of Love. It was the way things should be. But it was not the way they were. Not for him.
What if I had known, that day I saw Nicolette at Chinon, that Diane was still alive? I would have wanted Nicolette just as much, but would not have begun this. There would have been no messages, no song in her garden. But I was sure Diane was dead. There was nothing but a memory of a younger time to check my feelings for Nicolette.
And then, when I found Diane again, I could not have her. I had lost her forever. So at last I wrote again to Nicolette.
But tonight, when Nicolette would have let me make love to her - and how I want her! - I could not go beyond an embrace and a kiss.
Not as long as I still love Diane.
When he had set out, a full moon had hung low above the huddled rooftops of the university town. Now the silver disk was high overhead, and he could discern the small house he had bought two years ago with money he brought with him from Sicily. | Why is Roland in such a conundrum? | He loves both Diane and Nicolette | ['not enough information', 'He does not love Nicolette', 'Diane is dead'] |
Jimbob Blakey wasn't so much given birth to as clambered right out of his mother himself. He weighed in at almost thirteen pounds, came ready-fitted with a shock of fat black hair and a couple of razor teeth. Jimbob's folks loved him like most folks love their little ones, maybe more. They'd been trying so hard for a child, suffered more mid-term miscarriages than the ewes they shuttled off to market most Thursdays. They dressed him in a one-year babygro and took him home to their hill farm. They fought to get up nights and give him his milk. His teeth made breast-feeding impossible. They sat hours gazing down in his cot. They dressed him fine and took him to their church and gave their thanks. Showed him off like the proud parents they were. Others cooed and smiled. But they never asked to hold. They gave thanks the Blakeys were happy, and that the monkey-baby had not been born to them. Jimbob's folks never gave a second thought that their boy might be different. The first Spring he walked, he stomped the moors in his welly-boots helping herd the pregnant ewes down in-by. He copied his father, kicking and cuffing at the stragglers, when the flock was returned to the hills in May. As Jimbob grew, his hair became thicker, his arms longer. His head shrunk down on his shoulders. At check-ups, nurses fixed smiles and pronounced him healthy. Doctors said, 'he'll make you a strapping lad.' His mother smiled, her heart swelled. When he was three, she sent him to nursery. She wanted him to mix with other kids. To taste life off the hard hills. She said, 'it'll do him the world of good.' Jimbob hated leaving the farm. He clung to his mother. She drove away, blinking tears. On the third day, she took a phone call. 'It's Jimbob,' they said. 'He's scaring the other kids.'The truth hit Jimbob's mother like a hammer. | What is special about jimbob? | he has razor teeth | ['no feet', 'not enough information', 'not special at all'] |
I think people everywhere dream about having lots of money. You could win a large amount of money in the United States through lotteries. People pay money for tickets with numbers. If your combination of numbers is chosen, you win a huge amount of money --- often in the millions.
A few years ago, my friend Al won the lottery. It changed his life. He did not have a rich family. He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Instead, my friend was always hard up for cash. And the money he did earn was chicken feed --- very little.
Sometimes Al even had to accept gifts from his family and friends. But do not get me wrong. My friend was not a _ . He was not the kind of person who never paid the money he owed. He was always very careful with the money he spent. In fact, he was often a cheapskate . He did not like to spend money.
One day, Al got together a few dollars for a lottery ticket. He thought he would never strike it rich or gain lots of money unexpectedly. But his combination of numbers was chosen and he won the lottery and won a great deal of money.
Al was so excited. The first thing he did was to buy a costly new car. Then he started spending money on unnecessary things. He started to waste it. It was like he had money to burn. He had more money than he needed and it was burning a hole in his pocket so he spent it quickly.
When we got together for a meal at a restaurant, Al paid every time. He told me the money made him feel like a million dollars. He was very happy.
But, Al spent too much money. Soon my friend was down and out again. He had no money left. He had spent his bottom dollar, his very last amount. He did not even build up a nest egg. He had not saved any of the money. Some might say he was penny wise and pound foolish. He was wise about small things, but not about important things. | What was to become of Al, according to the passage? | He was penny wise and pound foolish. | ['He had built up a nest egg.', 'He was a cheapskate again.', 'He felt like a million dollars.'] |
I wanted to take his picture and he made me literally run around him before I asked his sister to hold him while I took the picture and that snap still remains to be my mobile wallpaper I was scolding one of my neighbour 's kid when she was plucking out the leaves of a plant for playing . She looked at me straight into my eyes and asked why should n't she do that . I could n't think of a simple answer to give her . | What may be a fact about this situation ? | The speaker is struggling to take a nice photo . | ['None of the above choices .', 'The speaker is upset about the photos they took .', 'The speaker is in an argument with their neighbor .'] |
Plus , considering this is the Digital Life section , we knew they would end up using the LOOK AT US BEING ALL COUPLEY AND NATURAL SHARING THIS LAPTOP AND BROWSING THE WORLD WIDE WEB . Unfortunately they did n't use the one of us reenacting meeting for the first time , or the one wear I flashed the camera and Iain threw Mardi Gras beads at me from a balcony . However , saying all that , we are very happy with the photo . ( Let 's be real , look at me at the photo above and now look at me here . | Why did they not use the speaker ’s photos ? | Some of their photos were too rowdy . | ['They wanted more professional looking photos .', 'They did not look in their photos .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Of all the things our wisdom tells us will make life entirely happy, the greatest is the possession of friendship. One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
On the first Sunday in August, it's time to recognize your friends and their contribution to your life. The first Sunday in August was fixed as National Friendship Day by the U.S. Congress in 1935, and remains a tradition observed in many countries and cultures. In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship.
Apparently, there are several friendship holidays, all of which fall on fixed dates.
National Friendship Day is on the first Sunday in August
Women's Friendship Day is on the third Sunday in September
International Friendship Month is February
Old Friends, New Friends Week is the third week of May
People show their appreciation for friendship in various ways. Some expressions may be practical ones, such as flowers, particularly the pink friendship roses, cookies, chocolates, souvenirs from their vacations, a tape of favorite songs, farewell dinners, and welcome balloons.
Recipe for Friendship 2 cups of patience, 1 heart full of love, 2 handfuls of generosity, 2 cups of loyalty, 1 cup of understanding, A dash of laughter. Mix them all well. Spray generously over a lifetime and serve everyone you meet.
Friendship helps to bring peace and positivity to the globe, another great reason to celebrate! Although our friends certainly deserve thanks on more than just one day of the year, what better day to honor them than Friendship Day!! | "Recipe for Friendship" here actually means _ . | a method of keeping a friendship | ['a prescription for curing friends', 'the pleasure of having friends', 'the importance of friendship'] |
Years ago while lying in my hammock and drinking JD from the bottle, I noticed my dog dragging something under the fence.Upon inspection, to my disappointment, I realized it was the next door neighbor' s 10 - year - old daughter' s rabbit.For years I had watched her come home from school and head straight out to its cage, free it and play with it in the yard.I knew that day would be no different and fearing for our dog, I had to think fast.
The rabbit was quite dirty, as if it had put up quite a struggle, so I washed it, combed it with the dog brush and blew it dry with the leaf blower.Upon finishing its grooming I jumped the fence and replaced it back in its cage hoping its death would be written off as "natural caused".
Back to the hammock and JD.Within the hour the neighbor' s Volvo palled in as usual and out popped the little girl, and as usual she headed straight for the cage.Only this time she stopped about six feet away and screamed: " D - A - D - D - Y!!!"
Her father, panic stricken, stood looking at the cage.Being the good neighbor that I am, I rushed to fence and asked if there was anything I could do.
Her father less than calmly shouted, "What kind of sick individual would dig up a little girl's rabbit and put it back in its cage?" | The girl was shocked because _ . | the dead rabbit was cleaned and put back into the cage | ['the rabbit was killed by someone', 'the rabbit was too clean', 'the rabbit was asleep in the cage'] |
I still have a hard time imagining it myself . " He told investigators he brought his girlfriend food and water , and asked her every day to come out of the bathroom . " And her reply would be , ` Maybe tomorrow , ' " Whipple said . | What may be the reason investigators said they had a hard time imagining it ? | They could n't imagine a woman locking herself in a washroom and refusing to come out . | ['None of the above choices .', "They could n't imagine a man would not give food or water to a person who was locked inside a bathroom .", "They could n't imagine a man would lock himself in a bathroom and refuse to let his girlfriend inside ."] |
So I went and saw that movie Cloverfield . It was actually really effing good . Had some problems , admittedly . The monster 's size was n't as clear as I 'd liked , the narrative was a little hard to follow time line - wise due to the frequent use of jump cuts over undisclosed periods of time , and the camera work ( although realistic and adding to the mood of the film ) got really annoying after a while . Otherwise , a quite good film . | How could the movie have been better for him ? | If the movie had more concrete details and information | ['If there was nt a monster in the film', 'None of the above choices .', 'If the movie was less realistic'] |
I ran to the bathroom and proceeded to rinse my eyes out with water forgetting that I still had jalapeno on them ! ! That made it worse . I groped around for the soap and furiously washing my hands . | What may happen after their incident ? | They will have watery eyes . | ['They will get help with their eyes .', 'They will have swollen eyes .', 'They will have damaged eyes .'] |
I was once distinctly unsettled by a utility man who called to read the gas meter. We were living in an old house at the time and I was home alone with the youngest child (who was around six months old), balanced on my hip as I opened the door. The visitor looked genuine, dressed in the expected uniform. He was around 6.3 and probably not the most tidily presented utility man I'd met, but I believed him to be genuine and willingly invited him in out of the foul weather. It was pouring down outside, a freezing cold winter's day. As I closed the door I remembered that I should have asked to see his company I.D. , so as I opened the meter cupboard and switched on the light, I politely said, 'Oops, I should have asked to see your I.D. if you don't mind?. He stood there in front of the door and made no move to produce his card or do anything in fact. He just glared down at me in the most menacing way and said in a very sinister voice 'Isn't it a little bit late for that now? What are you going to do if I tell you I don't have it?'.
There was an embarrassed silence. He continued to stare down at me without making a move for what seemed like minutes but was probably seconds. He didn't produce his I.D., instead he almost grudgingly read the meter as I looked on and then he swiftly left without saying goodbye. I closed the door and locked it, and then took a while to get my pulse rate back to normal and to realise I'd just learned a very big lesson. Such a creepy individual, I didn't make that mistake again. | How long did the utility man take to read the gas meter? | 15 minutes. | ['not enough information', '1 hour.', '2 hour.'] |
David Brown and Anne are two patients in the Adult Day Care Program at Mercy Hospitals. David Brown is seventy-two years old. He's friendly and likes to talk. He lives with his wife in the city. But David is becoming forgetful. His wife says, "He'll heat up some soup, then forget to turn off the gas." She is sixty-one and still works. She is worried about leaving her husband alone.
Anne is eighty and lives with her 60-year-old daughter. Her daughter says that she needs a rest. "Mom follows me everywhere. She follows me when I read newspapers. I need a rest and she does, too."
And so, several times a week, David and Anne's families take them to the Adult Day Care Center. Many hospitals have this program. Patients come to the Center for a full or half day, from one to five days a week. All the patients live with their families and most are old people.
Mrs. Carol Johnson is the director of the Center. She says, "We are offering both the patients and their families a service of great value. Patients have the chance to get out of their houses. Husbands, wives or grown children can work or have a rest. Most important of all, families are able to stay together." | Adult Day Care Center is run by _ . | hospitals | ['schools', 'churches', 'government'] |
From: jovangagic56@memail. com
To: [email protected]
Subject: Hi!
Dear Mr. Mallory,
I am writing to tell you my deep disappointment for my experience at Lingua Nova English summer school in the first two weeks of July. I had been thoroughly looking forward to learning English and learning about culture in the UK, but I am afraid that my time at your summer school failed to live up to my expectations.
Your brochure states that the student accommodation is situated "in the heart of Edinburgh". This is misleading as my accommodation was, in fact, situated a good fifty minutes bus ride from the city center in what I can only describe as a less than picturesque part of the suburbs.
In addition, the activity programme did not reflect the fact that we were located in one of Europe's most interesting and historical cities: one evening activity consisted of a walk to a nearby park, another was a trip to a narrow street which was not usually used by cars. Finally, on our one trip into the city center our "guide" readily admitted that she was not from Edinburgh, and had in fact never visited the city before. I had been eagerly expecting a guided tour of Scotland's treasures. In fact, I was left in the city center with no map and told to "check things out" while your employee went shopping in Princes Street.
This was a long awaited trip and cost me over two years' hard work and saving. Although I do have positive memories of my trip (my English teachers were knowledgeable and inspiring), the accommodation and activity programme were wholly unsatisfactory.
I would like to get my money back for the accommodation and would really appreciate a reply within the next two weeks.
Yours sincerely,
Jovan Gagic | What effect does Jovan want his email to have on Mr. Mallory? | To make him feel sorry. | ['To cause him worry.', 'To bring him disappointment.', 'To get him into trouble.'] |
Especially when you consider that we sold the old Ikea dresser that used to be in the space for $ 30 on Craigslist since we no longer needed it thanks to our bedroom 's new built - in closets . Actual project cost : $ 3 . Oh and for anyone saddened by the displacement of the three sunset pictures that used to hang on the wall , they 're looking great in the third bedroom ( which needed some wall art since we stole the big mirror from there ) . | How did the narrator make a profit ? | They sold something on the internet . | ['They sold something on Etsy .', 'They sold something on Ebay .', "They sold something on Walmart 's website ."] |
I think I know where I left my camera . Last night after the bar closed we met these kids who invited us back to their place for a house party . It was an awesome house , it had a rought iron spiral staircase that led to a bedroom . But then you could climb through the back of a wardobe ( freaky narnia shit ! ! ) | What may happen after the author remembers where she left her phone ? | She will call the friend she was with and ask them to take her to get it back . | ['She will go to the bar and retrace her steps .', 'She will clean out her wardrobe looking for it .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Do you need friends? I'm sure your answer is "Yes,of course. Everybody does! " You need friends when you play and when you work. If you have friends, you will feel happy. If you have no friends. you will feel lonely .
Do you know how to make friends? There is only one good way--You make friends by being friendly.
A friendly person is interested in other people. He is always helpful If you want to make friends with a new classmate, you can talk with him, tell him about the other classmates in your class and try your best to be helpful to him. | Which of the following is true? | Everyone needs friends. | ['No one needs friends.', 'Only classmates need friends.', 'Someone needs friends.'] |
Chopsticks Brothers, China's Internet singing stars, will sing their hit Little Apple at the 2014 American Music Awards. Chopsticks Brothers are known as director Xiao Yang and musician Wang Taili. They played a middle-aged singing group in the film Old Boys: The Way of the Dragon. In the film, they sang Little Apple when they took part in an American music talent show and they succeeded.
Now, life is following art. Chopsticks Brothers will really go to America to sing their song. They will join well-known singers including Taylor Swift. "I did not expect the _ in our film to come true in real life," Xiao Yang said during an interview. "It doesn't seem real. This is another story of dreams coming true for 'old boys'," said Wang Taili.
This is the first time a Chinese Internet song will be on the international stage. Little Apple has been more and more popular on China's Internet. Its MP3 received 579 million hits. And people have watched the music videos 823 million times on China's Internet. The song has had at least 500 million listeners around the world.
China's famous singer and songwriter Liu Huan said he liked Little Apple during an interview. "Everybody's singing and dancing with Little Apple and I think that's a good phenomenon . And I'm glad I can see Taylor Swift and Chinese singers sing on the same stage." | What can be learned from the text? | Taylor will appear on the same stage. | ['Liu Huan will sing Little Apple.', 'Liu Huan asks people to dance with Little Apple.', 'Taylor will sing Little Apple with Chopsticks Brothers.'] |
Battle of the Books
Each year in April, the "Battle of the Books" teams from each school meet for the Semi-Battle competition. The top three teams from each division go on to the Final Battle to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. The gold medal winners go on to compete in the Regional Championship.
Battle of the Books Rules and Goals
Goals:
Students: Have fun reading good books from a wide variety of authors and genres .
Educators: Encourage reading, foster friendly competition, and nurture the love of books in young people.
Rules:
One team of six students from grades 7 or 8 will represent each school.
1. Each team will have a spokesperson. While the team is encouraged to discuss possible answers, team answers will only be accepted from the spokesperson.
2. The Semi-Finals will consist of three rounds of play, and the Finals will have one round. Each round features a Regular Battle and a Lightning Battle.
3. Regular Battle questions will be addressed to teams alternately , regardless of the last correct answer. There will be 12 Regular Battle questions per round. When asked a question, teams will have 20 seconds to provide the book's title and author.
4. Five points will be given if the team correctly identifies the exact title, and three points will be awarded for correctly identifying the author's surname. The author's first name does not need to be identified.
5. The Lightning Battles will be featured at the end of each round. Lightning Battles consist of a 2 minutes, 30 seconds time period during which each team is asked up to 12 questions. These questions concern details of the books and will not require teams to identify titles or authors. Each correctly answered Lightning Battle question will be worth three points.
PLEASE NOTE:
A warm-up practice question will be given to each team at the beginning of its first Semi-Battle and at the beginning of the Final and Regional Final Battles.
There may be no assistance from the coordinators and audience members.
Teams will not be punished for incorrect answers.
Any team demonstrating poor sportsmanship will not be invited back. | According to the text, "Battle of the Books" is an activity _ . | where readers are motivated to love books | ['where students are inspired to write books', 'where books are used as arms in the battle', 'where friends compete with each other'] |
She looked like she was ready to bolt out of the room . Then , she came over to stand in front of me and I had the terrible thought that she was going to be the one to run away not me . That the next thing out of her mouth was going to be something to the extent that we not see each other anymore . I thought of the weekend we had just had and the possibility of not seeing her again . | What will happen with this relationship ? | They will split up . | ['They will fall in love .', 'They will get married .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
My brother gave this to me last year and it has only been used once , when we did not even use the board itself . So it is practically BRAND NEW other than the fact that it has no plastic over it any more . Original price was $ 60.00 , selling for $ 30.00 . | What has led the speaker to want to sell this game that was given to them by their brother ? | They are sorry to have to sell it , but they are having trouble making ends meet and must do so | ['They are trying to sell things that matter to their spouse to get back at them for cheating', 'They are trying to find things around the house to get money to buy drugs', 'None of the above choices .'] |
The more people I meet, the more I love my dog. Every day I am reminded why I love him so much.
Three weeks before Christmas in 2008 at about 2:00 in the morning, my dog woke us up out of a sound sleep because someone was knocking at our door. He barked in front of me as if to protect me from the stranger who was knocking. My husband answered, and it was a local police officer telling us that my father-in-law had called the police because he forgot our number. My mother-in-law was suffering from a brain disease and was in the hospital. We thanked the officer and raced to the hospital. We would have taken him, but the hospital would consider him to be a dirty pet.
After visiting the hospital we drove home and hugged our dog once more. At this point it was unlikely that little dog remembered waking us up. What he did remember was that we left him alone for several hours and he missed us. He thought we missed him, too, so he greeted us at the door with his tail wagging .
Someone tried to break in our house that summer, but, once again, our little dog saved the day. Our curtains were damaged, but no one got in. When I got home from work, I found parts of my curtains lying on the floor. We called the police and the officer said that he did a great job.
My dog is a loving sweet dog who just wants some attention. I worked with him for months and now he sits, dances, sings, shakes hands, and so much more. The best part is he looks out for me as much as I look out for him.
My husband says the dog is spoiled ; I say he finally has a loving home. | The purpose of the text is to tell readers _ . | why the author's dog is her best friend | ['what the proper attitude towards dogs is', 'what dogs can bring us', 'how to raise dogs'] |
To son, Cecil,
Just a quick note before I start in earnest. When I wrote this, you were 8, still a little boy. In 2002, I was called to active duty in the Marine Corps in the war on Terrorism . On the 11th of September 2001 when America was attacked, I knew that I would eventually have to go and I was filled with a deep sense of sadness. That night as you and Keiko were asleep, I looked at your little faces and couldn't help but fight the tears. I knew it would be hard for you because I had a similar experience. When I was a little boy aged 6, my dad, your Grandpa Cawley, was sent to Vietnam during the war there. I remember how much I missed him, too. But now unfortunately I have come to realize just how difficult it must have been for Grandpa to be away from his children for a year. Thinking about this, I wanted to put my thoughts and feelings down for you and your sister. I am so sorry that I had to leave for such a long time. There is no place I would rather be than with you and Keiko. You two are the lights of my life. I have known no greater joy than in the few years since you two were born. I hope to have many more years with you. If this doesn't happen, then know that I love you more than words can express. If for some reason I don't make it home, I will need you to take care of your little sister and your Mom. You will be the man of the Cawley family. Be good my son and God will watch over you as he has me. I will be waiting impatiently for the time when we can all be together again. | We can infer that _ . | the writer realized he might die in the battle field | ['the writer was a devoted son', 'the writer was a brave soldier', "the writer's wife was suffering from a terrible illness."] |
Read our guide because ---trust us--- you don't want to be the one everyone's rolling their eyes at.
GO RIGHT AHEAD:
GOLDEN RULE: Home is pretty much the only place where you can safely blab about anything without having to consider the needs of the people around you.
HANDLE WITH CARE in these places:
Waiting rooms: People here tend to be feeling anxious about their news --- not yours.
Shopping: Chatting while you're in line will slow down checkout and make other shoppers angry.
GO RIGHT AHEAD: Make calls quickly and quietly, and be respectful of those forced to listen.
DON'T DO IT in these places:
Museums/libraries/churches:
There are places we go for peace and quiet --- it's not proper to disturb others.
Movies and plays:
People pay to hear someone other than you perform.
Elevators/ bathrooms/ beauty salons/ public transportation:
No one around you can escape. Why force them to listen to your chitchat?
Restaurants:
People come here partly to get away from ringing phones and enjoy their conversations , so don't subject them to yours.
GO RIGHT AHEAD: Put your phone on vibrate if you must get a call but always wait until you are outside before you start talking.
While driving a car:
It's rude to put other drivers in danger. So instead of going by the Golden Rules above, use a voice-activated phone --- and use it as little as possible. You are four times as likely to get into a car accident if you're on the phone while you're driving.
Hang up already:
How to politely ask that loud cell-take to speak softly:
If you're in a place that has a manager, ask him or her to do _ . Otherwise, put on your sweetest smile, tap the offender on the shoulder, and try one of these carefully worded lines:
"Would you please end your call? I can't hear what they're saying?"
(Try this when you're watching movies and plays.)
"Excuse me, but you're making it really hard for me to concentrate ."
(Good for museums, libraries, and places of worship.)
"Is it possible for you to speak a little more softly? I have a bad headache."
(This will usually work just about anywhere.) | This passage is mainly about _ . | cell phone manners | ['how to make phone calls', 'where to make phone calls', 'where you can use your cell phone and where not'] |
In white shirt, blue pants, black cloth shoes and two pigtails, Jingqiu gives off an air of great "pure beauty" in Zhang Yimou's new movieUnder the Hawthorn Tree, which tells the story of the sad romance of Jingqiu and a handsome young man named Laosan set at the end of the "cultural revolution" (1966-- 1976).
Before it was released, moviegoers foresaw what this "pure beauty" could be. Director Zhang complained of how long it had taken him to find the right girl for the part of Jingqiu -- a character so innocent. She believes that simply lying on the same bed as a man will make her pregnant.
It was 18-year-old Zhou Dongyu who stood out from the crowd. According to Zhang, Zhou has "eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside". Born to an ordinary worker's family, the Shijiazhuang girl was in her final year of high school and working hard for a place in an art college.
"If you have fair skin and clear eyes, as Jingqiu does, it is easy to look pure. Girls today wear so many jewels and make-up--that's the reason Zhang was not interested," said Du Yanlai, 17, of Chengdu.
While some teenagers consider such "pure" beauty _ , others believe that it speaks of something soulful.
Purity is all about an innocence that shines through from within, thinks 16-year-old Tan Mengxi of Nanjing. "Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced. However, it doesn't mean an ignorant or native person. So, a person is pure in his or her nature if he or she is always enthusiastic and able to deal with difficult matters independently. This purity doesn't pass with time, "she said. | What can we infer from the passage? | Director Zhang disliked those girls with so many accessories and make-up. | ['Zhou Dongyu, who was 18,was from an art college.', 'Different people have different opinions about purity.', 'Many young girls in China are eager to stand out.'] |
i m a senior & & ready to graduate & & get out of that hell hole .its not that i do nt like it , sometimes i do nt actually ; its just that i guess i wanna move on to bigger things like , college for instance . i wanna move out & & get my bachlors in forensics as a chemistt [ meaning that i analyze DNA & & fingerprints . ] ; move in with my boyfriendd , have a good , stable , NYC girl typical life . | What may she have done prior to leaving her current home town ? | She may have applied to a college in NYC . | ['None of the above choices .', 'She may have applied to a college in Boston .', 'She may have applied to a college in LA .'] |
Telepathy: Mind-to-mind Contact
Telepathy is the ability to communicate without the use of the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste). It's an instinct which can be woken up in times of emergency or need. When we feel that something is happening or about to happen by instinct, we're using resources within the unconscious mind. When the resources of two persons' unconscious minds link together into the same frequency, we call it Telepathy.
We can either send or receive Telepathy. If you know who is calling before you answer the ringing phone, you are probably a good receiver. If you think of a person and he/she calls you, you are most likely to be better at sending.
You can easily put your abilities to the test. Think of somebody and will him or her to contact you. Be patient. The other person may not be a good receiver, but they should contact you much earlier than would normally be expected. Or whenever the phones rings, but try "feeling" who is contacting you. Don't guess, but try to feel it with your mind. However, if neither of these work for you, that doesn't mean that you have no ability of telepathy. As mentioned earlier, telepathy is most likely to turn up in case of emergency.
Telepathy dreams often contain telepathic messages. Two people may both dream of the other and find that their dreams had a clear connection. These people are probably linking to each other's unconscious mind.
Telepathy & Relationships. The more people spend time together, the more likely they are to be able to link up to the other's mind, especially when separated. There are two reasons for this. One is that they understand the other's mind through time spent together; the other is that there is usually a strong desire to communicate. A mother will often sense that her child is in danger. This is due to the child's eagerly wanting his or her mother, knowing that this person who would always want to be there for them, and the mother's deep desire to protect her child from harm. | Telepathy turns up when we _ . | sense a close friend in danger | ['think of a stranger', 'use the five senses together', 'recall things from our memory'] |
They may be small, and unable to have an adult conversation, but babies are proving their collective cleverness.
While your baby still might not be able to speak, he or she knows about you're feeling down. Babies as young as 5 months of age can distinguish an exciting tune from a sad one, according to a study published in 2014 in the journalNeuron.
Speaking of music, it seems that babies can't resist it. Not only are their ears sensitive to the beats, babies can actually dance in time to them, according to a study published in 2010. To test their dancing ability, the researchers played recordings of classical music and speech to them, and videotaped the results. The babies moved their arms, hands, legs, feet, and heads much more in response to the music than to speech. The findings suggest this dancing ability is innate in humans.
Babies can apparently learn even while asleep. As newborn babies spend most of their time sleeping, this newfound ability might be crucial for them to adapt rapidly to the world around them, and help ensure survival, the researchers say. The study was published in the journalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Deciding whether another person is helpful or harmful is crucial in choosing friends -- and that ability starts being visible early. Kiley Hamlin of Yale University showed both 6- and 10-month-olds some anthropomorphized shapes, in which one shape helped another climb a hill, while a third shaped pushed the climber down. The little ones then got to choose which shape they preferred. For both age groups, most babies chose the helper shapes. This character-judging ability could be the first step in the formation of morals, Hamlin says. | Kiley Hamlin found that babies _ . | can tell right from wrong | ['love to make friends', 'learn nothing while asleep', 'like watching anthropomorphized shows'] |
One of my most memorable dreams was the one I just mentioned ... I was living somewhere away from home , and after a long day at work I went through the refridgerator for milk . Some time later , I was in Turkey doing my Camp A thing ... and one day after work , I experienced everything that occurred in that dream . The kitchen in the apartment , the contents of the fridge , and every move I made looked and felt just as they did in my dream . I was so flabbergasted , I stood there with the fridge door open , thinking " I ' ve dreamt of this exact scenario before , and now I ' m living it . | What might I have experienced one day after work ? | I experienced a feeling of deja vu when I was in my kitchen . | ['I was feeling woozy because I was flabbergasted I just stood there .', 'I was experiencing a dream within a dream where I thought I was awake .', 'I was feeling hunger pangs because the contents of the fridge was minimal .'] |
Rahfeal Gordon has come a long way from the homeless shelters and streets of Newark, New Jersey. The 25-year-old was honored this year by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship for his work----giving motivational speeches to youth groups.
Rahfeal Gordon tells his audience, "If nobody ever says that you're brilliant, say it to yourself every day. Look yourself in the mirror: if you have survived something, I don't care how small, how big, you've survived it," he said.
Rahfeal Gordon 's speech is simple: He tells the story of his own life in three chapters. Each begins with a hip hop lyric that he knows will be meaningful to a young audience.
Gordon says he uses positive hip hop lyrics to encourage youths, especially those who grew in poverty and abuse, as he did. His talk is called "Hip Hop Saved My Life".
" When I had my very dark moments in life, I would put on certain songs, whether it is from Jay-Z , Tupac, Kanye West," Gordon said. "They kept me going through the hard times. They fulfilled a certain void that I couldn't fulfill, like not having a father or mother there, so I felt they could relate because they would tell these stories."
Gordon says his childhood was happy until his father became addicted to drugs and began to beat his three brothers and mother. They left to live on the streets and in homeless shelters. Gordon says he tries now to be a voice for others, including a brother who was murdered at the age of 19.
"When I lost my brother, that was, really, a moment when things really started to take off, in the sense of saying, 'I really, really want to be that individual to help people, to help individuals,' "Gordon said. "I can't be Superman. I can't save the world, but I think that if I can help an individual, I am saving the world. " | Rahfeal Gordon uses hip hop lyrics in his lecture because _ . | hip hop songs helped him spend his hard times | ['he is good at performing hip hop songs', 'hip hop songs are encouraging and funny', 'he tends to follow the fashion like youths'] |
But what is teacher quality? How can one measure it reliably?
An analysis is issued on a sample of data from a Texas school district. Experts argue convincingly that teacher effectiveness should be measured by students' gains on standardized tests: Mr. Smith is probably a better teacher than Ms. Brown if his students consistently improve their test scores more than hers do.
Though this approach is appealing, there are tricky issues. For example, what if Ms. Brown teaches in a school where students score so high there is little room for improvement?
The authors try to correct for this problem, as well as other sorts of measurement issues, to generate a measurement of teacher effectiveness. The paper is primarily concerned with how this measure is related to other observable characteristics.
The first finding is that there is a large variation in teacher effectiveness: some teachers consistently have a larger impact on their students' achievement than others.
Second, easily observable characteristics like having a master's degree or a passing score on the teacher certification exam are not correlated with teacher effectiveness.
Then what does matter? The most important single influence is experience: first-year teachers are much less effective than others. The second year is significantly better, and by the fourth year, _ .
It is not entirely clear whether this experience effect is learning by doing (the more you teach, the more effective you become) or survival of the fittest (those who are not good at teaching tend to drop out early.)
From my reading of the paper, both effects appear important and there is no simple answer. The data do suggest, however, that teacher effectiveness is pretty clear by the end of the second year, so the information to make an informed decision is available at that time.
The authors also investigate the contentious issue of racial matching of students and teachers. Here they find strong evidence that minority teachers tend to be more effective with minority students. Again, it is unclear whether this is because of a role model effect (students respond better to a teacher of their own race) or an empathy effect (teachers empathize better with students of their own race) or something else entirely.
The authors also look at teacher mobility. There is some evidence that teachers who quit teaching or switch schools tend to be below average in effectiveness. This is consistent with the survival-of-the-fittest model. | The schoolmaster could decide wisely whether to further employ the teacher by the end of the _ . | the fourth year | ['the first year', 'the second year', 'the third year'] |
Michael , the real hero , came up and helped me right up . He was so nice and I appreciated his help SOOOO much . I know it 's his job ( he said he was patrolling the freeway since it was his area when he saw me ) , but it 's nice to see truly good , warm people in this world ( especially in the city of Atlanta ) and he was genuine and patient . | What would Michael do next ? | Make sure everything is okay | ['Give her a ticket', 'Start to become impatient', 'Patrol Atlantic City , New Jersey'] |
LONDON, Feb. 18,2014 (Xinhua News agency) --Britain will send experts to East China's Shanghai to learn from the city's experience in maths teaching in an attempt to raise the teaching standards.
British Education Minister Elizabeth Truss is to lead a delegation of experts on a fact-finding mission to Shanghai's schools next week to see how children there have become the best in the world at maths, to get a first-hand look at maths classes and teaching methods there, and particularly to investigate why the performance of almost all children in Shanghai is high, regardless of gender or income.
Britain was last year placed 50th out of 148 countries and regions in the World Economic Forum's competitiveness ranking in quality of maths and science education. Two years ago, Shanghai topped the 2012 international PISA tables for maths, while England was ranked in 26th place. The top five were all in Southeast Asia, with 15-year-olds in Shanghai judged to be three years ahead of their peers in maths.
The education department said: "England's performance in maths has lagged behind while other countries have improved and overtaken us, including Poland and Germany." Actually, it is the latest step in the government's drive to raise standards in maths, looking at what has made schools in the far East the most successful in the world in teaching the subject.
"Shanghai is the top-performing part of the world for maths--their children are streets ahead. Shanghai and Singapore have teaching practices and a positive mind that make the difference. They have a belief that diligence makes up for lack of ability," Truss said. "Our new curriculum has borrowed from theirs because we know it works--early learning of key arithmetic, and a focus on times tables and long division , for instance."
She was determined to change the situation as performance in maths is weakening the country's skills base and threatening the productivity and growth. The government is emphasizing maths because of the importance of good grades in the subject to young people competing for good jobs in a global labor market and to the economy more generally.
An education and skills survey released by the Confederation of British Industry last year showed that 30 percent of employers reported dissatisfaction with the standard of school and college leavers' numeracy. More than two-thirds of employers said they wanted both maths and science promoted more in schools. | Which of the following statements is true according to the two international competition results? | The students from Singapore did better than the students from Germany. | ['British students performed better in 2013 than in 2012.', 'British students did better than the students from Poland in 2013.', 'The students from Germany did better than the students from Poland.'] |
I no longer consider myself as the center of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say. I am a good friend to my friends, and they come. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today.
So here's what I want to tell you today: Get a life. A real life, not a desire of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house.
Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure , it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. And realize that life is the best thing and that you have no business taking it for granted.
It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live many years ago. Something really, really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways that, if I had my choice, it would never have been changed at all. And what I learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all.
I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and totally. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned.
By telling them this: Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a deadly illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived. | It can be inferred from the passage that _ . | the author is a success in personal life | ['the author likes traveling very much', "the author didn't try her best to work well", 'the author spent all her time caring for her children'] |
I am sitting here in my house in PJ 's sick as a dog . I had so many plans . I was going to swing by Nessa 's party before going over to Rob 's party where I would have met up with my husband . | What would have happened had the narrator not gotten sick ? | They would have met up with their husband | ["They would be in bed in PJ 's", 'None of the above choices .', 'They would not have met up with their husband'] |
And once again, high blood pressure is making headlines in the news: the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) have just released new guidelines about hypertension.
Since this development is likely to cause confusion and concern for many, I’m writing this post to help you understand the debate and what this might mean for you and your family.
By the way, if you’ve read any of my other blood pressure articles on this site, let me reassure you: I am not changing my clinical practice or what I recommend to others, based on the new AHA/ACC guidelines.
The core principles of better blood pressure management for older adults remain the same:
* Take care in how you and your doctors measure blood pressure (more on that here),
* Start by aiming to get blood pressure less than 150/90 mm Hg, as recommended by these expert guidelines issued in 2017 and in 2014,
* And then learn more about what are the likely benefits versus risks of aiming for more intensive BP control.
Perhaps the most important thing to understand is this: treatment of high blood pressure in older adults offers “diminishing returns” as we treat BP to get lower and lower.
Scientific evidence indicates that the greatest health benefit, when it comes to reducing the risk of strokes and heart attacks, is in getting systolic blood pressure from high (i.e. 160-180) down to moderate (140-150).
From there, the famous SPRINT study, published in 2015, did show a further reduction in cardiovascular risk, when participants were treated to a lower systolic BP, such as a target of 120.
However, this was in a carefully selected group of participants, it required taking three blood pressure medications on average, and the reduction in risk was small. As I note in my article explaining SPRINT Senior, in participants aged 75 or older, pushing to that lower goal was associated with an estimated 1-in-27 chance of avoiding a cardiovascular event. (The benefit was even smaller in adults aged 50-75.) | What was one of the likely effects of the SPRINT study? | not enough information | ['Doctors recommended their patients aim for lower blood pressure goals.', 'The elderly were encouraged to reduce their blood pressure.', 'The AHA changed their guidelines based on the findings.'] |
Job offer many years ago. I had two, one for staff accountant and the other was as accounting manager for a holistic health clinic. The clinic job paid about 40% more and came with a “manager” title. I believed in myself and all that, but who offers someone just out of school with only 2 years of internship and no specialty in field manager level? That kept bugging me. Something just wasn’t right.
Acting on instinct, I took the other job. Good thing! A few months later, I read that the owner of the clinic (an MD) and his two partners (his wife and the CFO) had all been indicted for numerous counts of fraud. They were cheating the state, they were cheating the church they were affiliated with, they were cheating Medicare and private insurance companies.
The IRS was after them — it was supposed to be not-for-profit but it turns out they were living large. Not only that, but they hadn’t been sending in w/h tax for non-church member paid employees. Then there was the allegation that they were abusing mentally handicapped workers who were related to church members. The church itself tried to distance themselves, but three elders were also on the clinic’s Board of Directors.
It was nasty and the entire management team ended up with at least some jail time. There was no way anyone who had any access to the records (medical or financial) could have claimed innocence. My job would have included filing false budget and financial statements with the Board, IRS and other agencies. I would have also probably known that they were withholding but not remitting tax from employee checks. Fact is, the poor kid who took the job got 2 years, so I found out. Those in on the medical fraud got even worse and the three principals all got 2-digit sentences. | He probably feels that because of his decision: | He is lucky | ['not enough information', 'He made the wrong decision', 'He is indifferent'] |
Today I was reminded of how the Holy Spirit works . Its the little whispers that tell you to do something that would otherwise have been done differently that show itself purposeful in the end . ( Its always purposeful but not always do we get to see it . ) But today I got to see it . | What is the message a part of ? | God 's plan | ["Mary 's plan", 'Your plan', "Buddha 's plan"] |
So she grabs me and we start twirling around . o.O And then we get to the barbed wire fence , and she just jumps with me , doing a flip in the air and we land on the other side ... Pretty cool . | How is the narrator feeling after that flip ? | None of the above choices . | ['He is feeling unathletic .', 'He is feeling average .', 'He is feeling it is normal .'] |
As a school teacher, Inderjit Khurana used to take the train to work. And one day, at the station, she saw dozens of children who spent their days begging from train passengers rather than going to school. She learned that it was not a rare problem and that millions of children in India lived on the streets.
Realizing that these children would never be able to escape poor life and homelessness without education, and that it would be impossible to send these children to school, Inderjit decided to create a model program---taking the school to the most out- of-school children.
Khurana's train platform schools aim to provide a creative school form and give children the basic levels of education. Her last goals reach far beyond the 20 platform schools she and her colleagues have created in India's Bhubaneswar region. She is determined that her program will become a model for changing the lives of the poorest children throughout India and the world.
Khurana founded the Ruchika Social Service Organization(RSSO) in 1985. The teachers gather the children together between the stops of the train for reading, writing, maths and history taught through songs and other teaching tools.
Khurana recently comes to realize that the education of these children is impossible when the most basic needs of their families are not being met. So she also provides food and medicine for their families.
Khurana insists that every child have the right to an education and that if a child cannot come to the school, then the school must come to him or her. | Khurana's final aim is to _ . | make the poorest children's lives better | ["put an end to the problem of children's dropout", 'attract more students to her platform schools', 'set up 20 platform schools throughout India'] |
On my first day in America, I was excited, but nervous as well. It was my dear neighbor Susan who helped me get used to my new life far away from home. There was a knock at the door. When I opened it, Susan came in with a home-made apple pie. She hugged me and said:"You must be the precious Chinese doll!" With a big smile, she went on:"Alice, I am sure you have never, ever tried a home-made apple pie before! You are going to love it so much!" To be honest, I was greatly surprised by this welcome from a stranger. And the apple pie made me feel at home.
Susan was very helpful to me. When I was thinking about a costume to wear on Halloween, she suggested I dress up like a traditional Chinese girl. "I happen to have a traditional Chinese dress and guess what, I am a great make-up artist!" she said. Susan didn't hide her excitement, when, after an hour of hard work, she pushed me to the mirror to examine our work. The clothes fit me perfectly! I am sure that I _ from the crowd that Halloween, and I am very grateful to Susan for her help.
My first Thanksgiving was another highlight. On the festival morning, I was surprised to find a gift box in my front yard. There was a note on it:"Hello Alice, I am the Thanksgiving bunny! Enjoy your gift!" I looked around and caught Susan looking at me from the porch. Seeing that she had been caught, she awkwardly picked up a newspaper and pretended to read it. I couldn't help laughing. When I walked up to her, she said:"It was not me. It was the Thanksgiving bunny!" Susan is such a lovely person; she is the American above all others I need to thank.
I saw that the spirit of the Chinese saying, that "Neighbors carry more weight than distant relatives," is alive and well in America. Susan filled my heart with warmth and joy, just as angels do. | This passage is most probably taken from _ . | a newspaper | ['a travel guide', 'an advertisement', 'a science magazine.'] |
Nowadays,people in China are increasingly interested in celebrating foreign festivals,especially those western festivals.
A survey conducted recently by sina.com showed that among the 18,222 people surveyed 63.90%said celebrating Christmas is just another way of recreation,nothing serious while 17.85%surveyed considered the festival as a fashion act.showing they were not "out".These two parts clearly indicate the general opinion of the young.10.45%people involved said the celebration of a religious western festival with so much enthusiasm is ly ridiculous pursuit of foreign goodness.Only 7.80%of people define Christmas as a kind of festival colonization
The arising of celebrating foreign festivals clearly has something to do, with the advancement of China's economy.In my point of view.Christmas and other festivals celebrated in China have difference from the origin.They have lost their religious background and turned into a big occasion to have fun and enjoy life.Shop owners' pockets are filled,the public's hunger for happiness is filled,and that is enough.Foreign festivals in China are more like carnivals giving people pleasure and enjoyment.
The crisis of traditional Chinese festivals that are losing their attraction may be linked to the culture tradition and background of the festivals.Most Chinese festival culture is related more or less to real life "The country is based on its people while the people are relied on their food".
But the western culture shows much of romance.Some festivals have their religious background while others have much to do with culture and people.At this point,food seems to be too plain.Flowers and chocolates are more welcomed.
Foreign festivals in China today are celebrated for fun.They give people opportunities to relax mad celebrate,to show appreciation and gratefulness.The acceptance of foreign festivals generally depends on the openness of the public,the familiarity with the western culture,and most importantly,on people's economic status. | What is the main difference between foreign festivals and traditional Chinese ones? | Foreign festivals are romantic while traditional Chinese ones are connected with reality | ["Foreign festivals can make Chinese shop owners' pockets full quickly.", 'The food at foreign festivals is too simple', 'Chinese festivals always have something to do with culture.'] |
China's famous scientist, the Cloth Shoes Academician Li Xiaowen passed away on January 10th, 2015 in Beijing at the age of 67. Hundreds of thousands of citizens sang high praise for him online, showing their respect to the leading authority in remote sensing field. Following Li Xiaowen's last wish, his family held a simple funeral for him, while many admirers from all over the country came to the funeral for remembrance. Some national leaders including Premier Li Keqiang also sent a wreath.
Li was a professor at Beijing Normal University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research achievements have advanced the development of remote sensing science, and made China one of the leaders in this field. He also received several famous science prizes from China. He published 1,878 essays on his blog since 2007. All his students have thumbed up to Li for his contributions to the development of remote sensing. He was known to everyone in the remote sensing circle, but was impressive on citizens for a photo.
In recent years, Professor Li's quiet and self-effacing behavior was recognized through social media. In 2014, a photograph of Academician Li was taken by his student, in which he was attentively making a lecture with shabby clothes, grizzled hair and straggling beard, without socks, and wearing black cloth shoes. He looked like an old villager, rather than a famous scientist. The photo became popular on the Internet and earned him the title of the "Cloth Shoes Academician." His simple plain image, kindness to all his students and dedication to his career are three important features on him. All these are precious to educational and academic community.
"The society is changeable but Academician Li is quiet. He faced all stuff with his characters of quietness and simplicity. It is clear that he has become the 'Teacher Immortal'." said Ge Yuejing, a senior leader of Beijing Normal University. | Which statement is TRUE according to the passage? | Professor Li's attitude to life and his career earned himself high praise and respect. | ["Premier Li Keqiang came to Li Xiaowen's funeral.", 'A good teacher needs to publish essays on the Internet.', 'Social media made Professor Li Xiaowen world-famous.'] |
Not something I would do on a regular basis , but not bad . Then again , I was having more fun trying to make smoke rings than anything else , and I did n't actually inhale for most of mine , so she demanded that I finish off hers correctly . No big deal , though I ' m pretty sure I would be a pipe / cigar man if it came down to it . | What may be a fact about this person 's situation ? | They are smoking tobacco with a girl . | ["They have n't smoked tobacco much before this .", 'They are having a fun time with the girl .', 'They are smoking marijuana .'] |
Tragedy at the Circus
In yesterday's circus show, a tiger suddenly attacked its trainer and had to be shot dead. As the circus packed up and left, circus officials said the show would go on, even without tigers.
However, the officials cann't simply turn a blind eye to the ethical problems left behind. Even before this tragedy , animal rights activists protested against keeping wild animals in unnatural conditions and forcing them to suffer for the profit of circus organizers.
It is now time for us to take effective steps to make sure that circus animals are treated properly.
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Circus Safe for Animals
Our circus recently suffered a most tragic event in its history. While we are thankful for the pity from the public, we are also astonished by the opinion expressed in "Tragedy at the Circus. "
First, our performing animals are not taken from the wild. As to the ethical problems. we always believe humans and animals can--and should--live together nicely. To us, the performing animals are representatives of their species , and our circus is one of the only places left willing to support this special role of performing animals in the existence of the species. Those who argue that circus life is harmful to animals show little knowledge of these facts. Life in the "wild" is unsafe, but a continuous struggle for existence. To overlook these realities is the greatest fault against the animal kingdom.
This circus has proven that animals are stronger and smarter than we could imagine. Within the circus is a joyful atmosphere for both animals and humans: people are educated, and species saved. | What will the circus most probably do? | Continue its performances. | ['Take no notice of the tragedy.', 'Use fewer wild animals.', 'Limit its profit.'] |
If you think that running marathons will help you live a long and healthy life,new research may come as a shock.According to a recent scientific study,people who do a very _ workout are as likely to die as people who do no exercise at all.
Scientists in Denmark have been studying over 1,000 joggers and non-joggers for 12 years.The death rates from the sample group suggest that people who jog at a moderate pace two or three times a week for less than two and a half hours in total are least likely to die.
The best speed to jog at was found to be about 5 miles per hour.The research suggests that people who jog more than three times a week or at higher speeds of over 7 mph die at the same rate as non-joggers.The scientists think that this is because strenuous exercise causes structural changes to the heart and arteries .Over time,this can cause serious injuries.
Peter Schnohr,a researcher in Copenhagen,said,"If your goal is to decrease risk of death and improve life expectancy,jogging a few times a week at a moderate pace is a good strategy .Anything more is not just unnecessary,and it may be harmful."
The implications of this are that moderate forms of exercise such as tai chi,yoga and brisk walking may be better for us than "iron man" events,triathlons and long-distance running and cycling.According to Jacob Louis Marott,another researcher in the study,"You don't actually have to do that much to have a good impact on your health.And perhaps you shouldn't actually do too much". | According to the scientists,why is too much exercise harmful? | It may injure the heart and arteries. | ['It can make the body tired out.', 'It will bring much pressure.', 'It consumes too much energy.'] |
Six-month-old babies are strictly limited in what they can remember about the objects they see in the world. If you hide several objects from babies, they will only remember one of those objects. But a new study, which was published in an issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that when babies "forget" about an object, not all is lost. Researchers used to think that babies less than two years old did not understand that an object continues to exist when it is not in the baby's view. But in mid-1980s, new ways of doing experiments with babies found that they do, in fact, know that objects don't disappear when they do not look at them -- a concept known as object permanence. But it was still unknown what babies needed to remember about objects in order to remember their existence.
Now Melissa Kibbe, of John Hopkins University, and Alan Leslie, of Rutgers University, are working to figure out exactly what it is that babies remember about objects. For the new study, they showed six-month-old babies two objects, a disk and a triangle. Then they hid the objects behind small screens, first one shape, then the other. Earlier research has shown that young babies can remember what was hidden most recently, but have more trouble remembering the first object that was hidden. Once the shapes were hidden, they lifted the screen in front of the first object. Sometimes they showed babies the shape that was hidden there originally , but sometimes it was the other shape, and sometimes the object had _ completely.
Psychologists measure how long babies look at something to see how surprised they are. In Kibbe and Leslie's study, babies weren't particularly surprised to see that screen had changed, for example, from a triangle to a disk. But if the object was gone altogether, the babies looked significantly longer, indicating surprise at an unexpected outcome: "This shows that even though babies don't remember the shape of the object, they know that it should continue to exist," Kibbe says. "They remember the object without remembering the features that identify that object."
This helps explain how the young brain processes information about objects, Leslie say. He thinks the brain has a structure that acts like a kind of pointer, a mental finger that points at an object. | Before the study, which of the following was unclear? | What made babies remember objects' existence. | ['Whether babies know objects are gone.', 'Whether babies can remember what was hidden first.', 'Why babies were interested in what was hidden.'] |
" Bolivar Pennisula has been destroyed . " I received emails from two of the students we took to Bolivar while at the SGA conference in Houston last spring . Both of them said things like , " That 's where we were!. " | What is the narrator 's vocation ? | They are a teacher . | ['They write emails .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They are a student .'] |
I have known, and admired, Julia Busuttil Nishimura, for many years now and always felt connected through our love of Italian food, Tuscany (Julia lived in Florence and in Orbetello, just 10 minutes away from where we lived in Porto Ercole while I was writing Acquacotta) and Japan. So I have been eagerly awaiting her debut cookbook, Ostro: The Pleasure that Comes From Slowing Down and Cooking with Simple Ingredients, and it is a beauty — it is full of food I want to make and eat. It’s also a joy to look at, as it is presented so beautifully with photographs of Julia (and often her darling little boy Haruki) at home and tables full with food that look Caravaggesque.
I have already made her everyday banana loaf, several times, after years of searching for my ideal everyday cake, it is now my go-to banana loaf. I tested her ricciarelli (soft almond cookies from Siena) and pork braised in milk (a classic Italian dish that I have always loved) when she was writing the book and I have long-known her absolutely wonderful, incredibly moist lemon olive oil cake (which is also divine with blood oranges). I absolutely love her homemade approach to everything, including all the wonderful handmade pasta like trofie and orecchiette (look at those beautiful dishes below), but also things like classic tiramisu — homemade savoiardi, homemade mascarpone (yes and yes, I absolutely believe that for the freshest, most delicious mascarpone, it needs to be homemade especially if you live outside of Italy).
Yes, these are all things you can also buy in a packet, but Julia’s point is, it is a pleasure to make these things by hand, and the ingredients are so simple — water, flour, cream, eggs, — you probably have them all in your house already. She is a woman after my own heart. Her book inspires you to give it a go. | who made the recipe? | julia | ['not enough information', "julia's friend", "julia's mom"] |
Well , I ride my bike to work for exercise and on my way to work today I see smoke coming from the local cemetery . I look over and see 2 11 - 13 year olds with a gas can and a huge fire . I think to myself " WTF ? " . So , I get off my bike , throw off my backpack , take off my iPod , and glasses and run towards them . | Why does the narrator feel so fit at work ? | They take a bicycle in . | ['They exercise while at work .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They bike on their lunch break .'] |
The White House says China's proposal to abolish presidential term limits — a move that could make Xi Jinping president for life — is an internal matter for Beijing.
"I believe that's a decision for China to make about what's best for their country," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a Monday press briefing.
Term limits, Sanders said, are something Trump "supports here in the United States, but that's a decision that would be up to China."
The Chinese Communist Party proposed removing the presidential two-term limit from China's constitution, state media reported Sunday.
The move would be a further consolidation of power for Xi, who is already seen as one of China's most powerful leaders in decades.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump praised Xi, saying he has a "very good relationship" and "great respect" for the Chinese leader.
"I think that President Xi is unique. He's helping us with North Korea," Trump said during a White House meeting with U.S. governors.
Trump has not specifically addressed the issue of China removing term limits.
To some, Sanders' comments are the latest evidence of a break in the long-standing U.S. tradition of encouraging democracy in China, and reflect an unwillingness to criticize undemocratic regimes.
"In effect, she is saying that the U.S. is OK with Xi Jinping simply asserting that he will remain in power indefinitely," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. "Does she realize China isn't a democracy?"
During the presidential campaign, Trump regularly slammed China and its trade policies. But since becoming president, Trump has toned down the criticism.
Instead, Trump has prioritized working with China to address North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
However, several reports suggest the White House could soon announce trade decisions, such as tariffs on Chinese imports, that could strain the U.S.-China relationship. | What is Sophie Richardson in charge of at the Human Rights Campaign? | China | ['United States', 'North Korea', 'not enough information'] |
For the past few weeks I have been talking about the merits of the Mediterranean Diet. However, I have to acknowledge that no diet is perfect for every single person and Mediterranean diet is no exception to that rule. The Mediterranean Diet is not for everyone.
There may be some people who find that they have negative reactions to some of the foods on the diet – others may find that it simply is not suitable for their lifestyle.
However, it is an excellent choice for most people because the health benefits are tremendous. Lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol levels, reduced risk of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and much more.
The diet is based on consuming wholesome fresh foods in their natural state and by cooking them in a healthy ways.
Red meats are eaten only on occasion; sugar, processed foods filled with additives, fast foods, and junk food, which are the cause of so many illnesses in today’s world are simply not eaten.
It should not be news that most health problems in the US can be attributed to a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle.
The Mediterranean diet solves both problems, if you let it. It provides the healthy nutritious foods your body needs for energy and well-being; plus, it incorporates exercise to solve the sedentary lifestyle issue.
Let’s look at some of the potential difficulties.
1. The diet can be expensive.
When you eat primarily fish, fresh (preferably organic) fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc. you will find that they are more expensive than grabbing a cheeseburger from a fast food joint or buying junk food from the vending machine at work.
But . . . if you consider the health problems you may endure in the future and the cost of health care that goes with those problems, you may want to think twice about the actual cost. The healthy foods on the Mediterranean diet may not seem so expensive after all. | How long has the writer been on the Mediterranean diet? | for several months | ['for a few days', 'not enough information', 'for a few weeks'] |
Jerry Seinfeld is my boss at Wendy 's . I ' ve never worked at Wendy 's before in my life so this makes the dream extra weird . I ' m cleaning off the tables in the dinning area and all we have is dirty wet rags . I go looking for clean ones to wipe down all the tables . | What was especially weird about my dream ? | Jerry Seinfeld works at Wendys . | ['None of the above choices .', 'The tables at Wendys are dirty .', "I ' m cleaning off the tables in the dinning area"] |
Sports are the base of my life, next to my mother who raised me when my dad left us.I have been into sports since I was six years old.I have known many coaches and heard hundreds of their tips, but they usually focused on drills to develop my skills and reach the next level of play.
When I was in Senior Two, I met the new school basketball coach, Brian Pawloski.I thought I was certain to be selected for the school team since I had been in it the year before.I showed up to the tryouts and put out about 90% effort since I thought I'd make it with no problem.That was a big mistake.
Brian Pawloski is the hardest working coach I have ever met.He didn't expect 100% effort, he expected 200% effort.One example: he once made us do 40 suicide drills for the 40 lay ups we missed in a game.Some think this is crazy, but it isn't.After this conditioning practice, as we were getting a cup of cold water to drink, I said, "coach, that was the best practice I ever had." I was completely sincere.This man was and is the person who influenced me most at my high school.He expects us to be excellent not just on the court but in the classroom.If I am not working on basketball, I am reading a book that he thinks will help us better understand life's challenges, including Wooden, Coach, and The Screwtape Letters.
In the first two years I slacked off, not putting forth my full potential.Now, unlike the coaches of my youth, this man was interested in how he did off the court.He always made sure I kept up with my studies and was able to be trusted.I can honestly say that no other coach has given me so much advice on how to succeed in basketball, but more importantly, in life.My school is lucky to have such a great person to teach, coach and influence their students.I will always remember my high school basketball days as one of the hardest times I have ever worked in my life not only in basketball but in my growth as an individual. | In the author's eye, Coach Brian is _ . | strict and helpful | ['hardworking and honest', 'skilled and cruel', 'professional and serious'] |
Bear Story
Campers Gene and Marie Marsden took pride in being good citizens when in the wild.While driving miles to the Green River Lakes area,they instructed their children in the rules they'd learned in the bear safety handbook put out by the Bridger-Teton Forest Service.The number-one rule was"Don't feed the bears!"-whether intentionally or not.Warning the kids not to go anywhere near a bear,the Marsdens had no problem with the intentional part,but the unintentional part was not as easy to avoid as they thought.
Mr.and Mrs.Marsden did their best to keep a tidy camp.While the handbook had said to hang all food at least ten feet off the ground,they did that and locked their food in their trailer at night.Afraid that the scent of the bait might attract a bear,they even locked up Marie's fishing pole.Being sure nothing was left out,they went to bed.
Gene says he now regrets not having taken their dog Spike into the tent at night,but they liked having him on guard.On the night of the encounter ,Spike would not stop barking,and Marie knew he must be sounding the alarm on something more dangerous.When she unzipped the tent and shone her flashlight,she saw a young bear.
They all piled into the car and drove quickly down the trail.They drove to a pay phone twenty miles away and called a Fish and Game Department ranger,who identified the bear by the white ruff the Marsdens had seen around his neck.The authorities informed the Marsdens that the bear was a young male that they'd been keeping an eye on.
The next morning,the Marsdens heard helicopters circling over the mountain and wondered if it might have something to do with the bear.After spending the night in the public campground,they drove back to their site.Wandering the area in search of clues,Marie came to a stop below a tallest tree.She slapped her head and shouted,"Oh no!"
"What is it?"Gene asked.
Marie pointed at the ground where Spike's dog food bowl lay upside down.
A week after their return home,the Marsdens read the headline in their local paper."Bear Euthanized in Wind Rivers."According to the article,the Fish and Game Department had shot the young bear because,having been rewarded for invading a human campsite,it would likely do so again.
The Marsdens knew they had been lucky in the encounter,yet much to their shame and sadness,they also knew that the bear had not. | The passage is written to show . | people's improper behavior can cause great loss | ['taking pets for camping should be forbidden', 'choosing right spots is important for camping', 'people had better keep away from dangerous animals'] |
Sharing not only exists between humanbeings.As is often seen that some plants and anima1s live close together, and they depend on each other. They are usually very different from their partner, and yet all live easier lives because of each other. It is nature's idea of sharing.
An example of a partnership is the shark and pilot fish. The pilot fish is a little fish only about nine inches long. He would be. helpless if he hung around by himself in the mighty ocean. He makes up for his size with his smartness. He cleverly swims along beside the shark. When the shark eats, the pilot fish gets the leftovers. And the pilot fish needn't worry about his safety. The shark also gets benefits from this relationship. The pilot fish cleans food scraps and insects from the shark's hide.
Another example of depending on each other is the sea anemone and striped clown fish. The sea anemone looks like a flower and has petals that contain poisonous stinging cells. When small fish swim into the petals, the anemone traps and paralyzes them. However,the striped clown fish is able to swim into the poisonous petals without being harmed. When he is in danger, he quickly swims into the sea anemone and is unable to be seen by his enemies. To pay for his safety,the clown fish brings food to the anemone. He also guides other fish into the anemone's deadly trap.
Large mammals such as the ox, antelope, rhinoceroses and African buffalo form such a relationship with the red-billed ox-peeker. They provide daily meals for the bird. In fact the bird eats insects. The various large mammals act as a restaurant with a varied menu for the ox-peeker. What do they get in return from the bird? Free beauty treatments!
Some plants live together in a beneficial relationship of symbiosis. The fungus does not have chlorophyll that plants need to make food. However, green algae does contain chlorophyll. It is, therefore, able to feed the fungus along with itself. But nothing is free! The fungus repays it by protecting the algae. Since it takes in and stores water, it can provide the algae with a non-ending water supply. | To repay the sea anemone, the striped clown fish _ . | helps him catch other fish | ['paralyzes small fish for him', 'does some cleaning work', 'warns him about the danger'] |
The ONLY reason I had Romney was due to the fact I knew the media would go after her for the " readiness " issue . Despite that , she was always my favorite at heart . I had even told a good friend of mine in the media that she was my " dream pick " several months ago . | What ideology does the narrator seem to have ? | They are republican . | ['They are progressive .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They are liberal .'] |
It was an autumn morning shortly after my husband and I moved into our first house. Children were upstairs unpacking , and I was looking out of the window at my father moving around mysteriously on the front lawn. My parents lived nearby ,and Dad had visited us several times already. "What are you doing out there?" I called to him .He looked up, smiling. "I'm making you a surprise." Knowing my father, I thought it could be just about anything. A self-employed jobber, he was always building things out of odds and ends. When we were kids, he always created something surprising for us.
Today, however, Dad would say no more, and caught ups in the busyness of our new life, I eventually forgot about his surprise. Until one gloomy day the following March when I glanced out of the window. Any yet... I saw a dot of blue across the yard. I headed outside for a closer look. They were crocuses , throughout the front lawn. Lavender, blue, yellow and my favorite pink ---- little faces moved up and down in the cold wind.
Dad! I smiled, remembering the things he had secretly planted last autumn. He knew how the darkness and dullness of winter always got me down. What could have been more perfectly timely to my needs?
My father's crocuses bloomed each spring for the next four or five seasons, bringing the same assurance every time they arrived: hard times was almost over. Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon.
Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms. The next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses. I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did.
He died suddenly one October day. My family was in deep sorrow, leaning on our faith. I missed him terribly.
Four years passed, and on a dismal spring afternoon I was driving back when I found myself feeling depressed. "You've got the winter depression again and you get them every year." I told myself.
It was Dad's birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual --- my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived his faith. Once I saw him give his coat to a homeless man.
Suddenly I slowed as I turned into our driveway. I stopped and stared at the lawn. And there on the muddy grass and small gray piles of melting snow, bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus.
How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years old, one that had not blossomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance.
Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day. But it built my faith for a lifetime. | Which of the following would most probably be the worst time of the year as seen by the writer? | Winter. | ['Spring.', 'Summer.', 'Autumn.'] |
He seriously drives me insane . I honestly have no idea how I put up with it , i need a man , not a boy that thinks he can play games with me . I feel like he s expecting me to stay around and wait for him . | What may be the reason he expects me to wait around for him to do ? | He wants me to wait until he is good and ready to settle down for a real relationship . | ['He needs to care for his little boy right now and then we can discuss our relationship .', 'None of the above choices .', 'He wants me to wait until the games on tv are over and then he will give me attention .'] |
Eric and Doris King Turner are packing their bags for New Zealand.They're busy deciding what to pack and what to leave behind in Britain and are making plans to make their new home in Nelson.Doris is looking forward to getting the garden into shape and Eric has his heart set on a spot of fly fishing.The difference is that Eric is 102 , Doris is 87.Eric thinks he's Britain's oldest _ .
In January next year Eric King Turner and his wife will wave goodbye to their neighbors,and set sail from Southampton on the voyage of a lifetime.The ocean liner Saga Rose will take six weeks to get to Auckland and the couple are expecting a redcarpet welcome from family.
Doris was born in New Zealand but gave up her homeland when the couple met and married in the 90s.But New Zealand is close to both their hearts and the attraction of family and friends,and the good fishing helped to persuade them to move.
Doris,who has five children and nine grandchildren,supported her husband's application to settle in New Zealand . The paperwork took five months.Says Eric,"We not only had to produce a marriage certificate but we had to produce evidence that we were in a long and firm relationship!" Eric says he was not asked about his age but had to show that he could support himself financially in New Zealand.
"I like New Zealand.The way of life is very much the same as it is here but it is not so crowded . " His wife has always been "a little bit homesick" but has never complained.Now the couple are in the middle of the task of sorting out possessions and selling their flat . | The best title of the passage may be _ . | Eric,102,Leaves Britain With His Wife | ['Better Late Than Never', "To Leave or Not to Leave . That's the Problem", 'Eric and Doris King Turner are Packing Their Bags'] |
"The first and best of victories for a man is to conquer himself; to be conquered by himself is, of all things, the most shameful," says Plato. Self-control is at the root of all the advantages. Let a man give in to his impulses and feelings, and from that moment he gives up his moral freedom.
A single angry word has lost many friends. When Socrates found in himself any temper or anger, he would check it by speaking low in order to control himself. If you are conscious of being angry, keep your mouth shut so that you can hold back rising anger. Many a person has dropped dead in great anger. Fits of anger bring fits of disease. _ "Keep cool," says Webster, "anger is not argument." "Be calm in arguing," says George Herbert, "for fierceness makes error a fault."
To be angry with a weak man is to prove that you are not strong yourself. "Anger," says Pythagoras, "begins with foolishness and ends with regret." You must measure the strength of a man by the power of the feelings he conquers, not by the power of those which conquer him.
Self-control is man's last and greatest victory.
If a man lacks self-control he seems to lack everything. Without it he can have no patience, no power to govern himself; he can have no self-confidence, for he will always be controlled by his strongest feeling. If he lacks self-control, the very backbone and nerve of character are lacking too. | What's the main idea of the passage? | Self- control is important for a man | ['We should learn to be strong.', "A man who keeps cool won't lose any game.", 'The great heroes in history knew how to control themselves.'] |
A surprisingly high number of city citizens in China suffer from poor health and many die at an early age.
Poor health with no sign of any identified disease, a condition known in China as "sub health," is on the rise. Sub health is marked by general weakness, low energy levels and a poor immune system.
A survey held in 16 cities with over 1 million population showed high proportions of urban Chinese have been suffering sub health problems.
The numbers are particularly high in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with 75.31, 73.49, and 73.41 percent respectively of residents in poor health, the survey showed.
The problem happens mostly among senior and middle-level managers, clerks and other white-collar workers with high education levels, said the website of the Red Cross Society of China.
"The sub health condition, found in most cases among groups of people with a high educational level, will have bad effects on China's long-term development and progress if not dealt timely and properly," the website warned.
A survey by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that the average life of Chinese intellectuals is 58 years, 10 years lower than the nation's average.
This early death phenomenon may be increasing.
Among Chinese people with high education in the 25-59 age group, the death rate for women is as high as 10.4 per cent. For men it is even higher: 16.5 percent.
A report published by the China Sub Health Academic Seminar said the country's health is going through a transitional period and many long-term diseases have taken the place of infectious diseases such as SARS and flu as the main cause of death.
"Bad working habits, poor disease prevention knowledge, not enough governmental investment and lack of health education are the main reasons," said Yang Xiaoduo, a healthcare expert with a local health association, who said China should race against time seeking measures to solve the sub health problem. | What's the average life of Chinese people? | 68 | ['48', '58', '78'] |
For hundreds of millions of years, turtles have struggled out of the sea to lay their eggs on sandy beaches, long before there were nature documentaries to celebrate them, or GPS satellites and marine biologists to track them, or volunteers to hand-carry the hatchlings down to the water's edge lest (for fear that) they become disoriented by headlights and crawl towards a motel parking lot instead. A formidable wall of bureaucracy has been erected to protect their prime nesting on the Atlantic coastlines. With all that attention paid to them, you'd think these creatures would at least have the gratitude not to go extinct (die out).
But Nature is indifferent to human notions of fairness, and a report by the Fish and Wildlife Service showed a worrisome drop in the populations of several species of North Atlantic turtles, notably loggerheads, which can grow to as much as 400 pounds. The South Florida nesting population, the largest, has declined by 50% in the last decade, according to Elizabeth Griffin, a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana. The figures prompted Oceana to petition the government to upgrade the level of protection for the North Atlantic loggerheads from "threatened" to "endangered"-- meaning they are in danger of disappearing without additional help.
Which raises the obvious question: what else do these turtles want from us, anyway? It turns out, according to Griffin, that while we have done a good job of protecting the turtles for the weeks they spend on land (as egg-laying females, as eggs and as hatchlings), we have neglected the years spend in the ocean. "The threat is from commercial fishing," says Griffin. Trawlers (which drag large nets through the water and along the ocean floor) and longline fishers (which can deploy thousands of hooks on lines that can stretch for miles) take a heavy toll on turtles.
Of course, like every other environmental issue today, this is playing out against the background of global warming and human interference with natural ecosystems. The narrow strips of beach on which the turtles lay their eggs are being squeezed on one side by development and on the other by the threat of rising sea levels as the oceans warm. Ultimately we must get a handle on those issues as well, or a creature that outlived the dinosaurs will meet its end at the hands of humans, leaving our descendants to wonder how creature so ugly could have won so much affection. | How does global warming affect the survival of turtles? | It threatens the sandy beaches on which they lay eggs. | ['The changing climate makes it difficult for their eggs to hatch.', 'The rising sea levels make it harder for their hatchlings to grow.', 'It takes them longer to adapt to the high beach temperature.'] |
Anne and Joseph are talking about an interesting question. Why do some people change their names? There can be many reasons. Hanna changed her name to Anne because she thought it would be easier for people to remember. On the other hand, Joseph is thinking about changing his name to an unusual name because he wants to be different.
People have a lot of reasons for changing their names. Film stars, singers, sportsmen and some other famous people often change their names because they want names that are not ordinary, or that have special sound. They chose the "new name" for themselves instead of the name their parents gave them when they were born.
Some people have another reason for changing their names. They have moved to a new country and want to use a name that is usual there. For example, Li Kaiming changed his name to Ken Lee when he moved to the United States. He uses the name Ken at his job and at school. But with his family and Chinese friends, he uses Li Kaiming. For some people, using different names makes life easier in their new country.
In many countries, a woman changes her family name to her husband's after she gets married. But today, many women are keeping their own family name and not using their husband's. Sometimes, women use their own name in some situations and their husband's in other situations. And some use both their own name and their husband's. | Which of the following statement is TRUE? | Some people changed their names in order to get much more attentions. | ['Women have to change their names when they get married.', "Women can't use their husband's name without permission.", 'If a singer becomes famous, he or she has to change his or her name.'] |
Just a small musing to start this all off ... I was walking home from work this morning and reallized nobody really looks up in the city . Everybody looks straight ahead towards their destination . I looked up and it was like seeing a new side of something I took for granted . | Why is the narrator feeling a bit more grateful ? | They realize the beauty of massive buildings . | ['They realize the beauty of walking among so many people .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They realize the beauty of the cities economy .'] |
New software is able to analyze exactly how many hairs there are in a patch of skin and could help in testing the effectiveness of baldness treatments and depilatory creams, say Australian researchers.
Researchers from CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences in prefix = st1 /Sydneyreport their findings in the November issue of the journalSkin Research and Technology.
The software, developed with a UKcompany, will make it easier for researchers developing hair removal creams to accurately assess how well they work, says Dr Pascal Vallotton.
"Up to now they were counting the number of hairs that survived after treatment by hand. That's hard work and it's difficult because you may count a hair twice or you may miss it." he said.
The software relies on images captured by a small flatbed scanner pressed onto the skin. Using a mathematical algorithm , the software then identifies and traces each individual hair based on an understanding of a hair's unique features, such as its straightness.
The software is able to distinguish between hairs and other features on the skin such as wounds or moles .
"Our skin irregularities make it difficult to say this is a hair or this is a mole," Dr Vallotton said.
Comparison between earlier and later images can also determine if hair is growing quickly or slowly, he says.
Unfortunately, to check the accuracy of the software, the researchers still had to adopt the old-fashioned method of counting hairs, helped by volunteers from neighboring labs who put their skins on the line for science.
"We had 12 volunteers, mostly from neighboring labs, and we acquired images of hair before and after treatment," Dr Vallotton said.
To ensure an accurate count, the individual hairs had to be marked off as they were counted, but after such a laborious process, the researchers were pleased to discover the software results were comparable to the manual count.
Dr Vallotton says the software could also be useful in testing the effectiveness of balding treatments and counting or tracing substances other than hairs, that are long and thin and otherwise difficult to image. | What plays a key role in counting the number of hairs with the software? | A scanner. | ['A calculator.', "A hair's unique feature.", 'A mathematical algorithm.'] |
One of the groomsmen handed her a napkin for her tears so he did something .. hehe . We 'd had talked about it for a couple days and just talking about it had us both teary . Her speech said how she 's glad everyone made it out to celebrate the marriage of Linda and Buddy . | What was making the woman cry ? | The speech being given . | ['None of the above choices .', "Linda 's death .", "Buddy 's death ."] |
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, and red? If you do, you must be an optimist , a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference , and the effect that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing . Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray.
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief. | The main idea of this passage is _ . | one's color preference has something to do with his character and colors have effects on human beings | ["one's color preference shows one's character", 'you can brighten your life with wonderful colors', 'psychologists have been studying the meaning of color preference'] |
Momma duck watched me as I layed it back into her nest and backed away . And she waddled back into the plants to assume her position of caring for the egg . So , I guess sometimes deceiving mother nature is not that bad . I still feel horrible for the momma duck and question if I did the right thing by making her think the egg was still ok . | Why is the woman so focused on the egg ? | There is a hatching in it . | ['None of the above choices .', 'There is breakfast to be served .', 'There is egg on the menu .'] |
When we hear the words "college students", we usually think of a young person between 18 and 22 years old. But in the U.S.A today, a college student often is much older. In fact, educators say in the next few years colleges and universities may have more older part-time students than traditional full-time younger students.
Educators report a big increase in the number of Americans who attend college and university classes in the evening or at night or weekends. Most of them are older than 25 years old and more have full-time or part-time jobs. Many are in their thirties or forties.
Why are so many people deciding to spend their time and money in order to continue their education? Most are doing it because they believe more education will help them to get a better job. Some are industrial workers whose factories have closed. They are learning new skills to prepare for other kinds of work. Some of the part-time students are not pleased with the jobs they have. They are studying for new ones. Some have retired and are looking for new kinds of work. Two of every three of the students older than 35 are women. Many of them are returning to school after years of staying at home to care for children.
Are older students good students? Most teachers say yes. They say older students really want to learn. They ask difficult questions and are not pleased with simple answers. They often get high grades. | It's said that in the next few years _ . | American colleges and universities will take in part-time students equally | ['students in colleges and universities will be much older', 'full-time students in colleges and universities will be even younger', 'The number of older students will be greater than that of the younger ones'] |
The law has a great many rules, showing when and how far a man is to be punished, or if he should be made to hand over money or property to his neighbors, and so on. These rules are contained in books. A lawyer learns them mainly by reading books.
He begins by doing little else than reading, and after he has prepared himself by three years' study, still, he has to, almost every day, read more about some new questions which he has to answer.
The power to use books, then, is a special skill which a would-be lawyer ought to possess. He ought to have enough flexibility to make it easy for him to collect ideas from printed words. He ought to have some readiness to find what a book contains, and something of an instinct for where to look for what he wants.
But although this is the power which he will first feel in need of, it is not the most important. A lawyer does not study law to recite it; he studies it to use it and act upon the rules which he has learned in real life. His business is to try cases in court and to advise people what to do in order to keep out or get out of trouble. | What is the most important to a lawyer? | To be able to use his book knowledge in the right way in his future business. | ['To possess a lot of books.', 'To have enough flexibility when collecting ideas from printed words.', 'To be able to quickly find out what a book contains.'] |
I was not quite seventeen when I decided to join the US Marine Corps.My mother tried her best to talk me out of my dream, and then finally signed the papers that would permit me to enter the service.
One day, nearly two years after the Philippines became my home, I was summoned to the office of Lieutenant Colonel Boyd.He seemed to be a kind man, but I was pretty sure that he hadn't called me in to pass the time of day.
Standing before his desk, I waited nervously as he read through some paperwork.Then he looked up."Why, Private, haven't you written to your mother for more than six months?"
I felt weak in my knees.Has it been that long? I thought.
"I didn't have anything to say, Sir."
Lieutenant Colonel Boyd told me that my mother had contacted the American Red Cross, which in turn communicated with my commanding officer about my failure to write. Then he asked, "Do you see that desk, Private?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Open the top drawer and you'll find some paper and a pen.Sit down right this minute and find something to say to your mother."
"Yes, Sir."
When I finished a brief letter, I stood before him again.
"Private, I'm ordering you to find something to say to your mother at least once a week.Do you understand?" I did.
Some 35 years later, my aged mother's mental condition was deteriorating, and I was forced to place her in a convalescent home .As I went through her belongings, I began inspecting the contents of an old cedar chest.At the bottom, tied with a bright red ribbon, I found a bundle of letters.
They were the letters I had been ordered to write from the Philippines.I sat on the floor of her apartment that afternoon reading each one, tears streaming down my cheeks.I now realized how deeply, as a young man, had upset her by my lack of consideration.
The lesson I learned may have been too late to help my mother, but it's still done me good.These days I don't need a commanding officer standing over me to write to my loved ones on a regular basis. | "...he hadn't called me in to pass the time of day." means that _ . | he must have something serious to talk with me | ['he was too busy to have time to talk with me', 'he wanted to know how I passed the time of day', 'he had called me to spend more time with my mother'] |
Prague is an ancient European city, featuring one of the most magnificent Old Towns in Europe, along with delicious food, inexpensive shopping and friendly people. Prague is also famous as being home to one of the most famous 20th century writers, Franz Kafka. The famous Czech beer is also one of the reasons to visit Prague.
The narrow streets of the older parts of the town are appealing the visitors to take nice long walk and settle in some of the many restaurants, which offer top-quality foods at a low price. The buildings there are mostly tower-shaped,and so Prague is called "city of a hundred
."
Mauritius
Also known as the Paradise on Earth, Mauritius lies about 560 miles (900 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It is a place of magnificent natural beauty coupled with excellent customer service, which makes for an unforgettable romantic experience at the edge of the world's warmest ocean.
There are lots to see and do in Mauritius: the coral reefs surrounding the island offer stunning beauty and great underwater adventures to those who want to dive into the precious waters. The nature of Mauritius mostly resembles that of Paradise, allowing every couple visiting this island to feel like Adam and Eve. That is an experience nobody would want to miss!
Cyprus
The very name Cyprus, it has been said, glitters with an age-old myth. Today, history and hedonism are comfortably mixed on the island. Some five-star resorts within walking distance of well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins offer the convenience the modern traveler has come to expect.
Cyprus features a romantic history, as it was Anthony's gift to his beloved Cleopatra during the glorious days of the Roman Empire. Maybe that is why you feel always a little special once you set foot on Cyprus.
For more information about many other most romantic places in the world, just log on at http://www.jurgita.com. | A common feature of Mauritius and Cyprus is that they are _ . | romantic | ['old', 'rich', 'mysterious'] |
My then-teenage daughter and I went to a new restaurant. It was empty apart from the manager. We were told to find ourselves a table, so we sat in an attractive area sort of like a small stage.
No waitress came by for 10 minutes, so we decided to visit the restroom; there was just one, with one toilet. But a woman rushed in ahead of us, carrying a bundle of clothes. Several minutes later, when she reappeared, we realized this was our waitress—arriving late and pushing us customers out of the way so she could change.
OK… We each used the restroom and returned to our table.
But it was not our table anymore. Along came the manager to explain she needed to set aside the stage-like area for a very special group.
My daughter and I had already been debating whether to stay or leave. We stayed only because we were very hungry and worried that we’d have to start waiting all over again if we tried a different place.
We were led to our new table: a lonely little table in the hall leading to the toilet.
I was ready to get out of there, pronto, but my daughter spotted her favorite meal on the menu. But after another 15 minutes, with the lone waitress not appearing, we both shook our heads and got up… Oh, here’s the waitress! We ordered. Fifteen minutes later, no food.
We got up again and exited past the stage-like area, which was just as empty as it had been when we were ejected. The very special people had not arrived—so (had we been served) we could have enjoyed our meal right there.
We did find food elsewhere. The first place closed in less than a month. Good riddance! | after the story, how does the dad feel? | relieved | ['not enough information', 'sad', 'regret'] |
The old man walked with a cane slowly into the restaurant. His poor jacket, patched trousers, and worn-out shoes made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd.
He walked toward a table by the window. A young waitress watched him and ran over to him, saying, "Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair."
Without a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table. Supporting him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair, and get comfortably seated. Then she pushed the table up close to him, and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it.
In a soft, clear voice he said, "Thank you, Miss."
"You're welcome, Sir." She replied. "My name is Mary. I'll be back in a moment. If you need anything, just wave at me."
After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes, bacon, and hot lemon tea, Mary brought him the change, helping him up from his chair and out from behind the table. She handed him his cane, and walked with him to the front door. Holding the door open for him, she said, "Come back and see us, Sir!"
He nodded a thank you and said softly with a smile, "You are very kind!"
When Mary went to clean his table, she was shocked. Under his plate she found a business card and a note written on the napkin, under which was a $ 100 bill.
The note on the napkin read, "Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself, too. It shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you."
The man she had served was the owner of the restaurant. This was the first time that she, or any of his employees, had seen him in person. | The words the man left on the napkin suggested that _ . | respecting others means respecting oneself | ['serving others is a respectable job', 'Mary would get a rise as a result of her kindness', "Mary's kind service would bring in more money for her"] |
I grew up knowing I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft lip, and when I started to go to school, my classmates were constantly laughing at me. I couldn't even blow up a balloon.
When my classmates asked, "What happened to your lip?" I'd tell them that I'd fallen as a baby and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than to have been born different.
Then I entered the second grade, and Mrs. Leonard's class. She was round and pretty. Everyone loves her. But no one came to love her more than I did. And for a special reason.
The time came for the yearly "hearing tests". I was nearly unable to hear anything out of one ear. So I cheated. I had learned to watch other children and raised my hand when they did during group testing. The "whisper test" required a different trick: each child would go to the door of the classroom, turn sideways and cover one ear with a finger. And the teacher would say something very quietly from her desk, which the child would repeat. Then the same thing was done for the other ear. Nobody checked to see how tightly the untested ear was being covered, so I pretended to cover mine.
My turn came. I turned my bad ear to her, covering the other ear with my finger, and then gently backed my finger out enough to be able to hear. I waited, and then heard the words that God had surely put into her mouth; seven words that changed my life forever.
Mrs. Leonard, the pretty teacher I loved, said softly, "I wish you were my little girl." | When hearing Mrs. Leonard words, the author felt _ . | moved | ['astonished', 'disappointed', 'embarrassed'] |
Ali is from a Middle Eastern country. He now stays in the USA. He smokes a lot of cigarettes every day. He has smoked for nine years. Ali says, " I tried to quit smoking in my hometown, but it was impossible. My brothers smoke. All my friends smoke. At parties and at meetings, almost all the men smoke. Here in the United States, not as many people smoke. It will be easier to change my habit here."
Many smokers are like Ali: they want to stop smoking. The smokers know that smoking is bad for their health. They know it can cause cancer and heart disease. But it is difficult for them to give up smoking because cigarettes have a drug in them. The drug is nicotine . People who smoke a lot need nicotine.
When a person first begins to smoke, he usually feels terrible. The nicotine makes him sick. In a few days, the smoker's body is used to the nicotine, and he feels fine. Later, the smoker needs nicotine to keep feeling fine. Without nicotine, he feels bad.
It is very hard to quit smoking, and many people who quit will soon smoke again. At a party or at work they will decide to smoke "just one" cigarette. Then they will smoke another cigarette, and another. Soon they become smokers again. Maybe there is only one easy way to quit smoking: never start. | By writing this text, the writer hopes that people will _ . | never start smoking | ['stay in their hometown', 'eat less and smoke more', 'not live in the United States'] |
A profound alienation from the parent left behind can develop at frightening speed . The psychological damage can be deep and life - long . My situation , for instance , resolved itself when my sons came of age - legally free to do as they pleased . Our reunion happened a step at a time . It was not easy , neither for them , nor for me . | What stage of life is the OP likely at ? | Adult | ['Preteen', 'None of the above choices .', 'Toddler'] |
Dog walkers provide a 20-to-60-minute daily walk for a client's dog,making sure the dog answers the call of nature and gets proper exercise.They often walk more than one dog at a time.Some walkers work for dog-walking services,especially when starting out.Others have their own businesses,and build by word of mouth and advertising.Dog walkers often work part-time,and some provide other services like pet sitting or transporting.
In N.Y.City,dog walkers usually earn about $25 an hour.If you work for a dog-walking business,you may earn less-if you are on your own dealing with several dogs at the same time,it may be more.
What do you have to do to be a dog walker?
First,have a real love of dogs,and have a good knowledge of how to get on with dogs.Try calling dog-walking services to find out about openings.If you're on your own,you'll need to network and market yourself.You might advertise your services in pet offices,grooming businesses,or neighborhood papers.You will need business cards and a mobile phone,and have good references and a clean background.You'll also have to deal with taxes and insurance.You should be physically fit,friendly,neatly dressed and extremely dependable.Many dog walkers are bonded and insured,and this is a definite selling point to clients.
Of course,you will be cleaning up dog waste!You will also be outside in all kinds of weather.You may have to deal with dogs that don't like each other,and difficult owners.It's also an up and down kind of business-clients can come and go.
For pet lovers,spending the workday with dogs instead of navigating office politics is its own reward!You are your own boss-you can dress casually,your doggy clients will love you unconditionally,and you'll get some great exercise! | The passage offers no information about how to as a dog walker. | train a dog | ['find a client', 'get prepared', 'make more money'] |
It was late, around 10 p.m. A young lady, named Thea, was waiting at the train station. She was waiting for the last train to arrive, when she heard her phone ring. It was her brother. The line was suddenly cut off when she answered, and the phone did not ring again. The lady waited for a call back, but her phone did not ring. She sat on the bench, holding her phone.
She was definitely uneasy. Her mother was very ill and was in hospital. She was looking around, looking for a phone loading station, but since it was already late, the stalls were already closed. She had no choice but to wait till the train came and wait till she got home.
A young lady in her late 20s approached her. She was very sincere. She asked what was wrong. Thea looked at the stranger's eyes and said "nothing". But the other lady was just so sincere and wanted to help.
She took out her cell phone from her shoulder bag and handed it to Thea. The helpful lady said, "Here's my phone; it has extra loads; you can make a call."
"Is it OK? " asked Thea. "Yeah," she said, looking directly into her eyes. Then Thea, in a very shy manner, slowly dialed a number and talked with someone on the phone. A smile was on her face. "Thank you so much; you took my worries away." "You are welcome; I am glad that I can give you a hand. "
In fact, kindness can be shared at any time in any place. | The other lady showed her sincerity to Thea by _ . | insisting on lending her cell phone to Thea | ['giving her some money', 'coming over to ask for help', 'helping Thea to answer the phone'] |
Healthy people with stressful jobs who work long hours but get little satisfaction from what they do have twice the risk of dying from heart disease as satisfied employees, according to a study. Job stress has been known to cause heart problems in people who already have cardiovascular disease . Finnish scientists have now shown that even in healthy people the pressures of work can take their toll. High blood pressure, lack of exercise, smoking and being overweight contribute to heart disease--a leading killer in many industrialized countries.
But Mika Kivimaki, of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, and his colleagues, who studied the medical histories of 812 healthy Finnish men and women in a metal industry company over 25 years, said job stress also plays an important role.
Workers who had the highest job-related stress levels at the start of the study were more than twice as likely to die of heart disease, according to the study published in The British Medical Journal. Work stress involves too much work as well as a lack of satisfaction and feeling undervalued and unappreciated. Many people work long hours but if the effort is rewarding the stress is _
The British Heart Foundation said the results support earlier research showing that people in jobs with low control, such as manual workers, could be as great risk of heart disease than other employees. " It is advisable for people to try to minimize levels of stress at work and for employees to allow people to have more control at work and to be rewarded for their successes," the foundation said in a statement. | Healthy people may die from heart disease of _ . | too much job stress | ['working too hard', 'feeling valued', 'being satisfied'] |
The sudden burst of spring produce in the market after a long, monotonous winter of cavolo nero and bright oranges is one of the things that constantly reminds me why I love living and eating in Italy. A wander through the market like any other becomes, in spring time, a new experience. I feel like a fresh arrival, like it’s my first time walking through my local market.
There are long, twisty fava bean pods, waiting to be podded and munched on with bitey pecorino cheese to tame the bitterness of the raw beans. Thin, long-stemmed asparagus. A lovely array of greens, including radishes with leaves so happy that they become the main ingredient, fluffy-fronded fresh herbs and fresh garlic. Artichokes of many different kinds, but especially the pointed purple ones that are either local, from Tuscany’s Maremma, or sometimes from Puglia or Sicily. Rarely the rounded globe artichokes you find spilling out of crates in Rome, or the tiny, delicate Venetian ones, the so-called castraure (though they often aren’t the real deal, how you can tell is by the price) that you can find in the shadow of the Rialto.
And then there are thick bunches of agretti (salsola soda), looking more like mermaid’s hair than a monk’s beard, their English namesake. A few years ago, this wasn’t such a common sight at the market in Florence. It still isn’t, in that you won’t get them by the crateful like you do fava beans and artichokes, though they’re not particularly difficult to find now. They’re just one of those special things that don’t last long. Blink and you’ll miss them, or come late to the market and they could easily be sold out. It’s worth getting up and out of the house a little earlier for these (a note to myself, of course).
If you’ve never tasted agretti before, it’s worth seeking out if you’re in the right place at the right time and find a bunch or see it on a menu. Frances Mayes likens it to spinach, but notes that it is so much more, “While agretti has the mineral sharpness of spinach, it tastes livelier, full of the energy of spring.” | Why does the author feel like a fresh arrival? | Because of the burst of spring produce. | ['not enough information', 'Because of Italian food.', 'Because they live in Italy.'] |
Finding a friend doesn't seem like a difficult job. However, bad friends are easier to find than good friends these days. If you're sitting there and wondering if you have a bad friend, let me define it for you.
A bad friend is someone whose jealousies and insecurities outweigh their love for someone. They night want to be a good friend but they're too messed up in their own head to ever actually do it. They wonder if their friends are going out without them or if they're being forgotten and left behind. People who are violently insecure don't have what it takes to be the quality of a friend.
Bad friends are narcissistic .They look for any opportunity to bring the conversation back to them. Worse, they might not even be aware that they're doing it. In their mind, they might think they are the best friend ever, which is truly frightening.
Bad friends are quick-change. They're by your side when you're fun and you have something to give them but as soon as you're going through a difficult time, they will become indifferent quickly. They won't bring you cold medicine. They won't give you a ride to the doctor, everything they do is self-serving.
If you find a friend who has these same characteristics, send them to your bad friend list immediately. Your friends are supposed to be the solution to your problems, not the source.
I believe your twenties are a time when you need positive and helpful friends. In such a time, friendships aren't easy to maintain like they once were in school. Now we actually have to put work into it, we have to make a conscious effort to keep the friendship going. You need to ask yourself, "Is this person worth it? Do they treat me like a fool or what?" if your have doubts, try to make them clear by considering the past experiences. Toxic friendships do nothing but drag you down. My point is that you have to take care of yourself and stop getting in touch with your bad friends. Only surround yourself with people who bring out the best qualities in you. It may sound cruel but it's true,. | The author believes that we can easily find a _ . | bad friend | ['close friend', 'poor friend', 'good friend'] |
Every fall, like clockwork, Linda Krentz of Beaverton, Oregon, felt her brain go on strike. "I just couldn't get going in the morning," she says. "I'd get depressed and gain 10 pounds every winter and lose them again in the spring." Then she read about seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that occurs in fall and winter, and she saw the light literally. Every morning now she turns on a specially constructed light box for half an hour and sits in front of it to trick her brain into thinking it's still enjoying those long summer days. It seems to work.
Krentz is not alone. Scientists estimate that 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal depression and 25 million more develop milder versions. But there's never been definitive proof that treatment with very bright lights makes a difference. After all, it's hard to do a double-blind test when the subjects can see for themselves whether or not the light is on. That's why nobody has ever separated the real effects of light therapy from placebo effects.
Until now, in three separate studies published last month, researchers report not only that light therapy works better than a placebo but that treatment is usually more effective in the early morning than in the evening. In two of the groups, the placebo problem was resolved by telling patients they were comparing light boxes to a new anti-depressant device that gives off negatively charged ions . The third used the timing of light therapy as the control.
Why does light therapy work? No one really knows. "Our research suggests it has something to do with shifting the body's internal clock," says psychiatrist Dr. Lewey. The body is programmed to start the day with sunrise, he explains, and this gets later as the days get shorter. But why such subtle shifts make some people depressed and not others is a mystery.
That hasn't stopped thousands of winter depressives from trying to heal themselves. Light boxes for that purpose are available without a doctor's prescription. That bothers psychologist Michael Terman of Columbia University. He is worried that the boxes may be tried by patients who suffer from mental illness that can't be treated with light. Terman has developed a questionnaire to help determine whether expert care is needed.
In any event, you should choose a reputable manufacturer. Whatever product you use should give off only visible light, because ultraviolet light damages the eyes. If you are photosensitive , you may develop a rash. Otherwise, the main drawback is having to sit in front of the light for 30 to 60 minutes in the morning. That's an inconvenience many winter depressives can live with. | Which of the following statements is TRUE? | Winter depressives prefer light therapy in spite of its inconvenience. | ["Light therapy increases the patient's photosensitivity.", 'Eye damage is a side effect of light therapy.', 'Light boxes can be programmed to correspond to shifts in the body clock.'] |
Once Dr. Mellinkoff invited me to join him at the hospital to discuss interesting cases with his students . The case at hand was a Guatemalan man , aged 34 , who had a fever and many other medical problems . His condition was not improving , and there was not much hope he would live .
Dr. Mellinkoff asked to see the patient . He introduced himself in Spanish and , in a very gentle voice , asked how he felt . The patient smiled and said everything was all right . Then the doctor asked if he was able to eat . The patient said that he had no desire to eat .
" Are you getting food you like ? "
The patient said nothing .
" Do you get the kind of food you have at home ? "
The answer was no .
The doctor put his hand on the man's shoulder and his voice was very soft .
" If , you had food that you liked , would you eat it ? "
" Yes , yes . " the patient said .
The change in the patient's appearance couldn't have been more obvious . Nothing was said , but it was easy to tell that a message had been sent and had also been received .
Later , the doctor asked why the Guatemalan man wasn't getting food he could eat . One of the students said , " We all know how difficult it is to get the kitchen to make special meals . "
" Suppose , " the doctor replied , " you felt a certain medicine was ly necessary but that our hospital didn't carry it , would you accept defeat or would you insist the hospital meet your request ? "
" I would probably insist , " the student said .
" Very well , " the doctor said . " You might want to try the same method in the kitchen . It won't be easy , but I can help you . Meanwhile , let's get some food inside this man as fast as possible , and stay with it . Or he'll be killed by hunger . By the way , there must be someone among you who can speak Spanish . If we want to make real progress , we need to be able to talk with him . "
Three weeks later , Dr. Mellinkoff told me that the Guatemalan man had left the hospital under his own power . It takes more than medicine to help sick people ; you also have to talk to them and make them comfortable . | What do you think Dr. Mellinkoff wanted to tell his students in this case ? | Doctors should know their patients' real problems . | ['Doctors should be able to speak foreign languages .', 'Doctors should try to improve their medical skills .', 'Doctors should give more medicine to patients .'] |
How to make friends with people from a different culture? The rules are as follows:
RULE 1: Appreciate the Person. Most Americans like to be recognized as individuals as someone special with unique characteristics and personalities. Therefore, never say, " You're from America so I want to be your friend." Also don't imply that the reason why you approached them is because you wanted someone to practice your English with. That turns people off. Instead try saying," You seem like a real nice and interesting person and I would like to get to know you better." This way, they are much more inclined to be friendly because you see them as a three dimensional person and appreciate them for who they are in the inside. And by doing so, you not only learn about America and practice your English, but also gain a real friend in the process.
RULE 2:Quit Calling Us Foreigners. Please refrain from calling a foreigner a foreigner especially in his face. The word makes people feel like an outsider, and even unwelcome, suggesting separation and insurmountable differences, widening an already existing gap in the situation.
When Americans travel, they rarely say, "I'm foreign to your place." They tend to say, "I'm new in town. I'm new here." The reason is because new and unfamiliar things can become old and familiar. But can foreign things become native? Aha? You catch my drift.
RULE 3: Just Do It. Some students like to be told about American culture but are less interested in spending the time and the effort to actually experience it. As Americans always say, "Get your hands dirty." Until you have first hand and hands on experience, you'll never really know anything. Right?
So whenever you have the opportunity to participate in American culture, don't just sit there and watch. Get up and get involved!
RULE 4: Find that Common Language. Now I must stress the importance of finding a common language. By that I don't mean English, Chinese, German, French, etc. I mean finding something you have in common with another person on a spiritual and philosophical level: likes, dislikes, worldviews, ways of thinking, and attitudes toward life. And to start, you must first enhance your knowledge of the particular culture from which your potential new friend comes from. | According to the passage, which of the following is friendly? | You've got a great personality. | ['I am longing to make friends with an American.', 'This is my friend Tom, who is a foreigner.', 'There must be a gap between us in many aspects.'] |