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On Saturday I saw a middle - aged woman in street clothes sprint the length of the football field in front of 65,000 people . There was at first a cheer , then she sprinted in silence . She had climbed down the stadium stairs and jumped the fence frantic to get to her son who was on the ground motionless in the shadow of the visiting team 's bench . | What may happen next in speaker 's story ? | The child went to the hospital . | ['The mother left the stadium without the child .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The mother ran away from the child .'] |
What is creativity?
How de we define creativity?
Where does creativity come from?
How philosophical is the notion of creativity?
Is everyone’s ‘creativity’ different?
Or is it an ill conceived, simplified term that is used to describe a very specific series of neuronal & bodily reactions to certain stimuli?
These are all the questions I’ve been thinking (and googling, and youtubing) since beginning this Capturing Creativity studio* and I have found some answers or maybe I’ve just found more questions:
Creativity is generally defined as the ability to make new things, or come up with new ideas, it’s an ability to think outside the box, to see unique solutions and employ them in inventive ways. In this sense creativity is not always utilised when being ‘creative’, as to be creative is simply defined as the ability to make or produce something. However I guess that depends on your definition of creative, how different, unique, special, once off, un-influenced does something have to be, to be classified as creative?
This is where creativity get’s tricky.
It’s all well and good to be like oh this is what creativity is, so it’s easy to investigate it, but what if you don’t define that as being creative, maybe that was just following a formula, a somewhat inspired formula, but maybe it is just a formula. Creativity to most people seems to be a random mix of once off genius combined with solid skill and hard work and for us humans these percentages are unique to us.
Maybe creativity to you is 90% unique idea, 5% skill and 5% hard work.
Maybe creativity to you is 40% unique idea, 50% skill and 10% hard work.
Maybe for you creativity doesn’t have to involve any hard work at all.
For me when it comes to creativity I’m most interested in that unique idea portion; where does that unique idea come from?
Is it simply random?
Is it a gift from the gods?
Is our unique idea just a product of a lot of subconscious effort, only made aware to us in the sense of a ‘random’ idea?
Have we been influenced by something, processed it subconsciously, then come up with a creative idea, only to be unaware of the original influence? | Who are the gods? | not enough information | ['The genesis of creativity', 'Benevolent beings', 'The givers of creativity'] |
Today, I want to share why I think you should interview real estate agents before hiring one.
Why You Should Interview Real Estate Agents
Truth be told, I have only purchased one house and I’m in the process of selling it. My husband and I thought long and hard about whether we would try to sell our property on our own or hire someone to represent us. In the end, we chose the latter.
If you have ever shared with friends or family that you’re looking for a home or thinking of selling your own, most everyone says something along the lines of, “Oh! I know a realtor I can recommend!” Many of you may know a real estate agent personally as well.
I still think it makes sense to interview any prospective agents because they are being paid by you. When you hire someone to do work on your home, you get estimates and gather information about how and when the work will be done. When you are looking for babysitters, you meet them and see how they’ll interact with your child. When you’re an employer, you interview any potential employees.
Don’t Take The Easy Route with Previous Agents and Friends
Just because a friend is a realtor, doesn’t mean they’ll be the best real estate agent for you. Just because a friend recommends their realtor to you, doesn’t mean you have to hire him/her. It’s business and nobody should take it personally.
Interviewing real estate agents just makes sense.
Oftentimes, people don’t.
Why not just use the realtor that sold you the house you’re currently in? Well, you can. But do you know how that realtor handles business when they are the listing agent versus the buyer’s agent? Do you know if they’ll want to pursue the option to be a dual agent (and double their commission)? Why not interview them while interviewing others? It won’t hurt. | What does the author think about recommendations from friends? | everyone is different and their recommendation may not be the best for your situation | ["you should always hire who your friends recommend so that you don't hurt their feelings", 'not enough information', 'you should always trust your friends recommendations because they know you well'] |
At the age of 16, Julia Butterfly Hill quit school and worked at a restaurant. For many years, she was only interested in making money and material things. Then one day she had a serious car accident, which changed her life. Hill said: "I realized I wanted to find a more powerful purpose for being here on this planet."
As soon as she recovered, Hill traveled to California. There she saw ancient redwood trees, which are the largest trees in the whole world. The wood from redwood trunks is very hard. So the Pacific Lumber Company cut down many of the huge redwoods to use for construction. There are not many forests of these trees left. Many environmental activists want to protect the remaining trees. The redwoods are very important to the environment.
In 1997 Hill learned a group called Earth First was working to protect a particular group of trees. They decided to send someone up into a redwood tree, hoping this would stop the company from cutting the trees down. Julia Butterfly Hill volunteered.
Hill lived in the tree for over two years without ever coming down. Her home was a 6-by-8-foot tree house, 180 feet up. It is always cold and wet in a redwood tree. There were even very serious winter storms while Hill was in the tree. The wind and cold almost knocked Hill out of the tree. But she did not fall -- she survived.
Finally, after years of arguing, the company decided to protect Luna, the tree Hill lived in. They signed an agreement to never cut down this huge redwood tree or the trees around it. When Hill put her feet on the earth again, she began to cry. But from that moment on Hill hasn't stopped working to protect the environment. | The redwood trees were cut down mainly _ . | because they had great economic value | ['because they might fall over at any time', 'to protect other trees in the forest', 'to make space for constructions'] |
Macy Golong peeked into Mallie Mae's room and was not surprised to see her sleeping. Elmo's mother rarely stayed up past 10:00 PM, and it was nearly 11:00. She closed the door and started to go back to her room across the hall. She was halfway through a romance novel. But Hadley's delicious oatmeal raisin cookies were calling to her.
She walked down the stairs to the kitchen and put a few cookies on a plate. Then she poured a glass of milk. She wondered what Elmo was doing. Was he in the Media Room with Carsie? Their Media Room? Before Elmo and Carsie got together, Elmo and Macy used to spend hours almost every night in that room. Some nights he had almost kissed her.
She left her milk and cookies on the kitchen counter and went down another flight of stairs, which came out in the Recreation Room. Macy could hear the sound of the TV coming from Media Room. She tiptoed to the open doorway and peeked in. There she was--that conniving slut--sitting where Macy should have been. How could Elmo have replaced her like that? She thought he had been falling in love with her. How could she have been so wrong? But it could still happen--if that woman would just go away.
Elmo said, "Yeah. So, beginning Monday there will be two doctors in the office. That should take a little pressure off. If I need to be out for a day or two, Dr. Edwards can fill in for me."
"Yeah, or if you need to take off a week for a trip to Hawaii with your beautiful new wife." Carsie gave him a sexy smile.
"That's right. Dr. Ernie will take care of everything while I'm gone."
"Dr. Ernie?"
"Yeah. I asked if he would mind being called 'Dr. Ernie'. His name is Ernest, but I thought 'Dr. Ernie' would fit in well with the Sesame Street theme of my office."
"So the two of you are Drs. Elmo and Ernie?"
"Yep." | How long was likely Elmo in the kitchen? | Few minutes | ['One hour', 'not enough information', '45 minutes'] |
Think back to this time last year. What was on your mind?
Most likely, you were thinking about finals or the holidays, although in this city I've noticed that thinking about the holiday is a fancy way of saying how much stuff will I get.
Now reflect on your thoughts for this holiday season. Most people are still thinking about the holidays, but I say that with a grain of salt. Everybody with a functioning brain and the ability to communicate knows that this holioday season comes with a pretty large price tag: the debt of all the hardships, both domestic and foreign, that we've faced over the past 12months.
Let's face it: some of us will get everything we want over the holidays. But there are others whose parents have lost their jobs or who have lost jobs themselves because of the current economic situation. As much as we try to ignore it, there is still economic unrest in the blue and gold suburb.
In this situation, we have three options. One: We ignore the situation, like we seem to do for every bad thing that happens around us, because by God, it's the American Way! Two: We recognize that our economy is shot, feel bad about it and spend our time wishing for the good old days. Three: We recognize that our economy is shot, but instead of moping, reflect on every good thing that we have going for us. Now, which option sounds best to you?
I spent a week this summer working in and around New York City with the city's homeless population. Or so I thought. Although a lot of the people I served were in fact homeless, a significant number of them had a job or a home or both. The truth of the importance of this situation is that they and thousands of others across the country can't afford even the most basic things of life, even while working two jobs. Yet no one that I met complained about their hardships. Instead, they took whatever I happened to give them(which was, more often than enough, not enough) and were genuinely grateful for what they had.
Wrap your heads around that statement for a second. These people worked their butts off to stay alive with minimal results, yet were overjoyed by a flimsy paper plate with donated green beans on it. Although I am ashamed to admit it( both as a girthy figure and an affluent citizen), I have taken for granted most of my meals, let alone green beans, and I know for a fact that I am not alone. | 66. The author wrote the article mainly to advise people _ . | to be thankful in time of hardship. | ['to spend their holidays in a wise way', 'to think little about their holidays', 'to help the country to sail through the crisis'] |
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.” | At the end of the story the narrator probably bought | Monk's beard | ['not enough information', 'Radishes', 'Fava beans'] |
Focus on what you do best. This age-old strategy has worked well for Real Networks, Microsoft's main competitor in multimedia software for the Internet. Now, the smaller Seattle-based firm is trying a novel way to contain the software giant. On October 29th, it released the underlying recipe, or source-code, of its RealPlayer software and will soon do the same for its other programs--giving away a big chunk of its intellectual property .
This may sound like a desperate echo of 1998, when Netscape, struggling in Microsoft's chokehold, published the source-code of its web browser. Yet Real Networks is not playing defence. It is trying to encourage the creation of a common multimedia software infrastructure for every kind of file format and device, thus thwarting Microsoft's ambitions in this promising market.
The firm hopes that others in the industry (volunteer programmers, media firms and hardware makers) will take the code, called Helix DNA, improve it and make it run on new devices, such as mobile phones and home stereos, turning Real Networks' software into an industry standard. Clever licensing terms are supposed to ensure that this standard does not splinter and that the firm still makes money.
Individual developers, universities and other non-profit organisations can modify the software as they please, and even redistribute it for free, so long as they also publish the source-code for their changes. This is a sort of payment in kind, for Real Networks is then allowed to use these contributions. Firms, on the other hand, must pay royalty fees if they distribute more than 1m copies of the code. They also have to make sure that their software works with other Helix DNA products. The software's development community already has 2,000 members. And several hardware makers back the effort. But there are risks. Afraid of piracy, media groups are suspicious of anything that might be related to hackers. The self-created competition could also hurt Real Networks if customers decide its commercial products, which will be based on the open source-code but with extra features, are not worth paying extra for.
Real Networks' move is another sign that the software industry is going hybrid. Mixing elements of proprietary software, where the source-code is tightly controlled, with open-source programs enables firms to expand a market, harvest the ideas of others and, they hope, still make money. Even Microsoft is edging this way: it recently announced that partners can now look at--but not modify or re-use--the source-code for Passport, its controversial digital-identity service. | What does the move of Real Networks suggest? | Software market is becoming a mixed market. | ['Microsoft fails to control the software market.', 'Real Networks wants to make more money.', 'Software market is not fixed and stable.'] |
so i guess everything that could go wrong today did go wrong.i'm woken up this morning and told that we 're going to san francisco . ok , whatever . we 're going to westfield mall . | Where is the narrator off to this morning ? | They are going to California . | ['None of the above choices .', 'They are going back home .', 'They are going to school .'] |
The Whigs got a sweet spot in the lineup , as they went on during sundown . In the film business , it 's called the magic hour -- when there 's still light out , but no sun . The one thing I have n't mentioned was that for the most part , the band 's sets did n't overlap too much . | What type of event is the speaker describing ? | A concert . | ['A movie shoot .', 'None of the above choices .', 'A political debate .'] |
When you're a junior in high school, three little letters quickly become larger than life: SAT.
At the start of my junior year, I realized that the environment was packed with competition. Surprisingly, this pressure didn't come from adults. It came from the other students. Everyone in my grade had college on the brain. To get into the college of our choice, we all believed, we had to outcompete and outscore everyone else with less sleep, because time for sleeping was time you didn't spend studying for the SAT.
I let myself get swept up in the pressure. My new motto was, if I wasn't in every single honor level class, I wasn't doing enough. I was bad-tempered and I couldn't focus. I stopped talking to my friends and my mom, and I couldn't figure out who I was. I didn't have the confidence to know that my own passions and unique skills were what would make me stand out to colleges.
That's when I realized: I am not my SAT score. Trying to stick to what I thought colleges wanted masked who I really am. I decided to rely on my strengths and get away from the crazy pressure I was putting on myself.
Instead of forcing myself into higher levels of math, I took on an extra history class. I learned how to love what I was doing and not what I thought I was supposed to do. I learned to shine as an individual, not a faceless member of the crowd. And I found that not only was this better for my happiness, but it also made me more effective and efficient when I studied.
To me, individuality means having the confidence to decide who I am and who I want to be, and a number on a page is never going to change that. I am more sure of myself, and more ready to apply for college, than ever. | Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage? | You will stand out by being your best self. | ['Pressure brings out the best in you.', 'Things will happen whether you like it or not.', 'Life is just a matter of decisive times.'] |
We happened to be in the car at the time and I looked over to find Loren crying and shaking with fury . He did n't understand why my brother always gets wasted on his birthday and calls or corners him . Last year my brother did the same thing , only he happened to be at the Manor at the time . | Why is Loren unhappy about celebrating their birthday ? | Loren has traumatic memories associated with his birthday . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Loren has furious memories associated with his birthday .', 'Loren does not want a brother .'] |
Most of us are used to seasons. Each year, spring follows winter, which follows autumn, which follows summer, which follows spring. And winter is colder than summer. But the earth goes through temperature cycles over much longer periods than those that we experience. Between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, the planet was much colder than it is now. During that time the temperature also changed a lot, with periods of warming and cooling. Ice melted during the warm periods, which made sea levels rise. Water froze again during the cold periods.
A new study from Switzerland, sheds light on where ice sheets melted during the ice age. It now seems that the ice melted at both ends of the earth, rather than just in either northern or southern regions.
This surprised the researchers from the University of Bern. Scientists have long assumed that most of the ice that melted was in the Northern hemisphere during the 30,000-year long ice age. That belief was held because the North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. It is easier for ice sheets to grow on land. If surrounded by sea the ice can easily just slip into the ocean instead of building up.
The researchers used a computer model to look at ways the ice could melt and how it might affect sea levels. They compared these results to evidence of how temperatures and currents actually changed during that time. The model showed that if it was only in the Northern hemisphere that ice melted, there would have been a bigger impact on ocean currents and sea temperatures than what actually happened. Studies suggest that melting just in the Southern hemisphere would have been impossible, too. The only reasonable conclusion, the scientists could make, was that ice melted equally in the North and the South.
It is still a mystery as to what caused the temperature changes that caused the ice to melt. | Which of the following is the best title for the passage? | Studies show ice melted equally in the North and the South during the ice age | ['A computer model', 'Most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere during the 30,000-year long ice age.', 'A survey result'] |
or whatever that small square is ) . Here 's My Delima , I can see the My Book perfectly under my computer , but ca nt see the TIVO HD Internal Drive I hooked up at all . Also when I go and open up the WinMFS Software and click on Select , then I do nt have ANYDRIVES AT ALL THAT SHOW UP . | Why is the speaker so frustrated that they ca n't get the tivo drive to show up ? | They just want to be able to add movie files to the drive , but things are not going as they 'd hoped | ['They are angry because they have been trying to fix the drive for 8 days and are failing', 'None of the above choices .', 'They are hoping to illegally share the content of the drive in order to earn ad revenue'] |
Do you know what really troubles me? For some reason, words with silent letters have always bothered me. For example, consider these words: know, design, island, school, wrist, naughty, and salmon. All of these words have at least one letter that is not typically pronounced, and these words are just a very small part of words with silent letters in them.
Some words are even worse, consider this word: colonel. Not only are some letters not pronounced, but letters that are not even there are pronounced.
Even foreign languages, especially French, are guilty of this needless complexity and confusion. I know there must be some main historical reasons why the words are spelled and pronounced the way they are, but that does not mean bad traditions must continue to survive. Especially if they are no longer logical.
Unfortunately, there is very little that anyone can do for it, because there's no group of people who can change or have the right to change the English language for everyone. However, the only thing we can do is make changes in the way we talk and write in hopes that it _ . For example, I pronounce the letter "l" in salmon on purpose to make people annoyed and to sound more different or complicated. I even pronounce colonel the correct or French way.
I can only hope these two minor changes to the English language make sense to you, and you will help to keep up these minor changes forever in your everyday life. | Which of the following is the main reason for silent letters? | Historical reasons. | ['French language.', 'Some linguists', 'Bad traditions.'] |
A beer bottle thrown from the stands landed near Usain Bolt in the moments before the 100-meter final Sunday night in London.
As Bolt and seven other competitors ducked into their starting crouches, a bottle sailed from the first row of the stands at Olympic Stadium.
It harmlessly bounced in the lane belonging to Yohan Blake and didn't appear to cause a distraction to the runners, who started a moment later. The thrower's lack of distance was a blessing. Had he gathered tips from the competitors of the hammer throw competition, which was taking place in the infield at the same time as the 100 final, the bottle could have hit one of the competitors. It ended up landing a few feet from Blake (lane5).
Edith Bosch, a female Dutch judoka who won a bronze medal earlier during the Olympics, claimed that the man who threw the bottle was sitting near her and that she "beat" him. Whether that's true or the hyperbole of an aggravated athlete was unclear in the minutes after the incident. Pictures show a group of Dutch athletes sitting behind the starting area.
Police took the man into custody . He will appear in court on Monday morning.
Neither Bolt nor Blake said they knew of the incident until they were informed by reporters. "I don't know who would have done that," Bolt said.
Gatlin was aware of it but implied it was only a slight distraction. "I didn't know what it was," he said, according to the BBC, "but when you're in those blocks, the whole stadium is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop." | How many exact athletes are mentioned in the text? | Four | ['Two', 'Seven', 'Eleven'] |
Jump to the full entry & travel map Buneos Aires , ArgentinaI flew into Buenos Aires not really knowing what to expect from South America . I had been told to expect food poisoning and that I 'd probably get robbed at some point . I had booked a hostel before I flew out from London but unfortunately there was a mix up at the hostel and I ended up having to lug my pack around the unfamiliar streets and ended up staying at another hostel called Hostel Urbano . | What was the reason that I stayed at a different establishment . | None of the above choices . | ['I contacted food poisoning .', 'I got lost in the unfamiliar streets .', 'I got robbed .'] |
Aside from attending our church , Tamil Methodist Church Klang 's 100th year anniversary , we also came to have my check up . Last week , I had this big lump on the lower portion on my neck . This can nothing alarming to anyone but coming from a family who has a history og thyroid cancer , we got concerned , asked people to pray for healing and came for a check up . As days went by , the lump was getting smaller but the pain was still there . So , when we arrived on Wednesday , we immediately went to the clinic . | What may have happened before noticing the lump on my neck ? | The area was not noticeably painful as i touched it . | ['The lump changed colors and became inflamed .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The lump on my neck had turned cancerous .'] |
Scientists have proved that sleeping and learning go hand in hand. Even a short nap can boost our memory and sharpen our thinking. But the relationship goes deeper than that.
"The brain is not passive while you sleep," scientist Anat Arzi said. "It's quite active. You can do many things while you are asleep."
Arzi and her coworkers didn't try to teach the sleeping volunteers any complex information, like new words or facts. Instead, the scientists taught volunteers to make new connections between smells and sounds.
When we smell something good, like a flower, we take deep breaths. When we smell something bad, we take short breaths. Arzi and her co-workers based their experiment on these reactions.
Once the volunteers fell asleep in the lab, the scientists went to work. They gave them a whiff of something pleasant and meanwhile played a particular musical note. They didn't wake up, but they heard--and sniffed deeply. Then the scientists gave the volunteers a whiff of something terrible and played a different musical note. Again, the volunteers heard and smelled--a short snort this
time--but didn't wake up. The researchers repeated the experiment.
After just four repetitions, volunteers made a connection between the musical notes and their paired smells. When the scientists played the musical tone that went with good smells, the sleepers breathed deeply. And when the scientists played the musical tone that went with bad smells, the sleepers breathed briefly--despite there being no bad smell.
The next day, the volunteers woke up with the sound-smell connection. They breathed deeply when hearing one tone and cut their breaths short when hearing the other, which must have been unusual for them. Imagine walking down the street and taking a deep breath upon hearing a particular sound! | The passage mainly tell us _ | our brain can actually learn something new during the sleep. | ['special smells and sounds can improve our memory.', 'the volunteers will always hear similar sounds in the street.', 'our brain can tell the difference between smells during the sleep.'] |
Rescue workers found a family in their RV on Tuesday after 17 days in the mountains near the prefix = st1 /Oregoncoast.
Peter Stivers, Marlo Hill-Stivers, their two children Sabastyan, 9, and Gabrayell, 8, and Hill-Stivers's mother and stepfather, Elbert and Becky Higginbotham, were in the vehicle. On their way home from a trip to the coast, the family got lost in the mountains at an elevation of about 3,800 feet. What's worse, they were trapped in four feet of snow.
"We had fuel and food, but we were running short," said Elbert Higginbotham. "We were rationing ."
When the family was reported missing, rescue teams from Oregon and Californiasearched likely routes to the coast. But with no leads and no idea where the family was heading, those conducting the unsuccessful search eventually called it off.
In the evenings, Sabastyan and Gabrayell entertained the adults by reading jokes from Reader's Digest aloud. The family members survived mostly on dehydrated food .
On Monday, Hill-Stivers and her husband decided to go for help. They packed a tent, wool blankets, tuna fish, honey, and hand-warmers to take into the wilderness with them. The children stayed safe in the RV with their grandparents.
The couple were found the following day by a US Bureau of Land Management worker. A rescue team in a helicopter located the rest of the family. The family was driven out of the snowbound area on snow machines. Parents and children were happily reunited.
"They enjoyed it," Peter Stivers said of his children's experience. "They didn't know we were in trouble." For the adults, it was quite an ordeal . They had to worry about survival and rescue, and about keeping everyone calm. "I'm so proud of my family," said Elbert Higginbotham. "They stuck together, they didn't lose it." | What is the main cause of the family's bad situation? | Their RV couldn't move in the snow. | ['They ran short of fuel.', 'It snowed heavily.', "They couldn't find their way."] |
Last year college students in America spent an estimated $700 on textbooks on average. The National Association of College Stores reported more than five billion dollars in sales of textbooks and course materials.
The association spokesman Charles Schmidt says electronic textbooks now just make up 2%~3% of sales. But he says that is expected to reach 10%~15% by 2012.
Online versions are now available for many of the most popular college textbooks. An etextbook can cost half the price of a new print textbook. But students usually lose access to them after the end of the term. And the books cannot be placed on more than one device ,so they are not easy to share.
So what do students think of etextbooks?Administrators at Northwest Missouri State University wanted to find it out. Earlier this year they tested them with 500 students in 20 classes.
The university is unusual. It provides laptop computers for all 7,000 of its fulltime students. It does not require students to buy their textbooks either. They rent them to save money. The school aims to save even more by moving to etextbooks.
The students in the survey reported that downloading the books from the Internet was easy. They liked the idea of carrying lighter backpacks. And 56% said they were better able to find information.
But most found that using etextbooks did not change their study habits. And 60% felt they read more when they were reading on paper. In all,almost half the students said they still liked physical textbooks better.
But the survey found that cost could be a big influence.55% said they would choose etextbooks if using them meant their textbook rental fee would not increase.
Roger Von Holzen heads the Center for Information Technology in Education at Northwest Missouri State University. He tells us that administrators are disappointed with the etextbooks now available because the majority are not interactive .
He thinks growth will come when more digital books include video,activities,games and other ways to interact with the information. The technology is improving. But for now,most of the books are just words on a screen. | Etextbooks are not better than paper books in that _ . | they're not convenient to share | ['they cost more money', "they're difficult to carry", "they can't be downloaded from the Internet"] |
Lipitor is a prescription medicine. Along with diet and exercise, it lowers "bad" cholesterol in your blood. It can also raise "good" cholesterol.
Lipitor can lower the risk of heart attack in patients with several common risk factors, including family history of early heart disease, high blood pressure, age and smoking.
WHO IS LIPITOR FOR?
Who can take LIPITOR:
* People who cannot lower their cholesterol enough with diet and exercise.
* Adults and children over 10.
Who should NOT take LIPITOR:
* Women who are pregnant, may be pregnant, or may become pregnant. Lipitor may harm your unborn baby.
* Women who are breast-feeding. Lipitor can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby.
* People with liver problems.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIPITOR
Serious side effects in a small number of people:
* Muscle problems that can lead to kidney problems, including kidney failure.
* Liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start Lipitor and while you are taking it.
Call your doctor right away if you have:
* Unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially if you have a fever or feel very fired.
* Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing.
* Stomach pain.
Some common side effects of LIPITOR are:
* Muscle pain.
* Upset stomach.
* Changes in some blood tests.
HOW TO TAKE LIPITOR
DO:
* Take Lipitor as prescribed by your doctor.
* Try to eat heart-healthy foods while you take Lipitor.
* Take Lipitor at any time of day, with or without food.
* If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it has been more than 12 hours since you missed dose, wait. Take the next dose at your regular time.
Don't:
* Do not change or stop your dose before talking to your doctor.
* Do not start new medicines before talking to your doctor. | Which of the following is a common side effect of taking Lipitor? | Upset stomach. | ['Face swelling.', 'Kidney failure.', 'Muscle weakness.'] |
Ms Tan,you've referred to your new novel as your eighth book.
That's because it took me six or seven attempts at a second novel before I started and completed this one.
*Why do you think you had so many false starts?
I would say that my reasons were wrong:I was trying to prove that I wasn't just a mother-daughter storyteller,or I was trying to prove that I didn't just have to write about things that were strictly Chinese or Chinese-American.Those were never the right reasons for writing those early stories.And I could never come up with other,better reasons for continuing them.
*What kept you going on this book?
This book was different because it was based on my mother's real life.The reason for writing it became more personal and emotional.After The Joy Luck Club came out,my mother was always explaining to people that she wasn't any of the mothers in that book.And at one point she said to me,"Next book tells my true story."And then she started telling me things I never knew before.She also told me many,many stories,because my mother doesn't generalize.The book really grew out of that.
*Have you ever visited China?
Yes.I've been there twice:about three years ago and then again last November,both times with my mother and my husband.
*Was it difficult to capture the Chinese-American dialect without sounding like a parody ?
No,because it's the language I've heard all my life from my mother.She speaks English as it's direct translation from Chinese.But it's more than that:Her language also has more imagery than English.
*Can you think of an example?
Somebody might say to me,"Don't work so hard.You'll kill yourself."My mother will say to me,"Why do you press all your brains out on this page for someone else?"So it's very vivid.That's the way she talks.
*Have many readers told you that the Chinese mother in your book reminded them of the typical Jewish mother?
Many people have told me that.I think the mother-daughter relationship is very intense in both cases.Culturally there is an acceptance that mothers have the power to tell their children,especially their daughters,how to conduct their lives--not simply up until the time they are 18,but for the rest of their lives.However,when children grow up in a different culture from their parents',they tend to keep more secrets from their parents.The children think,"They just wouldn't understand that I had to do this."And that can really create a gap,and it can grow as the number of secrets grows. | What's TRUE about Tan's second book? | It is the result of many times of careful thought. | ["It's about her real life in America.", 'The name of the book is The Joy Luck Club.', 'It includes many works of her mother.'] |
It seems our sons share their father 's and my sarcastic sense of humour . Perhaps it is a survival skill , but it is a skill they have mastered nonetheless . | How would the writer react to their son 's sarcasm ? | They will respond with more sarcasm . | ['None of the above choices .', 'They will wonder where the attitude came from .', 'They will wonder where they went wrong .'] |
Danny was all ' get her ! ' so I was paddled by an old man . Win . Mel and I followed Danny around all evening which must have looked funny , but staying alone only served for Mel to get chatted up by weirdos . | Why was Mel not happy with the night ? | She got harassed . | ['She got yelled at by Danny .', 'She got Danny to yell at her .', 'She got hit on by Danny .'] |
Finals this semester have been much , much worse than they ever have before . But , today I went from having one class crossed off my list to having three classes crossed off my list . It was really hard for a while there , because I was working a lot , but I was n't getting anything finished , so it felt like nothing was being accomplished . | What may I be doing after I finish with my test ? | Go on vacation | ['Study', 'None of the above choices .', 'Go to class'] |
Yeah I am a bit compulsive in this kind of thing but if it 's in my library I want to listen to it . Over time I have increased the count of that rule from 1 to 2 and then 3 and now I am ready to bump it up to 4 . It 's rather fun for me except when I add new music . Then I end up listening to the same song three times . | How do I feel about my music ? | As long as it 's my library I would listen to it . | ['None of the above choices .', 'Some of the songs are annoying .', 'The songs are not that great .'] |
She actually did quite a number on her tooth - even more than what you can see from the front . The back of the tooth is much more damaged . She 'll have to live with it ( and the teasing from her sister ) until next week when he 'll put a temporary on it , and then a couple weeks later , a porceline crown . He promises to have it all fixed by the beginning of the school year , because is n't this just how every 14 year old girl wants to start Gr . | Why may the narrator be feeling some pain as of late ? | The narrator had a visit to the dentist . | ['The narrator had a bone broken .', 'The narrator had a sports injury .', 'The narrator had a loved one die .'] |
He did n't sleep , hell , he rarely slept . He had drank so much that the alcohol caused him to blank out in his mind . He was comatose . | What is the reason for the man 's unresponsiveness ? | The man has drank too much . | ['The man is stubborn .', 'None of the above choices .', 'The man is passive aggressive .'] |
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of these places:
*Visit art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children' s favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts.
*Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
*Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
*Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums. X | If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit _ . | a natural history museum | ['a hands-on science museum', 'an art museum', 'a Youtheater'] |
So , last night I had this insane dream that I was supposed to go see Rigoletto at the Met , but when I got there ( a little late ) my friend and I had separate tickets and were n't seated together . So I went walking around looking for a place to sit , and ended up as the overture started on the mezzanine level where there were these cafe tables . I know , you 're saying Overture ? | Why did he go to the Met ? | To see Rigoletto . | ['None of the above choices .', 'To see the Overture .', 'To see his friend .'] |
In Yemen, you always see one type of vehicle on the road: the water truck.They travel mountain roads and cross deserts to bring Yemenis the goods more valuable than oil.It is one that only the rich can afford, with the supply regularly being cut off.Others must rely on scarce rain or charity to fight thirst.
Experts say Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water.The capital, Sanaa, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025,says a report by the World Bank.
Hannan, an 18yearold from Lahej, said that only the rich could prepare for cuts in supply."In a good week we'll have a water supply all week but then the following week there will be water only for a day or two, " she said.
She and her husband, a factory worker, pay 3,000 riyals (99yuan) for a week's supply of water from a touring water truck when the taps run dry.With an income of only 20,000 riyals (660yuan) a month,this means the family often spend half their money on water.
"There are a lot of people who can't afford it and they have to rely on their neighbors to help," she said.
The average person in Yemen survives on onefifth of what the World Health Organization considers to be enough water.
In Taiz, in the south,tap water is available only once every 45 days.In the mountainous Malhan district in the north,women and children climb a 1,500m mountain to collect water from a spring, often in the small hours to avoid long queues.
Yemen is located in Southwest Asia,bordering the Arabian and Red Sea.Yemeni people have lived on scarce water supplies for thousands of years but that problem has been made serious by conflict in the area,the fastgrowing population and the use of water to grow a drug called qat.With one of the world's highest rates of population growth--3.46 percent, Yemen is the poorest Arab country.
The government is considering desalinating seawater,but this would be expensive and it may now be too late.The only other solution is to cut down on farming, but that means importing even more food. | Which of the following may be a reason why Yemen is short of water? | The population of Yemen is growing fast. | ['The country has had no rain for a long time.', 'The government has failed to reduce farming.', "People can't afford the water from government water trucks."] |
Over a hundred years ago people in London were surprised to see a very unusual boat come sailing up the Thames River.The boat was eighty feet long flat-bottomed,with big wooden eyes on both sides in the front and was colorfully painted at the back.
People came to know that it was a sailing boat from Fuzhou in distant China.The boat had sailed round the Cape of Good Hope up the western coast of Africa,and finally to England.It had covered fifteen thousand miles--more than half of the distance round the world.
Although it was unexpected,the Chinese were warmly welcomed.The boat carried goods such as silk and tea as well as a number of gifts from the Emperor of China for the Queen of England.
People had always mistakenly thought of the Chinese as a people not used to sea.However,from centuries of trading and sailing in dangerous seas,the Chinese had learned how to build good boats and sailed them well.The coming of this sailing boat to London proved once again that the Chinese could sail to distant countries in the world. | According to this article,which of the following is TRUE? | The distance round the earth measures less than thirty thousand miles. | ['The Chinese Emperor gave silk and tea to the English Queen as gifts.', 'The Chinese boat came to London by accident.', 'The Chinese people were not good at sailing in dangerous seas.'] |
WHITE HOUSE — A debate over patriotism and the right of free expression is continuing in the United States with President Donald Trump extending his criticism of professional athletes who decline to stand for the national anthem.
The controversy was on display Tuesday afternoon on the White House South Lawn, where Trump briefly presided over a quickly reformatted celebration after his administration accused America's champion professional football team of attempting to turn the event into a "political stunt."
Trump the previous day had disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from what was to be a celebration of their Super Bowl victory. Many of the Eagles' players had indicated they would not attend in response to Trump's harsh criticism of athletes who have refused to stand during pregame performances of the national anthem — even though all the Eagles stood for the anthem last season.
Trump relabeled Tuesday's gathering as a "celebration of the American flag." Speaking for 3½ minutes, he told flag-waving invited fans of the team that he wanted to explain why "young Americans stand for a national anthem. Maybe it's about time we understood."
One attendee shouted at the president to "stop hiding behind the armed services and the national anthem." That prompted booing and the man was escorted from the event.
Trump concluded by saying that the celebration turned out to be "even bigger than we anticipated" had the football players attended.
Media reports said as few as five to 10 players had planned to attend Tuesday's event. "The vast majority of the Eagles team decided to abandon their fans," the White House said in a statement Tuesday.
"The Eagles are the ones who tried to change their commitment at the 11th hour," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters just prior to the event. "If this wasn't a political stunt by the Eagles franchise, then they wouldn't have planned to attend the event and then backed out at the last minute."
A White House statement said Trump withdrew the invitation "after extensive discussions" with the team. | What did Trump think of Sarah Sanders? | not enough information | ['he thought she was dumb', 'he thought she was nice', 'he likes her'] |
So a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to The Body Shop® blogger event at my local store in Coppergate, York. It had been organised by blogger Indigo Rosee, in collaboration with the store.
The evening had been set up to showcase the new limited edition Christmas make-up collection and also promote the huge sale that the store had on. There were some amazing deals!
We were welcomed with prosecco and nibbles and then had a few minutes to browse the store and take some photos. I received a great demonstration of the new make-up products which includes a funky black eyeliner pen with a star stamp on one end which EVERYONE tried out! I always really love The Body Shop® Christmas make-up collections, and I think it’s a shame that it’s a brand that is sometimes forgotten when it comes to make-up.
Then everyone was treated to a hand spa and massage using some of the Spa Of The World products. They’re truly luxurious, I recently reviewed the new Firming Ritual collection recently and absolutely loved it.
I then had a look round some of the offers that the store was promoting, a lot of the Shower Gels and Body Butters were on sale (I just LOVE The Body Shop® Body Butters) and there were lots of gift sets too. It was a great opportunity to chat with the staff too, to ask questions about new products and find out what their favourites are.
I also spent a lot of time looking at the 2017 beauty advent calendars. This year The Body Shop® are offering 3 different advent calendars starting from just £45. The larger calendars included some full size products too which I thought was great. There’s also going to be a Countdown to New Year calendar priced at just £50 which I thought was a great fun idea. | Why was the writer glad to attend the The Body Shop® blogger event at her local store in Coppergate, York? | she received a great demonstration on Christmas make-up and there were amazing deals | ["her uncle he hadn't seen was there", 'not enough information', 'her daughter bonded with her at the event'] |
Vending machines are found in 16% of U.S.elementary schools, 52% of middle schools and 88% of high schools.About 22% of students in grades 1 through 12 buy food in vending machines each day--and those purchases added an average of 253 calories to their diets, according to a new study in the September issue of the Journal of School Health.
Just to be clear, those were not 253 calories' worth of tofu, yogurt or carrot.The most popular vending machine items included soft drinks, candy, chips, crackers, cookies, cakes and ice cream.On the plus side , kids also bought low-fat milk, fruit juice and even fruit, the study found.
But the eventual effect on kids' diets was not good.Those who bought from vending machines ate an average of 156 grams of sugar per day, compared with 146 grams for those who abstained .They also consumed less fiber, iron and vitamin B.
_ Vending machine customers ate 4% less sodium than other students--an average of 3,287 milligrams per day compared with 3,436 mg for those who didn't buy from vending machines.That's probably because the extra snacks made kids too full to eat as much at mealtimes, when dishes are especially Salty.In any event, kids should eat no more than 1,200 to 1,500 mg of sodium each day, according to the Mayo Clinic.Even for adults, the government recommends a daily limit of 2,300 mg.
Overall, vending machines in school appear to be a threat to children's health.The researchers calculated that all that snacking adds up to about14 extra pounds per child per school year.For some students this might be a serious contributor to weight issues.The study was based on data collected from 2,309 children nationwide for the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, which was
conducted by the U.S.Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service. | The students using vending machines take in less of all the following EXCEPT . | sugar | ['fiber', 'vitamin', 'iron'] |
Five years ago ,David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. "I was a clothes addict ," he joked . "I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled." Today David wears casual clothes--khaki pants and a sports shirt--to the office. He hardly even wears a necktie. "I'm working harder than ever," David says, "and I need to feel fortable."
More and more panies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work. In the United States, the change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many panies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday (but only on Friday). This became known as "dress-down Friday" or "casual Friday" . "What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really bee an everyday thing." Said business consultant Maisly Jones.
Why have so many panies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a pany to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code . "A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work," says the owner of a software pany, "so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code." Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing fortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and pany ,85% of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale. Only 4% of employers said that casual dress code has a negative impact on productivity .Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money . "Suits are expensive ,if you have to wear one every day," one person said. "For the same amount of money ,you can buy a lot more casual clothes." | Which of the following is not the reason why many panies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? | Suits which used to be cheap are expensive now. | ["It's easier for a pany to attract new employees.", "A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work.", 'People seem happier and more productive when they are wearing fortable clothes.'] |
kiowa was sooo perfect for me . she did everything i wanted her to sooo good . i love her to death . i jumped really high today on her too . | What do we know to be true of the speaker ? | They are fond of Kiowa . | ['Their name is Kiowa', 'Kiowa jumped on them .', 'Kiowa loves them .'] |
Not doing much of anything on a slow sunday , Pharmacy Chick was eager to help anybody who wandered by the pharmacy . This lady came up and wanted something to help her husband . He had just had hemorrhoid surgery 3 days prior and had n't had a bowel movement since leaving the hospital . She had some Mag Citrate in her hands and wanted to know if it might help . | Why does the narrator seem to be fond of the pharmacist ? | He thinks she is nice . | ['None of the above choices .', 'His grateful for the free medicine .', 'He thinks she likes him .'] |
Education is not an end , but a means to an end . In other words , we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them . Our purpose is to fit them for life .
In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all whether rich or poor , clever or stupid-one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation . But we can already see that free education for all is not enough ; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degrees , they refuse to do what they think "low" work , and , in fact , work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries . But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor , we can live without education, but we would die if we have no food . If no one cleaned our streets and tooled the rubbish away from our houses , we should get terrible diseases in our towns ...
In fact , when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life , it means that we must be educated in such a way that , firstly , each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and , secondly , that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society , and that is very bad to be ashamed of one's work . Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society . | The passage tells us about_of education . | the value | ['the means', 'the system', 'the type'] |
I think our team did a really good job in planning the event . Ok , so as for the actual event we came across a lot of PROBLEMS . The good thing was that fifteen minutes before our event started we had reached our limit so I was really excited about that . All the singers showed up so I was glad that nobody baled out on us . | Where does this story take place ? | Music concert | ['Birthday party', 'College graduation', 'None of the above choices .'] |
On January 11, 2007, as students sat and listened, a very important guest speaker named Richard, spoke to the students in the lecture hall. He not only showed the potential within young adults, but encouraged them to work hard at their lessons.
Richard was a young child when his mother died and his father walked out. He was forced into many different foster homes where he felt unhappy. He did not know that his life was taking a turn for the worst.
His uncle, after getting out of prison, got him into drugs and alcohol. His uncle taught him that his place in life was either to be in prison or die trying to be "a man." His uncle's teaching almost started affecting him until a very important person came into his life: a teacher. This teacher taught him there is a place in the world for everyone and it isn't related to drugs.
Richard is now a Harvard University graduate and has a great and loving family. Why? He was taught to have respect not only for others, but for himself.
After the meeting, it was hoped that the students realized within them there is a potential, and within everyone around them, is knowledge. As Richard reminded them, "Knowledge is power." | On January 11, 2007, students listened to a speech made by Richard, who graduated from _ . | Harvard University | ['a foster school', "his teacher's school", "his uncle's university"] |
Dietary supplements are big business, with around half of the Australian population using at least one type per year; most commonly a multivitamin and mineral pill. Many people take supplements as a form of dietary insurance in case they are not meeting their nutrient needs from foods alone. Others take them as a form of health insurance – to protect against certain diseases. Some just take them out of habit.
Supplements do have a role to play in some situations. People with a diagnosed deficiency, those with malabsorption conditions, women planning pregnancy, and people with very poor diets all can benefit from specific nutrient supplementation.
But what about the benefit of supplements across the broad population? The mantra of most health professionals, which is even etched on the label of many supplements, is that supplements may only be of assistance if dietary sources are lacking.
To see if this is supported by solid evidence, a systematic review of 63 clinical trials involving some form of supplementation in non-pregnant adults was carried out by a team of medical researchers.
The clinical trials were broad in their nature with many nutrients studied including vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E; folic acid; calcium; selenium, omega-3 fatty acids; ginkgo biloba; glucosamine; saw palmetto; and milk thistle. All of the studies were randomised controlled trials and evaluated a range of health outcomes including risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, bone fractures, cognitive function and all-cause mortality.
From the 63 studies, no benefit was seen in 45 studies with 10 of these showing a trend towards harm and just two showing a trend towards a benefit. Of the remaining studies, four showed harm with a greater risk of cancer with beta-carotene and a higher risk of fractures with a once-yearly dose of vitamin D.
One study showed a lower risk of cancer with selenium supplementation, but this was not validated in much larger trials. Twelve studies showed a benefit and these mostly involved vitamin D supplementation in elderly people or omega-3 fatty acids in people with cardiovascular disease. | How long or often are supplements expected to be taken? | Frequently | ['Monthly', 'not enough information', 'when diseased'] |
Cymber Larkin's face lights up, her red hair shining in the late afternoon sun ,as she talks about her musical ambitions.
"I am hoping my career just takes off, and everything will be exactly how I want it, like my dream come ture," she says.
The 16-year-old daugher of baseball Hall of Farmer Barry Larkin is creating her own identity as an R&B/pop singer.
She is also one of Central Florida's top lacrosses players and plays for Dr Phillips High School (DP).
"I've been playing with DP since fifth grade", Cymber says. But even though Cymber _ at lacrosses and wants to earn a college scholarship, her future is clearly in music.
Cymber's stage name is Cymcole. She signed with a production company shortly after turning 15.
Cymber recently shot a music video for her first single in New York. Her debut album, Live It Up is scheduled to be released this summer.
"We would always play dress-up, and she would be a singer star," says Sarah Hamp, one of Cymber's best friends, "She is getting there now".
Her father, Barry, encouraged Cymber to start playing lacrosses at the age of 8. Barry was a 12-time-all-star with the Cincinati Reds.
"When I am playing lacrosses, I am just having fun and laughing, going crazy with my friends and being all silly," Cymber says.
"Don't be fooled, though. Cymber's game is serious."
"She is an excellent player," DP coach Kerry Waston says. "Her stick skills are unbelievable so we are really excited to have her".
"I don't want to be known as Barry Larkin's daughter . I want my own reputation", says Cymber. | By saying "She is getting there now" Sarah Hamp means Cymber _ | is on the way to a musical career | ['is meant to be a pop star', 'has put a lot of effort into practising her performance', 'has mastered great singing skills'] |
Do you want to know something about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of the weather even further back.
It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight and rainfall would limit the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be determined by reading the pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find the weather of ten years ago, count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are closed together, then the climate was bad for the tree.
Studying tree rings is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In a region of New Mexico you can find only sand---no trees and no people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why?
A scientist studied patterns of dead tree rings which had grown there. He decided that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move. In this instance studying tree rings uncovers an exciting fact about the history of man. | The scientists are interested in studying tree rings because they can tell _ . | whether in that area the climate was favorable or not | ['whether a particular tree was healthy or not', 'whether people took good care of the trees or not', 'how old the trees were'] |
The sweet taste of cold and wood smoke hung in the air. Marlin rode low in the saddle, his shoulders curled against the hungry wind. His hat was pulled down tight and his eyes didn't move as he passed the crude shacks at the edge of town.
He tied his horse in front of the saloon, unwinding his long body as if a sudden movement might snap it. He turned down the collar of his greatcoat and checked to make sure his big Army Colt was loose in its holster. The saloon door was a single chunk of white pine, still oozing sap, and he had to put his shoulder to it to force it open.
The long room inside was quiet, and not much warmer than the street. Clusters of people sat nursing coffee and drinks, talking quietly if they talked at all. Marlin spotted a few farmers the railroad had brought in from Europe: rounded hats, nervous eyes, skin as red as blood. At the far end of the room a half-dozen cowboys turned over cards with patient boredom.
Marlin walked up to the bar. "Whiskey," he said, and when the drink came he tossed it straight down and felt it pull his lips into a grimace. He nodded for a refill.
When he turned to face the room they were all watching him. "I'm looking for a man named Kraamer," Marlin said. "Anybody here know of him?"
One of the cowboys turned casually and rang the spittoon with a stream of tobacco juice. Marlin knew the long, thin face from somewhere, the blond hair that fell limply to his shoulders. He smiled at Marlin and showed his brown-stained teeth.
Marlin felt the lines in his own face, the gray in his hair, the chill in his bones. He was too old for this. He set a half dollar on the bar and started for the door.
"Don't get in a huff," the bartender said. Marlin looked back. "Kraamer lives about a mile west of town. Follow the railroad and take the first trail south." | Who lives west of town about one mile? | Kraamer | ['not enough information', 'The bartender', 'Marlin'] |
By 2012,the world may need to cope with as many as 50 million people who have fled their homeland,not for political or economic reasons but because the environment has been so badly changed that it cannot support life. The statement has been released by the United Nations to mark UN Disaster Reduction Day.
More people are made homeless by environmental disasters than by war,according to the research by the Red Cross. That reality is proved by the earthquake in Pakistan.
The widely publicized disaster has brought aid from the global community,according to Janos Bogardi,director of the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security. "If we can move swiftly in and give them a new start where they are,then they may stay in the area. Otherwise,they become environmental refugees. Environmentalrelated migrations are most acute in SubSaharan Africa,but they also affect millions of people in Asia and India. Meanwhile,the United States is witnessing increased pressure from victims of mismanaged and worsening soil and water conditions in Mexico and Latin America." he says. Janos Bogardi says these refugees suffer from the impact of gradual environmental change--global warming,sea level rise,air and water pollution and more intense storms,floods and droughts that degrade the land. This is a slow process,but unfortunately a process that is very difficult to go backwards once final damage is done.
Janos Bogardi says they are calling on the global community to recognize the serious situation of environmental refugees and to work together to lessen the impact of environmental disaster. | What is implied in the passage? | It is time for us to take some measures to solve the problem of environmental refugees. | ['People all over the world have realized the impact of environmental disasters on refugees.', 'The damaged soil can recover soon if people take care of it.', 'It is good for people to go elsewhere to make a living.'] |
Research shows that humans switch from selfish to unselfish behavior when they are watched. Do you?
A picture of a set of eyes on a computer screen can cause a change in the way people act. Even images of eyes on a charity donation, collection box encourage people to be unselfish, because people put more money in a collection box that has a picture of eyes on it than they do when a flower symbol is on the box.
Manfred Milinski from the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Germany and Bettina Rockenbach of the University of Berlin, the authors of a new study, found that people act better when they are being watched because they feel they will be rewarded for good behavior. Their report also referred to other research showing that this response of behaving well when watched is somehow _ into humans and people respond this way unconsciously, or without realizing it.
It is not just humans that act unselfishly when they are being watched. A fish called the grooming fish cleans other fish. When other fish are around, it is gentler. When no other fish are around, however, the grooming fish bites chunks from the fish it is supposed to be cleaning. The researchers suggest that the best way to get people to behave in the correct way is to make them feel watched. This could be the reason for the success of a famous American army poster. On it was a picture of an elderly man staring fiercely and pointing, it appeared, to the person who was looking at the poster. Under the picture was the caption 'I Want You' It encouraged hundreds of thousands of young American men to join the army during the Second World War to fight the Germans and Japanese. | According to the text, which of the following statements is true? | People donatemore money when they feel they are watched. | ['People pretend to behave worse when they are watched.', 'Fish bite other fish in a fish tank when they are alone.', 'Soldiers fought better during World War II because of a poster.'] |
People use their mouths for many things.They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In English language ,there are many expressions using the word "mouth".Foe example, If you say bad things about a person, the person might protest and say " Don't bad mouth me." Sometimes ,people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person's feelings.Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say: "I really put my foot in my mouth this time." If this should happen, the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words , he might fell sad for saying the wrong thing.
Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something.The other person might protest: "I did not say that .Non't put words in my mouth."
Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this, too. Ypu might say such a person, " was born with a silver spoon in his mouth." This rich person is the opposite who lives from hand to mouth. This person is verry poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life ,like food.
Parents might sometimes withold sweet food from a child as a form of punishment for saying bad things.For example,if a child says things she should not say to her parents, she might be described as a mouthy child.The parents might even tell the child to "stop mouthing off."
But enough of all this talk.I have been "running my mouth long enough." | In what kind situation will a person say, "Do not bad mouth me."? | When he is spoken ill of | ['When he feels down', 'When he regretful', 'When he feels innocent.'] |
Dagnabit ! I had nightmares about religious orders all night . Not only did I have arguments with two male friends in religious life ( one a postulant , one fully fledged ) , but nuns came and stole my lemon zest while I was making candy . Yes , nuns stole my lemon zest . | What religious faith or lack there of does the narrator seem to have ? | They seem to be agnostic . | ['None of the above choices .', 'They seem to be Christian .', 'They seem to be a proponent of nuns .'] |
Hello ! We are back from Kauai :( We had a great time ; we crossfitted on the beach , ate fresh fish and just had fun hiking and swimming . Hopefully you are all well recovered and rejuvenated after this past rest week . It is so good to see you all ! | From the text how would you describe the narrator ? | They like to be outdoors . | ['They are in a weekly crossfit .', 'None of the above choices .', 'They are in Kauai .'] |
I forgot the " homework " for next week at the bottom of yesterday 's Mary Spirit post . Hopefully you ' ve all caught on by now , and know to do Week Two 's assignment from the Study Guide on page 243 ( Appendix A ) . But , just in case ... there you have it!Thanks to all who are participating . Ca n't wait to see how God uses this study to impact our lives . | Why did I sent out a message to everyone about homework . | I am interested in the homework assignment and how it will relate to the study as a whole . | ['I wanted to everyone know that the study will greatly impact our lives .', 'I am big on religion and wait to see what God says about the study .', 'I did not want to be the only one who new about the study homework .'] |
As civilization proceeds in the direction of technology, it passes the point of supplying all the basic essentials of life--food, shelter, clothes and warmth. Then we are faced with a choice between using technology to provide and fulfill needs which have now been regarded as unnecessary or, on the other hand, using technology to reduce the number of hours of work which a man must do in order to earn a given standard of living. In other words, we either raise our standard of living above that necessary for comfort and happiness or we leave it at this level and work shorter hours.
I shall take it for granted that mankind has, by that time, chosen the latter alternative. Men will be working shorter and shorter hours in their paid employment. It follows that the housewife will also expect to be able to have more leisure in her life without lowering her standard of living. It also follows that human domestic servants will have completely ceased to exist. Yet the great majority of the housewives will wish to be relieved completely from the routine operations of the home such as scrubbing the floors or the bath of the cooker, or washing the clothes or washing up, or dusting or sweeping, or making beds.
By far the most logical step to relieve the housewife of routine is to provide a robot which can be trained to the requirements of a particular home and can be programmed to carry out half a dozen or more standard operations, when switched by the housewife. | According to the author, we are faced with _ . | a choice between using technology to provide and fulfill needs to reduce the number of working hours | ['the choice of providing and fulfilling our needs', 'the choice of using technology', 'the choice of earning a standard of living'] |
Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend. Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear.
When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it's bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat.
Don't make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open.
Your napkin should be placed on your lap at all times. Don't put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat.
When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don't place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don't pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick.
When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, "How do you like the beef?" If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you. | Good eating manners do NOT include _ . | making sounds to show how much you enjoy food | ['eating at a proper pace', 'showing some interest to your friend when dining', 'placing a napkin on your lap'] |
What do Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Phil Collins all have in common? They were all bullied at school.
If you're being bullied, it doesn't mean there is something wrong with you. You have a right to feel safe. If you are being bullied at school, it is the school's responsibility to stop it. If you are being attacked outside of school, the police have the responsibility to help you.
The bully is the one with the problem.
A lot of bullies are already being bullied themselves. They feel powerless and so they look for ways to feel tough at school or in the street.
Often, the bully is envious of other kids, so he picks on those who are cleverer, or those kids who have cool dress or more money. Usually bullies don't like themselves, so they take out their frustrations on someone else, e.g. you.
What can you do?
* Look calm and confident even when you are not! You can practice this in the bathroom mirror.
* If possible, ignore the bully. Bullies want a reaction --if you don't seem upset, or angry, they'll often leave you alone.
* Walk away. Just because a bully starts an argument doesn't mean you have to hang around and finish it.
* Avoid being alone. Bullies are cowards who only pick a fight when they know they can win. If you are with friends, they are more likely to leave you alone.
Get help!
Tell an adult you can trust. This doesn't mean you are weak. In life you often need to get help from other people. When you have a broken leg, you get help from a doctor--it doesn't mean you are weak. If you are being bullied you also get help. Bullies want you to keep quiet. When you speak up, you refuse to play the bully's game. Telling others about the problem is a brave move. | Bullies are usually those who _ . | are full of envy | ['are stupid', 'are poor', 'have more power'] |
BEIJING - By the end of 2011 China-made supercomputers will say goodbye to foreign microchips and start using their own "Chinese core ", according to one of the country's leading scientists, Hu Weiwu.
Hu told reporters on Saturday that the "Dawning 6000" supercomputer, developed by the Institute of Computing Technology of CAS and the Dawning Information Industry Company (DIIC), will adopt Loongson microchips for the first time as its core parts. It will have a computing speed of more than 1,000 trillion operations a second.
Making supercomputers with Chinese microchips is one of the nation's major science and technology projects. Three organizations - the Institute of Computing Technology of CAS, Jiangnan Institute of Computing Technology and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) - have their own supercomputer projects.
According to their schedules, all three institutions will need to meet the target of using domestically developed microchips by the end of this year. Hu said the new supercomputer will use fewer than 10,000 Loongson microchips, and will also be more energy-efficient.
Tianhe-1A, developed by NUDT in Hunan's provincial capital Changsha, is the fastest supercomputer in the world. However, Tianhe-1A largely runs on 14,336 CPUs made by Intel, and 7,186 GPUs (processing units) from Nvidia, two US chip-makers.
Hu said there will be difficulties ahead as there is little _ equipment specially developed for these supercomputers. "We have enough supercomputers in China but still can't make full use of them," He said.
Hu added that although the China-made CPUs have improved since they were first produced in 2002, they have a long way to go to compete with US chip-makers such as Intel. | What will raise the speed to more than 1,000 trillion operations a second.? | Loongson microchips | ['Dawning 6000', 'DIIC', 'Tianhe-1A'] |
Hank Viscardi was 26 years old when he put on his first pair of long trousers and his first pair of shoes. For the first time he saw himself as he had always wanted to be a full five feet eight inches tall.
Hank had been born without legs. Until he was seven, his world was a world of repeated operations. At last he had not legs, but stumps that could be fitted with a kind of special boots.
Out of the hospital, Hank often found people staring at him with cruel interest. Children laughed at him and called him "Ape Man" because his arms dragged on the ground.
He went to school like other boys. His grades were good and he needed only eight years instead of the usual twelve.
After graduation, Hank worked his way through college. He swept floors, waited on table, or worked in one of the college offices. During all this busy life, Hank had been moving around on his stumps. But one day the doctor told him even the stumps were not going to last much longer. Hank would soon have to use a wheel chair.
Hank felt himself go cold all over. However, the doctor said there was a chance that he could be fitted with artificial legs.
Finally a leg maker was found and the day came when Hank stood up before the mirror and saw himself for the first time, five feet eight inches tall.
But this was not the end yet. He had to learn to use his new legs. Again and again he marched the length of the room, and marched back again. There were times when he fell down on the floor, but he pulled himself up and went back to the endless marching. He went out on the street. He climbed the stairs and learned to dance. He built a boat and learned to sail it.
When World War II came, he talked the Red Cross into giving him a job. He took the regular training. He marched and drilled along with the other soldiers. Few knew that he was legless. This was the true story of Hank Viscardi, the man without legs. | The writer implies in the story that _ . | the Red Cross was not willing to give him a job at first | ['the Red Cross was only too glad to give him a job', 'the Red Cross gave him a job because he was a good soldier.', 'the Red Cross gave him a job after he talked to somebody he knew in the organization'] |
Harry is eighteen now. He studies in a middle school.His parents like him very much and hope he can become a famous man. So they often tell him to study hard and they do almost everything for him. They wakes him up at six in the morning, after breakfast his father takes him to school in a car and in the afternoon, as soon as the young man comes back, the supper is ready. Of course, he never washes his clothes or goes to buy anything in the shops.
Once Harry's father was sent to London on business. He would stay there for half a year. Upon leaving, he told his wife to take good care of their son. The woman had to get up eatlier and did all that her husband did before. And two months later she was so tired that she was ill in bed. Now the young man got into trouble. He couldn't do any housework. He had to do as his mother told him. He didn't even know where to get on the bus!
One day Harry's mother found his shoes were worn out and told him to buy a pair in the shop. But he didn't know how to choose The woman had a sigh and give him a shoe patten and told him to buy a pair of.shoes himself. With a policeman's help, Harry found a shop. The shopkeeper was friendly to him. The man brought a lot of shoes and asked him to choose. When he was trying on a pair, suddenly he remembered something and took them off. The man was surprised and asked, "What's the matter, young man?"
"I'm sorry. I've left the shoe pattern at home!" | Harry had to buy shoes himself because _ . | something was wrong with his mother | ["his mother didn't know what kind he needed", 'his mother was busy with the housework', 'his mother wanted her son to do something himself'] |
There are three different kinds of friends in our life. I classify them according to how well I know them and how well they know me.
The first type of friend is just an acquaintance . This means that you only know their names. You might not even remember what they look like if you go away for a short vacation. You don't miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friend who gives you the most amount of aggravation . Since most of the time you are placed in a position where you have to act friendly, you would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something that makes you feel angry, such as tapping the fingers on a table or shouting loudly. I call them "pest friends".www.ks5u.com
The second kind of friend is a "guest friend". They are just social partners. You meet them at a certain location and at the end of the meeting you go your separate way and they go theirs. You don't talk too often with this sort of friend, and you don't share each other's secrets. Lastly, we have "best friends". This sort of friend is there when you need them. They know you as a person and they are there through thick and thin. Best friends are the ones that you can lean and depend on no matter what happens. If you need a listening ear, they will be the one to lend support.
Friends come in all different shapes and sizes. Every friend has an impact on our life. | If someone is with you through thick and thin, it means _ . | he/she is with you even when there are difficulties | ['he/she supports you no matter what you do', 'he/she agrees with whatever you say', 'you spend most of your time together'] |
The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs.
At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two.
I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives.
Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with. Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it's as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture.
I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fiji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there. | The author resisted her third trip to Fiji because _ . | she didn't want to separate from her American friends | ["she didn't want to separate from her brother", "she didn't know her cousins there very well", 'her grandma had passed away'] |
His left arm still dangled in the water , and the thing- whatever it was he 'd mistaken for a fish , was still holding it . The light bounced in ripples over its body , illuminating it , but it was n't for another long moment that Atobe saw the tail . " Thank you , " Atobe mouthed to it and its eyes flicked , watching his face , trying to understand . It ... he , whistled and tugged gently on his arm . | Why did Atobe do this ? | He was trying to catch a fish | ['He had been searching for the fish', 'He wanted to catch the creature', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Back at their house by the cemetery, Paul and Chloe found Bee in her room, what Paul referred to as her sanctum sanctorum - although no one else ever got the joke, and he refused to explain the comic book reference. As always, lighting was minimal (as opposed to Bee's workshop out behind the house, which was flooded with fluorescents). A bank of TV sets and computer monitors covered one whole wall, arranged on a precarious system of metal shelves that Bee had installed herself. A low, flat coffee table squatted below the glowing displays, supporting three keyboards, a bank of video editing tools and four different phone carriages. Bee sat in her accustomed place - in the midst of a pile of cushions on the floor, fiddling with a mouse in one hand and typing on one of the keyboards while she talked quietly into her headset.
Paul and Chloe didn't bother to knock as they came in - Bee already knew they were there. Paul glanced at one of the screens mounted on the wall. Its display, divided into four quadrants, showed various images from inside the house, including the front door they'd just come through and the stairs they'd just climbed. The screen next to it - which Paul himself had salvaged from a bar on Duval that'd recently renovated into a finedining restaurant - showed images from four other cameras that covered the house's exterior. Nothing happened within fifty yards of their Crew's house that Bee didn't see, and if she had her way, that omniscience would soon extend to cover the entire island.
"So, Bee, how goes Project Big Brother?" Paul asked.
"I wish you wouldn't call it that," she replied.
"Sorry, but I have to call it something."
"You could call it something nice. Big Brother sounds so mean."
"What's mean about a reality show?" said Paul, joking.
"What isn't bad about a reality show?" countered Chloe, stepping in to defend her friend. | What will Bee do when Paul and Chloe leave? | She will continue working in her room. | ['She will break all the monitors.', 'She will go for a swim.', 'not enough information'] |
Most people think of a camel as an obedient beast of burden, because it is best known for its ability to carry heavy loads across vast stretches of desert without requiring water. In reality, the camel is considerably more than just the Arabian equivalent of mule . It also possesses a great amount of intelligence and sensitivity.
The Arabs say that camels are so acutely aware of injustice and ill-treatment that a camel owner who punishes one of the beasts too hard finds it difficult to escape the camel's revenge .Apparently, the animal will remember an injury and wait for an opportunity to get revenge.
In order to protect themselves from the vengeful beasts, Arabian camel drivers have learned to trick their camels into believing they have achieved revenge. When an Arab realizes that he has excited a camel's rage, he places his own garments on the ground in the animal's path. He arranges the clothing so that it appears to cover a man's body. When the camel recognizes its master's clothing on the ground, it seizes the pile with its teeth, shakes the garments angrily and steps on them in a rage again and again. In the end, after its rage has died away, the camel leaves, believing its revenge is completed. Only then does the owner of the garments comes out of hiding, safe for the time being, thanks to this clever trick. | The writer makes the camel's vengeful behavior clear to the readers by presenting _ | a typical incident | ['a well-planed argument', 'a large variety of examples', 'some eyewitness accounts'] |
American black bears appear in a variety of colors despite their name. In the eastern part of their range , most of these bears have shiny black fur, but in the west they grow brown, red or even yellow coats. To the north, the black bear is actually gray or white. Even in the same litter , both brown and black furred bears may be born.
Black bears are the smallest of all American bears, ranging in length from 5 to 6 feet, weighing from 300 to 500 pounds. Their eyes and ears are small and their eyesight and hearing are not as good as their sense of smell. Like all bears, the black bear is shy, clumsy and rarely dangerous. However, if cornered, the black bear can become a fearful enemy.
Black bears feed on leaves, roots, fruit, insects, fish and even larger animals. One of the most interesting characteristics of bears, including the black bear, is their winter sleep. Unlike many other animals, bears do not actually hibernate . Although the bear does not eat during the winter months, its temperature remains almost normal, and it breathes regularly four or five times per minute.
Most black bears live alone, except during the mating season . A litter of one to four cubs is born in January or February and they remain with their mother until they are fully grown or about one and a half years old. Black bears can live as long as thirty years in the wild, and even longer in game preserves set aside for them. | Which of the following is TRUE about American black bears? | Their way of "hibernating" is unique. | ['They are able to live at most thirty years.', 'They are regarded as the smallest bear in the world.', 'The babies can soon live by themselves after birth.'] |
The old shopkeeper led me through to the back of the shop. The room was filled with boxes and dusty photographs of people holding packages in their hands.
Mr. Hopkins said, "We have a very wide choice of items for sale. Whenever I serve a new customer, I take his picture. " Mr. Hopkins pointed to an ancient camera on a table.
I began to appreciate the lovely items on sale. I spent a very pleasant hour being shown the _ in the shop. Finally, I bought an antique jewelry box, a pair of riding boots and a sewing machine.
I was very excited that I had found such a good little shop. "I will tell all my friends about your love-ly place. " I told the shopkeeper. "Please don't do that, sir. " said Mr. Hopkins. "This is a special place for special people. You must keep this shop a secret. " Then he took my photograph and handed me the picture straight away.
" That was quick ! " I exclaimed. In the picture I looked proud and excited holding the presents I had bought there.
On Christmas Day, my friends and relatives were delighted with the presents I had bought for them.
For weeks, my brother begged me to take him to the wonderful little shop. I finally agreed.
We walked along Oxford Street, past the department store and found---nothing. In its place was an empty space being used as a car park. I checked the area again. There was the music shop, and there was the department store. In between should have been Hopkins and Son, but it wasn't there.
Just then, an old policeman came. "Are you looking for something, sir?" he asked. "I am looking for a little shop called Hopkins and Son. "
"Oh yes, there was a shop here 'once called Hopkins and Son. But it was knocked down over 30 years ago. "
I looked again at the place, then I reached into my pocket and took out the photograph that Mr. Hop-kins had taken of me holding my presents in the little shop.
" How strange ! " I screamed. | What can we learn about the shop? | It was between a music shop and a department store. | ['It was closed by the police. .', 'It was well - known in that area.', 'It was knocked down a few weeks ago.'] |
I attended a birthday party in 1991. My teacher was then 59 years old. But her fellow teacher said that we were celebrating her 39thbirthday! We were all surprised and puzzled.
After the party I was told by the fellow teacher that American women have a special saying about birthdays. If a woman is over 40, or even if she is 80, her birthday is always the 39th. If she is in her thirties, her birthday will be the 29th. And in her twenties, it's the 19th. They usually have their "real" birthday when they are below 20.
This shows that American women, especially elderly women, are very sensitive about their ages. But my teacher always says, "We want to be younger," so about the age of Western women, my advice is that if you don't know it, don't ask about it; if you really know it, don't mention it. | The writer wants to tell us _ . | not to ask a Western woman's age whether you know her well or not | ['that a Western woman always celebrates her 39\nthbirthday', "to ask a Western woman's age freely", "not to attend an old Western woman's birthday party"] |
Cerberus just stared at me. The dog didn't blink, he didn't pant, he didn't move. He just sat in the passenger seat as I drove, relaxed, mouth hanging slightly open, looking at me the way someone examines a menu but can't decide on the chicken or the veal.
The desert sky was on fire when the city came into view. Cerberus turned away from me and stuck his head out from the side of the jeep, his giant tongue flapping in the eighty mile an hour wind while I dialed Luna's number. The dog pulled his head back in, then rested his chin on top of the overhead roll-bar, his fur blowing back along his head like the spines of a porcupine.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Luna."
"Dingo! Are you there yet?"
"No, not yet. I'm just outside the city." Vegas flashed and blinked under the starless sky. "You get in touch with Mr. Waciejowski?"
"Sure did. He's at the Denny's near the Excalibur. He's trying to stay away from the blackjack tables."
"Yeah, good for him. He has the box?"
I could hear Luna stuffing something disgustingly healthy in her mouth. "Mmm hmm."
"He hasn't opened it, has he?"
She swallowed. "Nah. I told him it was filled with old photos."
Cerberus shifted in the seat and scratched behind his neck with such force that the whole Jeep shook; a rather unsettling motion at 80 miles an hour. "Hey Luna, I've got a question for you."
I looked over to see the dog's nostrils flared out in the wind while his lips blew back and revealed his frightening set of teeth.
"This, uh, this animal spirit guide you had me try to find. Do they ever show up, you know, in person?" | Where is the main character? | outside of Las Vegas | ['in NYC', 'not enough information', "at the Denny's"] |
Designed specifically for kids that live online, Discovery announced a new fun and interactive homework tool that uses the power of broadband and media to help achieve academic breakthroughs at home. It's COSMEO.
With a click of a mouse, kids have instant access to the only online video destination for homework help, report research and learning games. COSMEO boasts more than 30,000 video clips from the top educational publishers and producers in the world, including Discovery. COSMEO also has 15,000 interactive quizzes and 200 subject-related Brain Games---making homework fun!
And most importantly-----all the content is aligned by state curriculum standards and grade level----- COSMEO gives kids the tools they need to succeed and gives parents the reassurance that the content is not only safe, but powerfully engineered to help their kids with academic breakthroughs.
COSMEO is built on the proven success of Discovery's in-school video streaming resource, which is available in 70,000 schools and reaches 30 million students in the United States. Students who were exposed to their service in the classroom have been scientifically proven to perform 12 to 15 percent better than those who were not. Now kids can access this proven content in their homes, and COSMEO presents the information in a way that is kid-friendly, interactive, appealing and fun.
COSMEO is structured for use by multiple children in the same family. Parents simply select the grade level of the user for access to age-appropriate learning materials. COSMEO can help a third-grader with multiplication tables and an older student with algebra equations . COSMEO uses a multimedia, multi- sensory environment to let kids learn in the way they learn best----- in formats they know, use and, most importantly, enjoy! [ | COSMEO pays much attention to _ when engineering the video learning materials. | making them interesting and appealing | ["making its content's safe", 'making its knowledge accurate', 'keeping its academic level'] |
On Monday , I was driving forward through the intersection at Raymond / University in St. Paul . I had a green light , and a guy took a left hand turn and smashed into me . He said he did n't see me . | Why did he really crash into me ? | He was driving while drunk . | ['He had a green light and drove on .', 'None of the above choices .', "He was blind , he could n't see me ."] |
WHITE HOUSE — The United States is escalating trans-Atlantic and North American trade tensions, imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico beginning on Friday.
The U.S. also negotiated quotas or volume limits on other countries, such as South Korea, Argentina, Australia and Brazil, instead of tariffs, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also told reporters Thursday by telephone.
China's foreign ministry said on Friday all countries should protect the normal trade order, when asked about U.S. decision.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the days of the U.S. being taken advantage of in trade deals "are over'" in a harshly worded statement responding to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's criticism of new steel and aluminum tariffs. He intensified his criticism of Canada Friday for what he says are the country's "highly restrictive" trade practices.
Trump has repeatedly said measures such as tariffs are necessary to protect American jobs and industries in key manufacturing sectors.
"The president's actions are about protecting American steel, American aluminum," a White House spokesman, Raj Shah, said on Fox News. "They're critical for national security."
But the negative reaction from some of America's most important strategic allies has been quick and fierce.
European Union Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said shortly after the tariffs took effect they were illegal and the 28-nation bloc would initiate a settlement dispute case with the World Trade Organization.
"We can do so. We have the right to do so. I think we must do so, as well, to show that we cannot just take these tariffs and stand silent and we do not accept these kind of imposed illegal tariffs," said Malmstrom.
Without elaborating, Malmstrom also said the EU would explore "rebalancing measures," which typically are retaliatory actions.
Trudeau called the tariffs "totally unacceptable" and vowed retaliation.
"This decision is not only unlawful, but it is a mistake in many respects," said French President Emmanuel Macron, warning that "economic nationalism leads to war."
France's finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, who met Ross earlier on Thursday, said the U.S. shouldn't see global trade like the Wild West or the "gunfight at the O.K. Corral." | The meeting between Ross and Le Maire probably lasted | A couple hours | ['Days', 'not enough information', 'Minutes'] |
The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever . He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him .
The next morning he said to the men , " Have you provided me with that sunset ? "
" No , sir . " the men answered .
The director was angry . " Why not ? " he asked .
" Well , sir , " one of the men answered . " we're on the east coast here , and the sets in the west . We can get you a sunrise over the sea , if necessary , but not a sunset . "
" But I want a sunset ! " the director shouted . " Go to the airport . take the next flight to the west coast , and get one . "
But then a young secretary had an idea . " Why don't you photograph a sunrise . " she suggested . " and then play it backwards ? Then it'll look like a sunset . "
The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay . Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director . " Here it is sir . " they said , and gave it to him . He was very pleased .
They all went into the studio . " All right . " the director explained . " now our hero and heroine are going to say good-bye . Run the film backwards so that we can see the ' sunset behind them . ' "
The " sunset " began , but after a quarter of a minute , the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop .
The birds in the film were flying backwards . and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach . | One evening, the director sent his camera crew out _ . | to film a sunset scene on the sea | ['to watch a beautiful sunset', 'to find an actor and an actress', 'to meet the audience'] |
He was several years younger than me . We talked about our lives , and the town , and bonded over Joni Mitchell and Rufus Wainwright . Eventually he went home , and I went back to John and Steve 's . | Why does the narrator feel a kinship with their conversation partner ? | They share a similar taste in music . | ['They share a similar friend in John .', 'They share a similar friend in Steve .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Then she nodded and bowed her head to the sewing in her hands . Frowning , he watched the top of her head as she completed neat tiny stitches in the fabric . What did it matter if he disliked her people ? It was n't him she was going to marry . | What can you infer about her ? | She is skilled at making clothing . | ['She was neat .', 'She often bows her head .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
People's Daily Online: On the night of February 5, 2009, CCTV - 1 broadcasted the "Moving China in 2008" award ceremony. The ceremonybroke its tradition, presenting the special award this year to the whole Chinese people.
In the award presentation speech, the committee noted that, "In 2008,prefix = st1 /Chinawent through many sad and happy moments. In resisting the snowstorm, earthquake relief, the Olympic Games and the space walk by one of the Shenzhou VII taikonauts, Chinese people displayed courage and wisdom, demonstrating to the world their amazing national strength."
Compared with the ceremony before, the biggest change in the award presentation was that this year's award presentation ceremony was divided into four parts, according to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The awards were presented to the ten winners according to the time order. | Why was the special award this year presented to the whole Chinese people? | Chinese people displayed courage and wisdom to the world. | ['China went through many sad and happy moments.', 'The ceremony broke its tradition.', 'There was a biggest change in the award presentation gala.'] |
My mom declined because she did n't want me to have an opportunity that my siblings would n't be able to have . But , you can never forget that type of kindness . Though she had three children , she always treated me like I was part of that family . She used to tell me that she wanted me to marry her son . | What might the narrator 's situation have been ? | They were in a foster home | ['None of the above choices .', "They were in a children 's home", 'They were living with their aunt and uncle'] |
Neighbours play an important role in our lives. Their lifestyles, friends, and social habits can have a strong influence on our lives. It is a good idea to get to know the people next door or across the street to develop a community of support and safety. You never know when a neighbour will find a stranger walking around your house, or you may want to leave an extra key at their house in case someone in your family gets locked out.
How do you get along with your neighbours? Here are some tips for building a better relationship with your neighbours.
Point 1...Proper greetings can make your neighbours remember your name and pave the way for more meaningful future meetings. Don't stay too long, though, or you'll wear out your welcome!
Point2...If your neighbour is building a pool, offer a few hours of help. Besides, you never know when the favor might be returned.
Point3...If you hear that someone who live close to you has had an accident, take over a hot meal or some fruit. Your action will add a special touch during a difficult time.
Point4...Invite your neighbours over for a cup of coffee in December or an Easter egg hunt in spring. A backyard barbecue can be a great way to share food and fun.
Your neighbours may annoy you at times, but they are like family in many ways. Appreciate their strengths and overlook their weaknesses, and everyone will get along just fine. | According to the passage, which of the following may NOT be something nice to do? | Having a very long conversation with a new neighbour. | ['Offering to help your neighbours if they need help.', 'Inviting your neighbours over for a backyard barbecue.', 'Preparing a hot meal for a neighbour who is going through a difficult time.'] |
This article should get everyone 's attention . As the articles states , Rep. John McHugh , ( R - NY ) , is n't into political grandstanding . That 's why I ' m paying attention when he makes a statement like this : " In my 24 years of elected office , I have never before been to more town halls , more places , where everyone is more concerned about one issue , " McHugh , an eight - term congressman and former state senator , said Friday on the House floor . | Why should that article get everyone 's attention ? | It 's not common to get the attention of a long term senator , but this issue did . | ['None of the above choices .', "It 's not common for people to listen to a senator .", "It 's not common for people to listen to anyone who is influential ."] |
My love affair with technology began at an early age. On my seventh birthday, my parents bought me a second-hand ZX Spectrum and, in a foretaste of my life to come, I immediately set about learning how to use it to get attention. It's a sign of how rapidly technology develops that my crappy Spectrum, with its 48k of memory, already had 12k more storage power than the computer that had guided the Apollo 11 moon landing eighteen years earlier* With power like that, there seemed to be no limit to what I could do.
While my other computer-owning peers would sit for hours while their tape drives squawked away loading 'Manic Miner' or 'Bubble Buster' I was more fascinated by learning to write my own programs. The first of these consisted of just two lines of code* that made the word 'shit' appear again and again on my screen, to the huge amusement of my friends and the irritation of my parents, who obviously had more educational motives for bringing a computer into the house.
From that day on, the possibilities offered by technology to both subvert the norm and get attention had me hooked.
Years later, at secondary school, I convinced my English teacher, Mr Coen, to teach me desktop publishing, ostensibly to work on the official school magazine, but in reality to produce an alternative underground version - complete with less than flattering articles about teachers and fellow pupils and distributed via the publicly accessible shared hard drive that was supposed to be used for collaborative coursework. That particular stunt got me banned from the school computer room for half a term.
And then, in 1997, I discovered the Internet.
Throughout history, every fame-hungry media dickhead has found his preferred medium for pursuing fame and wealth (in that order). For Tony Parsons - and Hitler, for that matter - it was books. William Randolph Hearst chose newspapers. Don Imus and Howard Stern preferred radio. For Nick Griffin it's inflammatory leaflets. For Tracy Emin it's art. Or at least an approximation of it. With the Internet I had found mine - and it was a doozy. | After he convinced Mr. Cohen to teach him desktop publishing, why did he get banned from the computer room? | He made a magazine that mocked his teachers. | ['He got detention.', "He didn't follow the rules.", 'not enough information'] |
For the first time in our almost 18 years of marriage I heard the word " diet " come out of my husband 's mouth . In all our years together he has never expressed a concern about his weight . It seems though that his summer of living in a hotel and eating all his meals out has caught up with him . | Why is the narrator 's husband eating more healthy ? | He wants to drop some pounds . | ['He wants to train for a sporting event .', 'He wants to help his heart .', 'He wants to train for a marathon .'] |
YOUR mom might cook a bowl of noodles for you on your birthday. But in the US, a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday.
Cupcakes are small, round cakes topped with frosting . It has been an American tradition that moms bring cupcakes to the classroom to celebrate their child's birthday.
But recently some doctors have called for this to be banned. They believe cupcakes contribute to child obesity.
Despite their good intentions, however, some people believe that experts are interfering with American culture. The cupcake is seen as American as apple pie -- only prettier.
According to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, the cupcake is the most democratic of desserts. As they are small enough for one person, you don't have to share your cupcake with anyone -- it's all yours. They are also all the same size, so there can't be any cries of "she got the bigger piece!"
Each bite can taste different depending on how much icing you have. It is a lesson in self-determination. Some people eat only a little of the frosting every time, others have it all in just one bite.
In recent years, eating a cupcake has become as _ as having a cup of Starbucks coffee.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokingly promised on a talk show that if she was elected president, she would give everyone a cupcake on her birthday.
Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, explains that the rise of the cupcake is very much about going back to American national identity in food, which is all about comfort. "People want to think about when they and their country were innocent," she said. | According to the passage, it has been an American tradition that _ . | A mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday and brings it to the classroom | ['a party for children on their birthday', 'A mom cooks a bowl of noodles for her children on their birthday', 'parents go travelling with their children on their birthday'] |
Most of the movies show our relationships and our society. What's more important is that people love to watch highs and lows of the relationships in movies. Friendship has been the favorite subject of movie makers for a long time. Many movies are based on lovely relationships like friendship. Friendship can be between two persons or among more than two persons. Movies based on friendship make us remember that the relationship among friends is delicate . These movies also show how important it is to have a true friend in life and to own the friendship.
Friendship is described in different ways in movies. These movies show different faces of this lovely relationship including the pleasant and interesting faces .Let us discuss how friendship is described in movies.
Friends share common interests:In most of the movies, it is shown that two people become friends easily when they share some common interests. For example, two friends may be in love with the same sports, studying in the same school or living in the same neighborhood.You can see such friendship in movies such as "Harry Potter" and "Lord of Rings". Harry Potter has two friends. All of them are interested in the use of magic.
Friends make sacrifices : In most of the movies,friends make sacrifices for each other. A good example is "Sholay". In this movie,there are two friends Jay and Veeru who are there for each other till death. Jay sacrifices his life to save his friend.
Friends never run away from difficulties: In movies,it is always shown that true friends always stand up for their friends in times of difficulties.
Understanding: In movies,friends understand each other without even saying a word. A single smile can brighten up the faces of all the friends. | Which of the following opinions agrees with the passage? | A friend in need is a friend indeed. | ['Friends must part in the end.', 'A good book is a good friend.', 'A friend is easier lost than found.'] |
No matter what your age or style, MNA (Museum of Northern Arizona) Education Programs have a program to fit your desires. Stay close to home and enjoy the following:
MNA Ventures
The MNA Ventures program offers opportunities to discover and explore the Colorado Plateau -- 130,000 square miles of mountains and canyons centered in the Four Corners area of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Discovery Programs
The Discovery Programs offer educational experiences that emphasize the artistic traditions, natural sciences, Native American culture, and history of the Colorado Plateau. A variety of program choices provide fun learning opportunities for students of all ages and interests. Programs range in length from half-day classes to week-long classes, and offer experiences for three-year-olds to adults. Discovery classes take place mainly in the Museum grounds but may include field trips to go with the experience.
Custom Tours
The Museum of Northern Arizona's Custom Tours offer opportunities to discover and explore the wonders of the Colorado Plateau. Experience the rich natural wonders and cultures of this area through experts' eyes by traveling with scientists, writers, artists, and professional guides.
Group Exhibit Tours
There are self-guided programs for the archaeology of the Colorado Plateau, Native American culture, and the geology and biology of the Colorado Plateau. | Which of the following is TRUE about Discovery Programs? | There are classes at varying times. | ['They are intended for art students.', 'They are mainly for teenage students.', 'The activities are held in the museum.'] |
Loserville Ahead - On route 12 south , approaching Quentin Road , this woman approached in the left lane as I was travelling in the right lane . Apparently , the 15 + car lengths of space behind my vehicle was not a good spot to change to the right lane for a right turn onto Quentin Road , because just as soon as she got next to me and in my blind spot by the " A " pillar , she suddenly puts her turn signal on as she starts coming into my lane where my truck still is travelling . ( like I was not even there ! ! ) | What may be the reason for the woman to get into my lane where my truck is traveling ? | She may not be paying attention to the traffic on the roadway . | ['She may mistake my truck as a pillar .', 'None of the above choices .', 'My truck may be in her blind spot .'] |
A poor boy was selling goods from one door to another to pay for his studies. One day he found that he had almost no money, and he was hungry. So he decided to ask for a meal.
But when a woman opened the door, he only dared to ask for a glass of water. To his surprise, she gave him a large glass of milk. He drank it and then asked how much he should pay her. She said, "You don't have to pay me anything. Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness" He was deeply moved and was determined to help those in need. The boy's name was Howard Kelly.
Many years had passed. One day that woman became seriously ill. The local doctors could not help her. So they sent her to a big city where her rare disease would be studied by specialists . Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for advice. When he entered her room in the hospital, he immediately spotted the woman. Howard Kelly was determined to do his best to help her.
The struggle was long, but together they succeeded in the end. After some time the woman received a bill for her treatment. She was worried that the amount would be so large that it would take the rest of her life to pay for it. However, when she looked at the bill, she found words on the side of the bill. They were, "Paid in full with a glass of milk." | The woman came to a big city because _ . | she was ill and no local doctors could help her | ['she was invited by a group of specialists to a study', 'she wanted to visit the poor boy whom she had helped', 'her rare disease could only be dealt with by Dr. Howard Kelly'] |
I , for whatever reason , did not get the Magical Text Message , so I am pissy . I also STILL have a fucking sinus headache of doom and want to slam my head into a wall repeatedly . And I have to go to work today . OH . | Why is the narrator 's head hurting so much ? | They have a headache . | ['They have a head wound .', 'They have a concussion .', 'They have a cut .'] |
China's admiration of outstanding scholars has turned the well-preserved childhood home of TuYouyou,the Chinese pharmacologist who won this year's Nobel Prize in physiology or Medicine,into a popular tourist destination.
Since it was announced on Monday that 84-year-old Tu had become the first Chinese citizen to win this international prize,her former home in the old town of Ningbo,Zhejiang province,has attracted visitors,especially parents and their children----even though it is not open to the public.
The house,where Tu lived until she went to university in Beijing,covers an area of 2,200square meters and is priced at 150million yuan($23.6million).It is part of a complex of 37traditional buildings,including several city-and-district-level cultural relic preservation sites,that have been transformed into a high-end art,and commercial zone.
"There are continually parents taking their children,from infants in strollers to college students,to take photos in front of Tu's former home.Security guards have been ordered to go on patrol around the clock,"said Mr.Zhao,a salesperson from Ningbo Real Estate Inc Co.
Shanghai resident Xu Lingfei,who was on a trip to Ningbo,took her 9-year-old son to walk around the complex on Wednesday."Chinese people believe in exams and awards and have a strong preference for high performers.Taking children to visit the former dwelling places of celebrities is a way to inspire them to study harder,"Xu said.
Something similar happened after Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2012.Tourists started visiting Mo's former home in rural Caomi,Shandong Province,in an endless stream starting the day after he won the prize.Some even pulled the radishes planted in front of the house.and carried away some bricks. | Where is Mo Yan's former home located? | Gaomi. | ['Shanghai.', 'Ningbo.', 'Beijing.'] |
While I was in training, my class was 2 months out from graduation. We were in class, reviewing skills such as antenna theory, radios and map reading. Our instructor walks in and pulls a candidate, we’ll leave nameless, aside. He walks him out of the classroom. I never really thought anything of it as instructors would often pull guys aside for reviews, specific instructions or taskings. I don’t know how much time passed but the candidate walked back in. He gathered his things and left the room. Guys asked if everything was cool but he didn’t say a word.
The instructor came in and sat on the desk at the front of the room. We asked if everything was alright, and he told us that the day prior, the The candidate’s wife had gone into labor however there were complications with the baby but the complications were unknown. He was reporting to the commander to let him know whether he wanted to stay in training or leave because the military does not consider a spouse’s pregnancy to be an emergency even though the complication should be. If he were to leave he would have to drop from the TACP pipeline with a possibility of either starting it over from the beginning of quitting all together.
The instructor shook his head and I could honestly see it was a difficult task for him to tell the candidate. It’s rare to see an instructor be emotional but it was something that brought reality into the room for us. The candidate was given 24 hours to call the hospital, talk to his wife, learn more of the situation and make a decision. He ended up staying in the pipeline and graduated. His child was born with minor complications but is healthy to this day.
It may not be an exact teacher to a student scenario, but it hits pretty damn close to those of us who went through military training. | What happened after the student left the class? | Other students asked the teacher what happened. | ['not enough information', 'The instructor shook his head.', 'Other students were surprised.'] |
The last thing you needed to see was her again ! In the end , I located the sinks and figured it out . To this day , I ' m really uncertain what happened in there , but I am certain it ranks up there as one of the worst nights of my life . Sweetheart , I really thought it was the best idea ... I would never leave you alone if I did n't think you would be fine on your own . | What may be the reason why they do n't know what happened ? | They were n't there . | ['They are hearing so many different versions of the story .', 'They never asked what happened .', "They do n't want to know what happened ."] |
On the long weekend before I went back to work , hubby cooked a giant pot of pasta sauce , complete with mushrooms , spinach and lentils in it . It was so yummy we ate it for three nights and froze the rest . This weekend we went to the farmers market and stocked up on organic goodies . | What may happen after we ate pasta sauce for three nights ? | We enjoyed it very much and then put the rest in the freezer . | ['My hubby made another batch of the sauce and froze it .', 'I took the rest with me for lunch when I went back to work .', 'None of the above choices .'] |
Cotton farmers in some Indian villages are busily buying Coca-Cola and Pepsi, believing that the sugar in the fizzy( ) drinks kills pests.
Farmers say scientists advised them to mix pesticides with a sugary juice to control pests, and they found the mixture cheaper and more effective than pure chemicals-- although soft drink makers and scientists dismissed the remarks. N. Hamunayya, who has become a famous person in his village in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, said his crop survived an attack of pests which had resisted other pesticides. "We found that all the colas had uniform effect on pests. The pests became dead and fell to the ground, "he said. He said the drinks had all the elements they needed : they were cheaper, sticky, fizzy, and attracted ants, which ate the young of the pests. But Thinupathi Reddy, assistant director of the Regional Agri-Research Station, Guntur, says tests had proved such results wrong. "We conducted some field trials on cotton crop at our research station. There was no obvious productivity or destruction of pests, "he says.
Statements from Pepsi and Coca-Cola said there was " no scientific basis" for _ . But their dealers are enjoying increasing sales. Mantan Wall, who sells soft drinks in 17 villages in the region, said sales rose up, thanks to the farmers. " For the 10 days between August and September I had successful business. Instead of just 30 cases( each containing a dozen one-litre bottles) of cola, I started selling almost 200 cases, "he said. " We expected the sales to drop after the news over pesticide residues( ) in the cola drinks. Now I have to keep extra supply for the cotton farmers, "he said.
In February, an Indian environment group made a report saying drinks made by Coca-Cola and Pepsi contained pesticides and called for tougher safety standards. The U. S firms strongly rejected the findings of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment and said their products were safe. | The drinks can kill pests because _ . | they made the pesticide more effective | ['there is some pesticide left in them', 'they are sticky and fizzy', 'they have elements that kill pests'] |
The garden city was largely the invention of Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928). After immigrating from England to the USA, and an unsuccessful attempt to make a living as a farmer, he moved to Chicago, where he saw the reconstruction of the city after the disastrous fire of 1871. In those days, it was nicknamed "the Garden City", almost certainly the source of Howard's name for his later building plan of towns. Returning to London, Howard developed his design in the 1880s and 1890s, _ ideas that were popular at the time, but creating a unique combination of designs.
The nineteenth-century poor city was in many ways a terrible place, dirty and crowded; but it offered economic and social opportunities. At the same time, the British countryside was in fact equally unattractive: though it promised fresh air and nature, it suffered from agricultural depression and it offered neither enough work and wages, nor much social life. Howard's idea was to combine the best of town and country in a new kind of settlement, the garden city. Howard's idea was that a group of people should set up a company, borrowing money to establish a garden city in the depressed countryside; far enough from existing cities to make sure that the land was bought at the bottom price.
Garden cities would provide a central public open space, radial avenues and connecting industries. They would be surrounded by a much larger area of green belt, also owned by the company, containing not merely farms but also some industrial institutions. As more and more people moved in, the garden city would reach its planned limit-----Howard suggested 32,000 people; then, another would be started a short distance away. Thus, over time, there would develop a vast planned house collection, extending almost without limit; within it, each garden city would offer a wide rang of jobs and services, but each would also be connected to the others by a rapid transportation system, thus giving all the economic and social opportunities of a big city. | What could be the best title for the passage? | A Famous Garden City in England | ['City and Countryside', 'The Invention of the Garden City', 'A New City in Chicago'] |
Learning a second language can improve brain power, scientists believe. US researchers from Northwestern University say bilingualism is a form of brain training -- a mental "work out" that adjusts the mind finely.
Speaking two languages well affects the brain and changes how the nervous system reacts to sound, lab tests showed. Experts say the experiment performed by the National Academy of Sciences provides "biological" evidence of this.
In an attempt to prove the guess that speaking two languages is good for one's mind, the team monitored how the brain of 48 healthy student volunteers reacted to different sounds. Twenty three of these volunteers were bilingual.
The scientists used special equipment to trace the pattern of brainwaves. Under quiet, laboratory conditions, the bilingual students responded in a similar way to the English-only-speaking students, who formed the control group. But the bilingual group were far superior at processing sounds even when there were a lot of people talking in the room. They were better able to focus on to the important information -- the speaker's voice -- and block out other _ noises.
Prof Nina Kraus, who led the research, said: "The bilingual's better experience with sound results in a hearing system that is highly efficient, flexible and focused in its automatic sound processing, especially in challenging or novel listening conditions."
Co-author Viorica Marian said: "People do crossword puzzles and other activities to keep their minds sharp. But the advantages we've discovered in double language speakers come automatically simply from knowing and using two languages.''
Musicians appear to gain a similar benefit when rehearsing , say the researchers. According to some theories, being bilingual might help avoid dementia . | How was the bilingual group better at processing sounds? | They could better fix their attention on something of importance. | ['They were the control group.', "They were able to find the speaker's voice quickly.", 'They had better nervous system.'] |
Decided everyone could separate and just meet at the car . And so begins a ridiculously long time of waiting . ( Apparently a lot of girls were going backstage to the band 's room so it stalled them ) . | Why did you decided that everyone could just meet at the car ? | I decided that everyone could just meet at the car because the girls were creating a jam in the band 's back room . | ['None of the above choices .', 'I decided that everyone could just meet at the car because I just felt like doing so to make things easier form.e', 'I decided that everyone could just meet at the car because everyone already separated to their own end .'] |
Sometime in the next century, the familiar early-newspaper on the front porch will disappear. And instead of reading your newspaper, it will read to you. You'll get up and turn on the computer newspaper just like switching on the TV An electronic voice will distribute stories about the latest events, guided by a program that selects the type of news you want. You'll even get to choose the kind of voice you want to hear. Want more information on this brief story? A simple touch makes the entire text appear. Save it in your own personal computer if you like. These are among the predictions from communication experts working on the newspapers of the future. Pictured as part of broader home-based media and entertainment systems, computer newspapers will unite print and broadcast reporting, and offer news and analysis with video images of news events.
Most of the technology is available now, but convincing more people that they don't need to read a newspaper is the next step. But resistance to computer newspapers may be stronger from within journalism. Since it is such a cultural change, it may be that the present generation of journalists and publishers will have to die off before the next generation realizes that the newspaper industry is no longer a newspaper industry. Technology is making the end of ' traditional newspapers unavoidable.
Despite technological advances, it could take decades to replace newsprint with computer screens. It might take 30 t0 40 years to complete the changeover because people need to buy computers and because newspapers have established financial interests in the paper industry. | It can be inferred that journalists are against computer newspapers because _ . | they have been trained to write For traditional newspapers | ["they don't know how to use computers", 'they think computer newspapers take too much time to read', 'they think the new technology is bad'] |
I grew up in Jamaica Plain. My best friend Rose and I used to dream about raising a family of our own someday and living next door to one another.
Our dream remained alive through school and beyond. Rose was my maid of honor when I married Dick. Later, Dick was stationed in Alaska and we moved. Rose was sad to see me leave, but wished me the best of luck. We remained in touch for a few years before we lost track.
I thought of her several times over the years. All of my children now have families of their own, and Dick passed away a few years ago. Basically, a lifetime has passed. Then one day, near my 80th birthday, I received a phone call "Hi Natalie, it's Rose," the voice on the other end said, " I don't know if you remember me, but we used to be best friends in Jamaica Plain when we were kids."
We have spent hours on the phone catching up. Even after 52 years of separation our personalities and interests are still extremely similar. We both share a passion for several hobbies that we each picked up independently several years after we lost touch with one another. It almost feels like we are picking up right where we left off.
Her husband died a few years ago as well, but she mailed me several photographs of her family that were taken over the years. It's so crazy, just looking at the photos and listening to her description of her family reminds me of my own: a reasonably large, healthy family. Part of me feels like we led fairly similar lives.
I don't think the similarities between our two lives are a coincidence either. I think
shows that we didn't just call each other best friend; we truly were best friends and even now we can be best friends again. Real friends have two things in common: a compatible personality and a strong-willed character. The compatible personality is what starts the connection between two people. A strong-willed character at both ends is what maintains the connection. If those two ingredients are present in a friendship, the friendship is for real, It can pass the tests of time and long distance between one another and will never disappear | After 52 years of separation, they _ . | had a lot to talk on the phone | ['sent each other photographs of their family', 'they lived the same life', 'developed different personalities and hobbies'] |
Anyone who ever wondered why a dying plant, say, a freshly-cut red rose may appeal to a lady friend, might take some comfort in science, which once again offers us a reasonable answer to one of the world' s great mysteries.
Beyond a common preference in people for blue, "the long history of color preference studies has been described as 'confusing and contradictory '," write scientists Anya Hurlbert and Yazhu Ling of England' s Newcastle University, authors of a new study in the journal Current Biology. "This fact is perhaps surprising," they said, "though the popularity of the concept that little girls differ from boys in preferring pink."
But the scientists believe they have an answer to this scientific mystery, discovering women's preference for red, hidden above the average liking for blue.
In their study, the pair quickly flashed color cards, displaying many different aspects, at 208 volunteers, mostly Britishers but with a number of Han Chinese, who moved to the United Kingdom recently. Tested in three different experiments, the researchers found out a small but significant preference for reddish colors in the female volunteers.
Puzzled, the authors realized that most of the difference between men and women came in the form of a preference for green VS red in the color cards, regardless of the other slight differences such as the slightly blue ones that everyone liked. Why might this be?
Evolution might offer an answer, they reason. Human color perception , the assessment of three separate color types -- red -- green -- blue-- in our vision is a relatively recent addition to our line of mammals
Adding weight to their argument, they found the women who are most typically feminine on a psychological survey also had the biggest preference for reddish colors. "My love is like a red, red rose," wrote the Scottish poet Rober Burns in 1794. | The word "pair" in Para.4 refers to _ . | the two authors | ['boy and girl', 'research and result', 'pink and blue'] |
Children with autism have difficulty with social skills and communication. They often behave in restricted and repetitive ways and have what seem like abnormally intense interests.
Autism is more common in boys than girls. What causes it is not clear. Scientists are studying genes and possible environmental influences.
Doctors usually cannot confirm a diagnosis of autism until a child is about three years old. Rebecca Landa is a researcher at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland. Professor Landa wanted to find out what differences in development might be seen earlier. She led a new study that observed 235 babies between six and 36 months of age.
"At six months of age, the signs of some risk for developing communication and social delays, including autism, include motor delays. Like when you lay your baby on their back and you pull them by the arms gently into a seated position, the baby's head may nod back behind the shoulders, like poor head control. So that does not mean that the baby is going to have autism, but it does mean the baby needs to have some exercises to strengthen their body. And when they strengthen their body, they are better able to play with toys and engage with people, which then goes on to help them have better outcomes."
By the time a baby is one year old, signs of possible autism include difficulty in using words and not looking eye-to-eye or reaching out to other people. By 14 months, the baby might smile less and use language less. However, Professor Landa says these signs can be so small that they might be missed during a short health exam.
"It's important for parents to stay tuned into their children's development, and if a parent is concerned about a child's development, for professionals to listen to them."
The earlier parents notice delays, she says, the sooner they can begin doing simple things that may help improve their child's development. For example: talking to the child about what they are doing, commenting when the child shows them something, and playing simple games that keep the child's attention. | When a baby with signs of possible autism is a year and two months, he may _ . | hate to communicate with others | ['avoid eye contact', 'have difficulty in raising his head', 'develop bad manners'] |
Once upon a time when my father was in his teens, his father took him to the mosque to pray. My grandfather, it seems, had a habit of keeping his loose change in his shirt pocket. As they prayed side by side, during one of the prostrations , the coins fell down onto the carpet.
My grandfather did not notice it. However, a man seated nearby as well as my father noticed the incident. The man reacted fast and picked up the coins and went off into another corner of the mosque.
My father took everything in and as soon as my grandfather finished praying, he told him what had happened. My grandfather having heard just about what happened stopped my dad from telling him who took the money.
Then he went on to tell my dad the following. "If the man has chosen to steal in the mosque, then it must be because his life is too bad. We must not be quick to judge such people," he said.
Since they owned a grocery shop, my father was told by his father to make sure that every month he should make up a parcel of all the daily necessities required in a household and send it to that person without telling him who sent it.
Wouldn't this world be a better place to live in if we had such wisdom spreading within our society! | We can learn from the passage that _ . | the man who hid the coins was probably living a hard life | ['the author was stopped by his father from telling the truth', 'nobody but the man saw the coins in the mosque', "the man was thankful to the author's father for helping him"] |
The funny thing is , she will walk right under Lulu the shepherd mix without realizing that those four furry brown pillars she 's passing are supporting a dog . So long as she does n't look up and see that she is near a dog , she 's fine . I ' m pretty sure she achieved PSK mode about 800 times by noon today ; since then , she seems to have either worn herself out or begun to catch on to the fact that the dogs are just not worth getting your panties in a bunch about . | How might the cat discussed realzie they are near a dog | By hearing the dog | ['By ignoring everything in the room', 'None of the above choices .', 'By looking down and seeing them'] |
( K2Climb.net ) Every year , Everest draws attention from the entire world . Climbers scale the world 's tallest mountain virtually before an audience of millions , following the quests on their home computers . As Everest closes down , some time around the end of May , another drama unfolds . | What may happen before the month of May ? | A bunch of people went up a mountain . | ['Millions of people signed up online to scale a peak .', 'None of the above choices .', 'A mountain was closed down permanently .'] |