TASK DEFINITION: You are given a background paragraph that describes one or more causal or qualitative relationships such as a relationship in economics or a scientific law and a story that makes use of the concepts or the relationship described in the provided paragraph. You need to come up with a question about the story that requires an understanding of the relationship described in the background paragraph. The generated question should not be answerable without both the background and story. Write a question about the story that requires a relationship in the background paragraph to answer. Check whether your question requires both the background paragraph and the story to answer. If your question can be answered by only one of these, try to rewrite your question so that it requires both. Note that "flipping" a word in the question can give rise to a new question where the answer will be different from the original question. Often, "flipping" a word gives rise to flipping the direction of the relationship, for example, from "increase" to "decrease."
PROBLEM: Background Paragraph: Plants called epiphytes grow on other plants. They obtain moisture from the air and make food by photosynthesis. Most epiphytes are ferns or orchids that live in tropical or temperate rainforests (see Figure below ). Host trees provide support, allowing epiphyte plants to obtain air and sunlight high above the forest floor. Being elevated above the ground lets epiphytes get out of the shadows on the forest floor so they can get enough sunlight for photosynthesis. Being elevated may also reduce the risk of being eaten by herbivores and increase the chance of pollination by wind. 
Story: Hawk and Brunt were two colleagues studying about plants. Later on, Hawk got specialized in normal plants, while Brunt decided to learn more about epiphytes.

SOLUTION: Which colleague studied less about ferns?

PROBLEM: Background Paragraph: The water level is seasonal, being lowered by about 10 feet (3.0 m) over the winter. The reservoir fills in the spring from snow melt and underground springs. The lake is usually at full level by late spring, but in the occasional years of low snow melt and low rainfall, it may remain up to several feet below its typical level. Water is let out of the lake in the fall so that ice will not damage docks and other structures around the lake. This also leads to excellent water quality, as a significant portion of the water is replaced every year. 
Story: Bob has been wanting to go on vacation to the nearest lake in his area. He prefers to go to the lake when it is at it's highest level. He doesn't want to go during the summer, and has decided he must choose between the fall, and the spring for the best temperatures.

SOLUTION: Will the fall or the spring more than likely have a higher water level?

PROBLEM: Background Paragraph: Enzymes increase the rate of chemical reactions by reducing the amount of activation energy needed for reactants to start reacting. One way this can happen is modeled in the Figure below . Enzymes aren’t changed or used up in the reactions they catalyze, so they can be used to speed up the same reaction over and over again. Each enzyme is highly specific for the particular reaction is catalyzes, so enzymes are very effective. A reaction that would take many years to occur without its enzyme might occur in a split second with the enzyme. Enzymes are also very efficient, so waste products rarely form. 
Story: Two scientists, Cathy and Mark, are working on a  new project. They want to make a new polymer using two chemicals. Mark mixes the two chemicals together calling it batch A. After a week of waiting he has managed to create a new polymer. While he is happy about the result but he feels a week is way to long. Cathy has an idea. She decides to try adding an enzyme to the chemical mixture, calling this batch B, The mixture only takes seconds to form the new polymer and the enzyme she used is in tact floating on top of the now completed polymer. She decides to test even further and uses the left over enzyme on another batch of chemicals. The reaction occurs in seconds again and the same amount of enzyme is left floating on top of the polymer for her to use again in the next batch.

SOLUTION:
Which chemical mixture, batch A or batch B, create the polymer faster?