Answer: Skyfall

Question: What song was the Spectre theme comapred to unfavorably?


Answer: Shirley Bassey

Context: The song was released as a digital download on 25 September 2015. It received mixed reviews from critics and fans, particularly in comparison to Adele's "Skyfall". The mixed reception to the song led to Shirley Bassey trending on Twitter on the day it was released. It became the first Bond theme to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart. The English band Radiohead also composed a song for the film, which went unused.

Question: What former Bond theme singer was the subject of extensive activity on Twitter when the Spectre theme was released?


Answer: Radiohead

Question: What group wrote music for the film that ended up not being used?


Answer: Adele

Question: What artist performed the theme song for Skyfall?


Answer: Shirley Bassey

Question: The release of Writing's on the Wall caused what name to trend on Twitter?


Answer: Radiohead

Question: Which English band also composed a song for the film?


Answer: Aston Martin and Eon

Context: During the December 2014 press conference announcing the start of filming, Aston Martin and Eon unveiled the new DB10 as the official car for the film. The DB10 was designed in collaboration between Aston Martin and the filmmakers, with only 10 being produced especially for Spectre as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the company's association with the franchise. Only eight of those 10 were used for the film, however; the remaining two were used for promotional work. After modifying the Jaguar C-X75 for the film, Williams F1 carried the 007 logo on their cars at the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix, with the team playing host to the cast and crew ahead of the Mexican premiere of the film.

Question: Which companies revealed Spectre's official car?


Answer: 10

Question: How many DB10s were made for the movie?


Answer: Williams F1

Question: Which team displayed the Bond logo during the Mexican Grand Prix?


Answer: promotional work

Question: What were the two DB10s that were not needed for filming used for?


Answer: 10

Question: How many DB10's were produced?


Answer: 007

Question: What logo did the Williams race team have on their cars for the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix?


Answer: clapperboards

Context: To promote the film, production continued the trend established during Skyfall's production of releasing still images of clapperboards and video blogs on Eon's official social media accounts.

Question: Images of what item were posted by Eon while the movie was being made?


Answer: Skyfall

Question: For what film did Eon first use this method of promotion?


Answer: Eon's official social media accounts.

Question: On which social media accounts was the film promoted?


Answer: Skyfall

Question: What other Bond film was promoted on social media?


Answer: Comic Relief's Red Nose Day

Context: On 13 March 2015, several members of the cast and crew, including Craig, Whishaw, Wilson and Mendes, as well as previous James Bond actor, Sir Roger Moore, appeared in a sketch written by David Walliams and the Dawson Brothers for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day on BBC One. In the sketch, they film a behind-the-scenes mockumentary on the filming of Spectre. The first teaser trailer for Spectre was released worldwide in March 2015, followed by the theatrical trailer in July and the final trailer in October.

Question: What comedy production did Spectre actors appear in?


Answer: BBC One

Question: On what TV station did Red Nose Day appear?


Answer: July

Question: In what month was the preview of Spectre released in movie theaters?


Answer: March 2015

Question: When was the first teaser trailer of Spectre released?


Answer: Comic Relief's Red Nose Day

Question: What show did several members of the cast and crew appear on in March 2015?


Answer: David Walliams and the Dawson Brothers

Question: Who wrote the comedy sketch for the cast and crew?


Answer: Royal Albert Hall

Context: Spectre had its world premiere in London on 26 October 2015 at the Royal Albert Hall, the same day as its general release in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Following the announcement of the start of filming, Paramount Pictures brought forward the release of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation to avoid competing with Spectre. In March 2015 IMAX corporation announced that Spectre would be screened in its cinemas, following Skyfall's success with the company. In the UK it received a wider release than Skyfall, with a minimum of 647 cinemas including 40 IMAX screens, compared to Skyfall's 587 locations and 21 IMAX screens.

Question: Where was the first showing of Spectre held?


Answer: 26 October 2015

Question: On what date was Spectre first shown for general audiences?


Answer: Skyfall

Question: What movie prompted IMAX to show Spectre?


Answer: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

Question: What film opening was changed so it didn't compete with Spectre?


Answer: Spectre.

Question: Which film had a wider release in the UK, Skyfall or Spectre?


Answer: $879.3 million

Context: As of 21 February 2016[update] Spectre has grossed $879.3 million worldwide; $138.1 million of the takings have been generated from the UK market and $199.8 million from North America.

Question: How much money had Spectre made by 2/21/2016?


Answer: $199.8 million

Question: How much revenue did Spectre generate from the United States, Mexico and Canada by 2/21/2016?


Answer: $138.1 million

Question: How much revenue did Spectre produce from the British, Scottish, and Irish market by 2/21/2016?


Answer: £41.7 million ($63.8 million)

Context: In the United Kingdom, the film grossed £4.1 million ($6.4 million) from its Monday preview screenings. It grossed £6.3 million ($9.2 million) on its opening day and then £5.7 million ($8.8 million) on Wednesday, setting UK records for both days. In the film's first seven days it grossed £41.7 million ($63.8 million), breaking the UK record for highest first-week opening, set by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban's £23.88 million ($36.9 million) in 2004. Its Friday–Saturday gross was £20.4 million ($31.2 million) compared to Skyfall's £20.1 million ($31 million). The film also broke the record for the best per-screen opening average with $110,000, a record previously held by The Dark Knight with $100,200. It has grossed a total of $136.3 million there. In the U.K., it surpassed Avatar to become the country's highest-grossing IMAX release ever with $10.09 million.

Question: How much did Spectre make in its first week?


Answer: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Question: Which movie previously had the highest earnings for its first seven days?


Answer: Avatar

Question: What movie did Spectre unseat as having the highest earnings for IMAX screenings in the UK?


Answer: $9.2 million

Question: How much money did Spectre gross on it's opening day in the UK?


Answer: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Question: What film previously held the UK record for highest first week opening gross?


Answer: Avatar

Question: Spectre passed which movie to become the highest grossing IMAX release in the UK?


Answer: The Dark Knight

Question: Spectre passed which movie to have the largest per screen opening average?


Answer: Paris

Context: Spectre opened in Germany with $22.45 million (including previews), which included a new record for the biggest Saturday of all time, Australia with $8.7 million (including previews) and South Korea opened to $8.2 million (including previews). Despite the 13 November Paris attacks, which led to numerous theaters being closed down, the film opened with $14.6 million (including $2 million in previews) in France. In Mexico, where part of the film was shot, it debuted with more than double that of Skyfall with $4.5 million. It also bested its predecessor's opening in various Nordic regions where MGM is distributing, such as in Finland ($2.66 million) and Norway ($2.91 million), and in other markets like Denmark ($4.2 million), the Netherlands ($3.38 million), and Sweden ($3.1 million). In India, it opened at No. 1 with $4.8 million which is 4% above the opening of Skyfall. It topped the German-speaking Switzerland box office for four weeks and in the Netherlands, it has held the No. 1 spot for seven weeks straight where it has topped Minions to become the top movie of the year. The top earning markets are Germany ($70.3 million) and France ($38.8 million). In Paris, it has the second highest ticket sales of all time with $4.1 million tickets sold only behind Spider-Man 3 which sold over $6.32 million tickets in 2007.

Question: Terrorist activity in what French city impacted Spectre's earnings?


Answer: 4%

Question: How much more did Spectre earn compared with Skyfall in the Indian market?


Answer: Spider-Man 3

Question: In Paris, what movie has generated more ticket revenue than Spectre?


Answer: $8.2 million

Question: How much did Spectre make in its opening in South Korea?


Answer: Spider-Man 3

Question: What is the only film to have a higher ticket sale in Paris than Spectre?


Answer: Minions

Question: What movie did Spectre beat to become top movie of the year in Switzerland?


Answer: 374

Context: In the United States and Canada, the film opened on 6 November 2015, and in its opening weekend, was originally projected to gross $70–75 million from 3,927 screens, the widest release for a Bond film. However, after grossing $5.25 million from its early Thursday night showings and $28 million on its opening day, weekend projections were increased to $75–80 million. The film ended up grossing $70.4 million in its opening weekend (about $20 million less than Skyfall's $90.6 million debut, including IMAX previews), but nevertheless finished first at the box office. IMAX generated $9.1 million for Spectre at 374 screens, premium large format made $8 million from 429 cinemas, reaping 11% of the film's opening, which means that Spectre earned $17.1 million (23%) of its opening weekend total in large-format venues. Cinemark XD generated $1.85 million in 112 XD locations.

Question: How many Imax screens showed Spectre on its opening weekend in the US and Canada?


Answer: $70.4 million

Question: How much money did Spectre make in its first weekend in the US and Canada?


Answer: $5.25

Question: How much money did preview showings generate in the US and Canada?


Answer: Skyfall

Question: Which film grossed more money for its opening weekend in the North American market, Skyfall or Spectre?


Answer: 374

Question: How many IMAX screens was Spectre shown on in North America?


Answer: Thursday

Question: What day of the week was Spectre released in North America?


Answer: 12 November

Context: In China, it opened on 12 November and earned $15 million on its opening day, which is the second biggest 2D single day gross for a Hollywood film behind the $18.5 million opening day of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and occupying 43% of all available screens which included $790,000 in advance night screenings. Through its opening weekend, it earned $48.1 million from 14,700 screens which is 198% ahead of Skyfall, a new record for a Hollywood 2D opening. IMAX contributed $4.6 million on 246 screens, also a new record for a three-day opening for a November release (breaking Interstellar's record). In its second weekend, it added $12.1 million falling precipitously by 75% which is the second worst second weekend drop for any major Hollywood release in China of 2015. It grossed a total of $84.7 million there after four weekends. Albeit a strong opening it failed to attain the $100 million mark as projected.

Question: On what day and month was Spectre released to the Chinese market?


Answer: 198%

Question: How much more money did Spectre make during its first weekend in China than Skyfall?


Answer: 75%

Question: By the weekend after its China release, how much had revenue decreased?


Answer: $84.7 million

Question: How much had Spectre made in its first month in China?


Answer: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

Question: Spectre came in second in opening day gross in China behind what movie?


Answer: $84.7 million

Question: How much money did Spectre gross after four weekends in China?


Answer: 60 out of 100

Context: Spectre has received mixed reviews, with many reviewers either giving the film highly positive or highly negative feedback. Many critics praised the film's opening scene, action sequences, stuntwork, cinematography and performances from the cast. In some early reviews, the film received favourable comparisons with its predecessor, Skyfall. Rotten Tomatoes sampled 274 reviews and judged 64% of the critiques to be positive, saying that the film "nudges Daniel Craig's rebooted Bond closer to the glorious, action-driven spectacle of earlier entries, although it's admittedly reliant on established 007 formula." On Metacritic, the film has a rating of 60 out of 100, based on 48 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.

Question: What was Metacritics score for Spectre?


Answer: 48

Question: How many individual ratings contributed to Metacritics score?


Answer: 64%

Question: What percentage of Spectre reviews did Rotten Tomatoes find to be in favor of the film?


Answer: Audiences

Question: Who did CinemaScore ask for input on the film?


Answer: 64

Question: What percentage of review on Rotten Tomatoes were positive?


Answer: 60 out of 100

Question: What was the movie's rating on Metacritic?


Answer: Robbie Collin

Context: Prior to its UK release, Spectre mostly received positive reviews. Mark Kermode, writing in The Guardian, gave the film four out of five stars, observing that the film did not live up to the standard set by Skyfall, but was able to tap into audience expectations. Writing in the same publication, Peter Bradshaw gave the film a full five stars, calling it "inventive, intelligent and complex", and singling out Craig's performance as the film's highlight. In another five star review, The Daily Telegraph's Robbie Collin described Spectre as "a swaggering show of confidence'", lauding it as "a feat of pure cinematic necromancy." In an otherwise positive, but overall less enthusiastic review, IGN's Chris Tilly considered Spectre "solid if unspectacular", and gave the film a 7.2 score (out of a possible 10), saying that "the film falls frustratingly short of greatness."

Question: Who gave Spectre a perfect rating in The Daily Telegraph?


Answer: IGN

Question: A writer for which publication rated the film 7.2/10?


Answer: four out of five stars

Question: What score did Mark Kermode give Spectre?


Answer: four out of five

Question: How many stars did Mark Kermode of the Guardian aware Spectre prior to its release?


Answer: Scott Mendelson

Context: Critical appraisal of the film was mixed in the United States. In a lukewarm review for RogerEbert.com, Matt Zoller Seitz gave the film 2.5 stars out of 4, describing Spectre as inconsistent and unable to capitalise on its potential. Kenneth Turan, reviewing the film for Los Angeles Times, concluded that Spectre "comes off as exhausted and uninspired". Manohla Dargis of The New York Times panned the film as having "nothing surprising" and sacrificing its originality for the sake of box office returns. Forbes' Scott Mendelson also heavily criticised the film, denouncing Spectre as "the worst 007 movie in 30 years". Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly viewed Spectre as "an overreaction to our current blockbuster moment", aspiring "to be a serialized sequel" and proving "itself as a Saga". While noting that "[n]othing that happens in Spectre holds up to even minor logical scrutiny", he had "come not to bury Spectre, but to weirdly praise it. Because the final act of the movie is so strange, so willfully obtuse, that it deserves extra attention." In a positive review Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4, describing "The 24th movie about the British MI6 agent with a license to kill is party time for Bond fans, a fierce, funny, gorgeously produced valentine to the longest-running franchise in movies". Other positive reviews from Mick LaSalle from the San Francisco Chronicle, gave it a perfect 100 score, stating: “One of the great satisfactions of Spectre is that, in addition to all the stirring action, and all the timely references to a secret organization out to steal everyone’s personal information, we get to believe in Bond as a person.” Stephen Whitty from the New York Daily News, gave it an 80 grade, saying: “Craig is cruelly efficient. Dave Bautista makes a good, Oddjob-like assassin. And while Lea Seydoux doesn’t leave a huge impression as this film’s “Bond girl,” perhaps it’s because we’ve already met — far too briefly — the hypnotic Monica Bellucci, as the first real “Bond woman” since Diana Rigg.” Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times, gave it a 75 grade. He stated: “This is the 24th Bond film and it ranks solidly in the middle of the all-time rankings, which means it’s still a slick, beautifully photographed, action-packed, international thriller with a number of wonderfully, ludicrously entertaining set pieces, a sprinkling of dry wit, myriad gorgeous women and a classic psycho-villain who is clearly out of his mind but seems to like it that way.” Michael Phillips over at the Chicago Tribune, gave it a 75 grade. He stated: “For all its workmanlike devotion to out-of-control helicopters, “Spectre” works best when everyone’s on the ground, doing his or her job, driving expensive fast cars heedlessly, detonating the occasional wisecrack, enjoying themselves and their beautiful clothes.” Guy Lodge from Variety, gave it a 70 score, stating: “What’s missing is the unexpected emotional urgency of “Skyfall,” as the film sustains its predecessor’s nostalgia kick with a less sentimental bent.”

Question: Which journalist considered Spectre the worst James Bond movie in three decades?


Answer: Mick LaSalle

Question: Which writer for the San Francisco Chronicle awarded Spectre with a perfect score?


Answer: 75

Question: What score did the writer from the Chicago Tribune give to Spectre?


Answer: Skyfall

Question: The reviewer from Variety compares Spectre to which other Bond movie?


Answer: Christopher Orr

Context: Christopher Orr, writing in The Atlantic, also criticised the film, saying that Spectre "backslides on virtually every [aspect]". Lawrence Toppman of The Charlotte Observer called Craig's performance "Bored, James Bored." Alyssa Rosenberg, writing for The Washington Post, stated that the film turned into "a disappointingly conventional Bond film."

Question: Which Atlantic writer gave a negative review of Spectre?


Answer: Bored

Question: What adjective did Lawrence Toppman use to describe Craig's portrayal of James Bond?


Answer: The Washington Post

Question: What publication does Alyssa Rosenberg write for?


Answer: Bored, James Bored

Question: What was the catch phrase Lawrence Toppman of the Charlotte Observer used for the film?


Answer: Indian Central Board of Film Certification

Context: In India, it was reported that the Indian Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) censored kissing scenes featuring Monica Bellucci, Daniel Craig, and Léa Seydoux. They also muted all profanity. This prompted criticism of the board online, especially on Twitter.

Question: Whic organization is responsible for filtering movie content in India?


Answer: Twitter.

Question: Which social media site was used for complaining about the Indian censoring?


Answer: Craig

Context: A sequel to Spectre will begin development in spring 2016. Sam Mendes has stated he will not return to direct the next 007 film. Christoph Waltz has signed on for two more films in the series, but his return depends on whether or not Craig will again portray Bond.

Question: Christoph Waltz's appearance in future Bond movies is contingent on the appearance of which other actor?


Answer: spring 2016

Question: When will work being on the follow-up to Spectre?


Answer: spring 2016.

Question: When will the sequel to Spectre being development?


Answer: 2008

Context: The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan earthquake, measured at 8.0 Ms and 7.9 Mw, and occurred at 02:28:01 PM China Standard Time at epicenter (06:28:01 UTC) on May 12 in Sichuan province, killed 69,197 people and left 18,222 missing.

Question: In what year did the earthquake in Sichuan occur?


Answer: the Great Sichuan earthquake

Question: What was the earthquake named?


Answer: 69,197

Question: How many people were killed as a result?


Answer: 2008

Question: What year did the Sichuan earthquake take place?


Answer: 8.0 Ms and 7.9 Mw

Question: What did the quake measure?


Answer: May 12

Question: What day did the earthquake occur?


Answer: 02:28:01 PM China Standard Time

Question: What time of the day did the quake happen?


Answer: 69,197

Question: How many people died?


Answer: Beijing and Shanghai

Context: It is also known as the Wenchuan earthquake (Chinese: 汶川大地震; pinyin: Wènchuān dà dìzhèn; literally: "Great Wenchuan earthquake"), after the location of the earthquake's epicenter, Wenchuan County, Sichuan. The epicenter was 80 kilometres (50 mi) west-northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital, with a focal depth of 19 km (12 mi). The earthquake was also felt in nearby countries and as far away as both Beijing and Shanghai—1,500 km (930 mi) and 1,700 km (1,060 mi) away—where office buildings swayed with the tremor. Strong aftershocks, some exceeding magnitude 6, continued to hit the area even months after the main quake, causing new casualties and damage.

Question: Which far away cities in other countries could feel the earthquake?


Answer: 19 km

Question: What was the focal depth of the earthquake?


Answer: months after

Question: How long after the earthquake were aftershocks felt?


Answer: the Wenchuan earthquake

Question: What is another name for the earthquake in Sichuan?


Answer: Wenchuan County, Sichuan

Question: Where was the epicenter of the earthquake?


Answer: 80 kilometres

Question: How far was it from Chengdu?


Answer: 19 km

Question: What was the focal depth of the quake?


Answer: 69,197

Context: Official figures (as of July 21, 2008 12:00 CST) stated that 69,197 were confirmed dead, including 68,636 in Sichuan province, and 374,176 injured, with 18,222 listed as missing. The earthquake left about 4.8 million people homeless, though the number could be as high as 11 million. Approximately 15 million people lived in the affected area. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed at least 240,000 people, and the strongest in the country since the 1950 Chayu earthquake, which registered at 8.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. It is the 21st deadliest earthquake of all time. On November 6, 2008, the central government announced that it would spend 1 trillion RMB (about US $146.5 billion) over the next three years to rebuild areas ravaged by the earthquake, as part of the Chinese economic stimulus program.

Question: How many people were confirmed dead?


Answer: 68,636

Question: How many people were confirmed dead only in the Sichuan province?


Answer: 4.8 million

Question: How many people were left homeless because of the earthquake?


Answer: 15 million

Question: How many people lived in the affected area?


Answer: 1 trillion RMB

Question: How much money was dedicated to rebuild ravaged areas?


Answer: 68,636

Question: How many people died in Sichuan Province?


Answer: 374,176

Question: How many were injured in Sichuan?


Answer: 18,222

Question: How many people are listed as missing?


Answer: 4.8 million

Question: How many people are homeless because of the quake?


Answer: 11 million

Question: How high could the homeless number possibly go?


Answer: Wenchuan County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture

Context: The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.0 Ms and 7.9 Mw. The epicenter was in Wenchuan County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, 80 km west/northwest of the provincial capital of Chengdu, with its main tremor occurring at 14:28:01.42 China Standard Time (06:28:01.42 UTC), on May 12, 2008 lasting for around 2 minutes, in the quake almost 80% of buildings were destroyed.

Question: Where was the epicenter?


Answer: 2 minutes

Question: How long did the earthquake last?


Answer: 80%

Question: What percentage of buildings were destroyed?


Answer: 8.0 Ms and 7.9 Mw

Question: What was the magnitude of the earthquake?


Answer: 2 minutes

Question: How long did the main tremor last?


Answer: almost 80%

Question: What percentage of buildings were destroyed during the quake?


Answer: Longmenshan fault

Context: According to a study by the China Earthquake Administration (CEA), the earthquake occurred along the Longmenshan fault, a thrust structure along the border of the Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate. Seismic activities concentrated on its mid-fracture (known as Yingxiu-Beichuan fracture). The rupture lasted close to 120 sec, with the majority of energy released in the first 80 sec. Starting from Wenchuan, the rupture propagated at an average speed of 3.1 kilometers per second 49° toward north east, rupturing a total of about 300 km. Maximum displacement amounted to 9 meters. The focus was deeper than 10 km.

Question: On what fault did the earthquake occur?


Answer: along the border of the Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate

Question: Where is the Longmenshan fault located?


Answer: 120 sec

Question: How long did the rupture last?


Answer: 10 km

Question: How deep was the focus of the earthquake?


Answer: Longmenshan fault

Question: Along what fault line did the quake happen?


Answer: Yingxiu-Beichuan fracture

Question: On which fracture did the quake focus?


Answer: first 80 sec.

Question: When wasmost of the energy released during the initial eruption?


Answer: 9 meters

Question: What was the most displacement caused by the earthquake?


Answer: April 30, 2008

Context: Malaysia-based Yazhou Zhoukan conducted an interview with former researcher at the China Seismological Bureau Geng Qingguo (耿庆国), in which Geng claimed that a confidential written report was sent to the State Seismological Bureau on April 30, 2008, warning about the possible occurrence of a significant earthquake in Ngawa Prefecture region of Sichuan around May 8, with a range of 10 days before or after the quake. Geng, while acknowledging that earthquake prediction was broadly considered problematic by the scientific community, believed that "the bigger the earthquake, the easier it is to predict." Geng had long attempted to establish a correlation between the occurrence of droughts and earthquakes; Premier Zhou Enlai reportedly took an interest in Geng's work. Geng's drought-earthquake correlation theory was first released in 1972, and said to have successfully predicted the 1975 Haicheng and 1976 Tangshan earthquakes. The same Yazhou Zhoukan article pointed out the inherent difficulties associated with predicting earthquakes. In response, an official with the Seismological Bureau stated that "earthquake prediction is widely acknowledged around the world to be difficult from a scientific standpoint." The official also denied that the Seismological Bureau had received reports predicting the earthquake.

Question: When was the confidential written report sent to the State Seismological Bureau?


Answer: 1972

Question: When was Geng's drought-earthquake correlation theory released?


Answer: written report

Question: What did researcher Geng Qingguo say was sent to the State Seismological Bureau?


Answer: significant earthquake in Ngawa Prefecture

Question: What did this report warn about?


Answer: around May 8

Question: What was the predicted time of the quake?


Answer: droughts

Question: What did Geng long try to establish as a relationship with earthquakes?


Answer: reports predicting the earthquake

Question: What did an official with the Seismological Bureau deny receiving?


Answer: up to 9 meters

Context: In a United States Geological Survey (USGS) study, preliminary rupture models of the earthquake indicated displacement of up to 9 meters along a fault approximately 240 km long by 20 km deep. The earthquake generated deformations of the surface greater than 3 meters and increased the stress (and probability of occurrence of future events) at the northeastern and southwestern ends of the fault. On May 20, USGS seismologist Tom Parsons warned that there is "high risk" of a major M>7 aftershock over the next weeks or months.

Question: How large was the displacement?


Answer: Tom Parsons

Question: Who warned of possible seismic activity in the area beforehand?


Answer: 9 meters

Question: What did the United States Geological Survey show as the amount of displacement?


Answer: 240 km long

Question: How long was the fault where the quake occurred?


Answer: 20 km deep

Question: How deep is the fault?


Answer: northeastern and southwestern ends

Question: Where on the fault is the possibility of future earthquakes increased?


Answer: high risk

Question: What did Tom Parsons consider as the risk factor for strong future quakes?


Answer: 6,000 people

Context: Japanese seismologist Yuji Yagi at the University of Tsukuba said that the earthquake occurred in two stages: "The 155-mile Longmenshan Fault tore in two sections, the first one ripping about seven yards, followed by a second one that sheared four yards." His data also showed that the earthquake lasted about two minutes and released 30 times the energy of the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 in Japan, which killed over 6,000 people. He pointed out that the shallowness of the epicenter and the density of population greatly increased the severity of the earthquake. Teruyuki Kato, a seismologist at the University of Tokyo, said that the seismic waves of the quake traveled a long distance without losing their power because of the firmness of the terrain in central China. According to reports from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, the earthquake tremors lasted for "about two or three minutes".

Question: How many people were killed in the Hanshin earthquake?


Answer: in two stages

Question: How did Yuji Yagi say the quake happened?


Answer: Longmenshan Fault

Question: What fault tore in two places?


Answer: shallowness of the epicenter

Question: Besides the population density, what else contributed to the severity of the quake?


Answer: 30 times

Question: How much greater was the energy of this quake than that released in the earthquake of 1995 in Japan?


Answer: firmness of the terrain

Question: Why did the seismic waves travel so far?


Answer: Between 64 and 104

Context: Between 64 and 104 major aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4.0 to 6.1, were recorded within 72 hours of the main quake. According to Chinese official counts, "by 12:00 CST, November 6, 2008 there had been 42,719 total aftershocks, of which 246 ranged from 4.0 MS to 4.9 MS, 34 from 5.0 MS to 5.9 MS, and 8 from 6.0 Ms to 6.4 MS; the strongest aftershock measured 6.4 MS." The latest aftershock exceeding M6 occurred on August 5, 2008.

Question: How many aftershocks were there?


Answer: within 72 hours of the main quake.

Question: When were the aftershocks recorded?


Answer: on August 5, 2008

Question: When did the latest magnitude 6 aftershock occur?


Answer: Between 64 and 104

Question: How many aftershocks were there within 72 hours?


Answer: 42,719

Question: What do the Chinese say is the total number of shocks after the quake?


Answer: 6.4 MS

Question: What did the strongest aftershock measure?


Answer: 246

Question: How many shocks ranged from 4.0 MS to 4.9 MS?


Answer: August 5, 2008

Question: At what date did the most recent aftershock above 6 MS occur?


Answer: August 30, 2008

Context: (The Ms 6.1 earthquake on August 30, 2008 in southern Sichuan was not part of this series because it was caused by a different fault. See 2008 Panzhihua earthquake for details.)

Question: When did this earthquake occur?


Answer: southern Sichuan

Question: Where did this earthquake occur?


Answer: because it was caused by a different fault.

Question: Why was it not included in the series?


Answer: 2008 Panzhihua earthquake

Question: Where should you look for more details?


Answer: southern Sichuan

Question: Where was the August 30, 2008 quake?


Answer: Ms 6.1

Question: What was the magnitude of the southern Sichuan quake?


Answer: Panzhihua earthquake

Question: What earthquake happened in southern Sichuan?


Answer: CEA

Context: The map of earthquake intensity published by CEA after surveying 500,000 km2 of the affected area shows a maximum liedu of XI on the China Seismic Intensity Scale (CSIS), described as "very destructive" on the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS) from which CSIS drew reference. (USGS, using the Modified Mercalli intensity scale (CC), also placed maximum intensity at XI, "very disastrous".) Two south-west-north-east stripes of liedu XI are centered around Yingxiu, Wenchuan (the town closest to the epicenter of the main quake) and Beichuan (the town repeatedly struck by strong aftershocks including one registering MS 6.1 on Aug 1, 2008), both in Sichuan Province, occupying a total of 2,419 km2. The Yingxiu liedu-XI zone is about 66 km long and 20 km wide along Wenchuan–Dujiangyan–Pengzhou; the Beichuan liedu-XI zone is about 82 km long and 15 km wide along An County–Beichuan–Pingwu. The area with liedu X (comparable to X on EMS, "destructive" and X on MM, "disastrous") spans 3,144 km2. The area affected by earthquakes exceeding liedu VI totals 440,442 km2, occupying an oval 936 km long and 596 km wide, spanning three provinces and one autonomous region.

Question: Who published the map of the earthquakes intensity?


Answer: XI

Question: What was the intensity scaled at?


Answer: very destructive

Question: What does the China Seismic Intensity Scale call the earthquake?


Answer: very disastrous

Question: How did the USGS rate the earthquake?


Answer: Yingxiu, Wenchuan

Question: What town was closest to the main epicenter?


Answer: the eastern border of the Tibetan Plateau

Context: The Longmen Shan Fault System is situated in the eastern border of the Tibetan Plateau and contains several faults. This earthquake ruptured at least two imbricate structures in Longmen Shan Fault System, i.e. the Beichuan Fault and the Guanxian–Anxian Fault. In the epicentral area, the average slip in Beichuan Fault was about 3.5 metres (11 ft) vertical, 3.5 metres (11 ft) horizontal-parallel to the fault, and 4.8 metres (16 ft) horizontal-perpendicular to the fault. In the area about 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of the epicenter, the surface slip on Beichuan Fault was almost purely dextral strike-slip up to about 3 metres (9.8 ft), while the average slip in Guanxian–Anxian Fault was about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) vertical and 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in) horizontal.

Question: Where is the Longmenshan Fault located?


Answer: 3.5 metres

Question: What is the average slip in the Beichuan Fault?


Answer: 3 metres

Question: How large was the slip 30 km northeast of the fault?


Answer: 2 metres

Question: What was the vertical average slip on the Guanxian-Anxian fault?


Answer: 2.3 metres

Question: What was the horizontal average slip on the Guanxian-Anxian fault?


Answer: Tibetan Plateau

Question: Where is the Longmen shan fault located?


Answer: Longmen Shan Fault System

Question: Where are the Beichuan and Guanxian-Anxian Faults?


Answer: 3.5 metres

Question: What was the average vertical slip in the Beichaun Fault?


Answer: 3.5 metres

Question: What was the horizontal slippage in the Beichuan Fault at the epicenter?


Answer: 4.8 metres

Question: What was the horizontal slippage perpendicular to the fault?


Answer: Shanghai's financial district

Context: Office buildings in Shanghai's financial district, including the Jin Mao Tower and the Hong Kong New World Tower, were evacuated. A receptionist at the Tibet Hotel in Chengdu said things were "calm" after the hotel evacuated its guests. Meanwhile, workers at a Ford plant in Sichuan were evacuated for about 10 minutes. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport was shut down, and the control tower and regional radar control evacuated. One SilkAir flight was diverted and landed in Kunming as a result. Cathay Pacific delayed both legs of its quadruple daily Hong Kong to London route due to this disruption in air traffic services. Chengdu Shuangliu Airport reopened later on the evening of May 12, offering limited service as the airport began to be used as a staging area for relief operations.

Question: Where were office buildings evacuated?


Answer: calm

Question: How did a receptionist describe the atmosphere after the evacuation?


Answer: 10 minutes

Question: How long were workers in Ford Plant evacuated for?


Answer: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Question: Which airport was shut down?


Answer: May 12

Question: When did the airport re-open?


Answer: evacuated

Question: What happened to office buildings in Shanghai?


Answer: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Question: Which airport was shut down?


Answer: disruption in air traffic services

Question: Why were flights delayed and diverted?


Answer: relief operations

Question: What were they using the airport to stage for?


Answer: in Chengdu

Context: Reporters in Chengdu said they saw cracks on walls of some residential buildings in the downtown areas, but no buildings collapsed. Many Beijing office towers were evacuated, including the building housing the media offices for the organizers of the 2008 Summer Olympics. None of the Olympic venues were damaged. Meanwhile, a cargo train carrying 13 petrol tanks derailed in Hui County, Gansu, and caught on fire after the rail was distorted.

Question: Where did the reporters say they saw cracks on walls of some buildings?


Answer: Beijing

Question: Where were office towers evacuated?


Answer: Hui County, Gansu

Question: Where did a cargo train derail as a result?


Answer: caught on fire

Question: What happened to the cargo train?


Answer: cracks on walls

Question: What was reported in Chengdu?


Answer: office towers

Question: What was evacuated in Beijing?


Answer: venues

Question: What part of the Olympic area was not damaged?


Answer: Hui County, Gansu

Question: Where did a cargo train derail?


Answer: rail was distorted

Question: Why did the train catch fire?


Answer: All of the highways

Context: All of the highways into Wenchuan, and others throughout the province, were damaged, resulting in delayed arrival of the rescue troops. In Beichuan County, 80% of the buildings collapsed according to Xinhua News. In the city of Shifang, the collapse of two chemical plants led to leakage of some 80 tons of liquid ammonia, with hundreds of people reported buried. In the city of Dujiangyan, south-east of the epicenter, a whole school collapsed with 900 students buried and fewer than 60 survived. The Juyuan Middle School, where many teenagers were buried, was excavated by civilians and cranes. Dujiangyan is home of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, an ancient water diversion project which is still in use and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The project's famous Fish Mouth was cracked but not severely damaged otherwise.

Question: How many highways leading into Wenchuan were damaged?


Answer: 80%

Question: What percentage of building collapsed in Beichuan?


Answer: Dujiangyan

Question: Where did two chemical plants collapse?


Answer: 60

Question: How many students out of the 900 in the school, survived the collapse?


Answer: All of the highways

Question: What highways into Wenchuan were damaged?


Answer: delayed arrival

Question: What did the damaged roadways cause to the rescue operations?


Answer: 80%

Question: How many of the buildings in Beichuan collapsed?


Answer: two chemical plants

Question: What leaked liquid ammonia in Shifang?


Answer: fewer than 60

Question: How many of the 900 students buried in a Dujiangyan school collapse survived?


Answer: southwestern China

Context: Both the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange suspended trading of companies based in southwestern China. Copper rose over speculations that production in southwestern China may be affected, and oil prices dropped over speculations that demand from China would fall.

Question: Where were the exchanges based?


Answer: Copper

Question: What metal rose in value?


Answer: oil

Question: What natural resource dropped in value?


Answer: suspended trading

Question: What did the Shanghai Stock Exchange do?


Answer: southwestern China

Question: Where were companies located that had their stock trading suspended?


Answer: Copper

Question: What metal rose due to speculation?


Answer: Shenzhen Stock Exchange

Question: Besides the Shanghai Stock Exchange, what other exchange suspended trading of southwestern China stock?


Answer: mobile and terrestrial

Context: Immediately after the earthquake event, mobile and terrestrial telecommunications were cut to the affected and surrounding area, with all internet capabilities cut to the Sichuan area too. Elements of telecommunications were restored by the government piece by piece over the next number of months as the situation in the Sichuan province gradually improved. Eventually, a handful of major news and media websites were made accessible online in the region, albeit with dramatically pared back webpages.

Question: What kinds of telecommunications were cut?


Answer: internet

Question: What capabilities were cut to the entire Sichuan area?


Answer: months

Question: How long did it take for these capabilities to be restored?


Answer: telecommunications

Question: What was cut after the earthquake?


Answer: Sichuan area

Question: Where were the internet cut?


Answer: the government

Question: Who restored communications over a period of months?


Answer: news and media websites

Question: What internet services were decreased in the area?


Answer: major news and media

Question: What services were finally online again?


Answer: 2,300

Context: China Mobile had more than 2,300 base stations suspended due to power disruption or severe telecommunication traffic congestion. Half of the wireless communications were lost in the Sichuan province. China Unicom's service in Wenchuan and four nearby counties was cut off, with more than 700 towers suspended.

Question: How many base stations did China Mobile have suspended?


Answer: more than 700

Question: How many Unicom towers were suspended?


Answer: 2,300

Question: How many China Mobile base stations stopped working?


Answer: traffic congestion

Question: Besides power disruption, what caused telecommunications to be suspended?


Answer: Half

Question: How many wireless communications failed in Sichuan?


Answer: China Unicom

Question: Whose service in Wenchuan was cut off?


Answer: 700

Question: How many of China Unicom's towers were cut?


Answer: the Wolong National Nature Reserve

Context: Initially, officials were unable to contact the Wolong National Nature Reserve, home to around 280 giant pandas. However, the Foreign Ministry later said that a group of 31 British tourists visiting the Wolong Panda Reserve in the quake-hit area returned safe and uninjured to Chengdu. Nonetheless, the well-being of an even greater number of pandas in the neighbouring panda reserves remained unknown. Five security guards at the reserve were killed by the earthquake. Six pandas escaped after their enclosures were damaged. By May 20, two pandas at the reserve were found to be injured, while the search continued for another two adult pandas that went missing after the quake. By May 28, 2008, one panda was still missing. The missing panda was later found dead under the rubble of an enclosure. Nine-year-old Mao Mao, a mother of five at the breeding center, was discovered on Monday, her body crushed by a wall in her enclosure. Panda keepers and other workers placed her remains in a small wooden crate and buried her outside the breeding centre.

Question: What place could officials not contact?


Answer: around 280

Question: How many pandas live at the Reserve?


Answer: 31

Question: How many British visitors to the Reserve left unharmed?


Answer: 2

Question: How many pandas were injured?


Answer: Wolong National Nature Reserve

Question: What nature center was cutoff?


Answer: Six

Question: How many pandas escaped the reserve?


Answer: five

Question: How many security guards died at the reserve?


Answer: Mao Mao

Question: What famous panda was killed under the rubble?


Answer: Hydropower Plant

Context: The Zipingpu Hydropower Plant (simplified Chinese: 紫坪铺水库; traditional Chinese: 紫坪鋪水庫) located 20 km east of the epicenter was damaged. A recent inspection indicated that the damage was less severe than initially feared, and it remains structurally stable and safe. The Tulong reservoir upstream is in danger of collapse. About 2,000 troops have been allocated to Zipingpu, trying to release the pressure through spillway. In total, 391 dams, most of them small, were reported damaged by the quake.

Question: What power plant was damaged?


Answer: 20 km east

Question: How far away was the plant located from the epicenter?


Answer: 2,000

Question: How many troops were allocated to Zipingpu?


Answer: 391

Question: How many dams were damaged?


Answer: Zipingpu Hydropower Plant

Question: What power plant was damaged by the earthquake?


Answer: 20 km

Question: How near to the epicenter was the power plant?


Answer: less severe

Question: What has a recent inspection found about the damage to the power plant?


Answer: Tulong reservoir

Question: What might possibly collapse upstream from the power plant?


Answer: 391

Question: What is the total number of dams damaged?


Answer: 69,180

Context: According to Chinese state officials, the quake caused 69,180 known deaths including 68,636 in Sichuan province; 18,498 people are listed as missing, and 374,176 injured, but these figures may further increase as more reports come in.[dated info] This estimate includes 158 earthquake relief workers who were killed in landslides as they tried to repair roads.

Question: How many deaths were reported?


Answer: 68,636

Question: How many deaths were reported only in the Sichuan province?


Answer: 18,498

Question: How many people were listed as missing?


Answer: 374,176

Question: How many people were injured?


Answer: 158

Question: How many earthquake relief workers were killed?


Answer: 68,636

Question: How many died in Sichuan?


Answer: 69,180

Question: What is the total tally of known deaths caused by the earthquake?


Answer: 18,498

Question: What is the number of missing persons?


Answer: 374,176

Question: How many people were injured?


Answer: tried to repair roads

Question: What were the 158 relief workers doing when they were killed?


Answer: 2,300

Context: One rescue team reported only 2,300 survivors from the town of Yingxiu in Wenchuan County, out of a total population of about 9,000. 3,000 to 5,000 people were killed in Beichuan County, Sichuan alone; in the same location, 10,000 people were injured and 80% of the buildings were destroyed. The old county seat of Beichuan was abandoned and preserved as part of the Beichuan Earthquake Museum. Eight schools were toppled in Dujiangyan. A 56-year-old was killed in Dujiangyan during a rescue attempt on the Lingyanshan Ropeway, where due to the earthquake 11 tourists from Taiwan had been trapped inside cable cars since May 13. A 4-year-old boy named Zhu Shaowei (traditional Chinese: 朱紹維; simplified Chinese: 朱绍维; pinyin: Zhū Shàowéi) was also killed in Mianzhu City when a house collapsed on him and another was reported missing.

Question: How many survivors were there from Yingxiu?


Answer: in Wenchuan

Question: Where is Yingxiu located?


Answer: 9,000

Question: How many people in total lived in Yingxiu?


Answer: 3,000 to 5,000

Question: How many people were killed in Beichuan County?


Answer: 10,000

Question: How many people were injured in Beichuan County?


Answer: 2,300

Question: How many survivors were there in the town of Yingxiu?


Answer: about 9,000

Question: What was the previous population of Yingxiu?


Answer: 3,000 to 5,000

Question: How many residents were killed in Beichuan County?


Answer: 10,000

Question: How large was the number of injured in Beichuan County?


Answer: Eight schools

Question: What is the number of schools that collapsed in Dujiangyan?


Answer: Health care

Context: Experts point out that the earthquake hit an area that has been largely neglected and untouched by China's economic rise. Health care is poor in inland areas such as Sichuan, highlighting the widening gap between prosperous urban dwellers and struggling rural people. Vice Minister of Health Gao Qiang told reporters in Beijing that the "public health care system in China is insufficient." The Vice Minister of Health also suggested that the government would pick up the costs of care to earthquake victims, many of whom have little or no insurance: "The government should be responsible for providing medical treatment to them," he said.

Question: What is poor about inland areas such as Sichuan?


Answer: Gao Qiang

Question: Who was the Vice Minister of Health?


Answer: public health care system in China is insufficient

Question: What did Gao Qiang tell reporters in Beijing?


Answer: neglected and untouched

Question: How economically forward has this area been?


Answer: inland areas

Question: Where is health care poor in China?


Answer: insufficient

Question: What did the Vice Minster of Health call the public health system in China?


Answer: medical treatment

Question: What should the government of China be responsible for providing to earthquake survivors?


Answer: thousands

Context: In terms of school casualties, thousands of school children died due to shoddy construction. In Mianyang City, seven schools collapsed, burying at least 1,700 people. At least 7,000 school buildings throughout the province collapsed. Another 700 students were buried in a school in Hanwang. At least 600 students and staff died at Juyuan Elementary School. Up to 1,300 children and teachers died at Beichuan Middle School.

Question: How many school children died due to shoddy construction?


Answer: seven

Question: How many schools collapsed in Mianyang City?


Answer: 1,700

Question: How many people were buried in the collapsed schools?


Answer: 7,000

Question: How many school buildings collapsed in the province?


Answer: 700

Question: How many students were buried in a school in Hanwang?


Answer: shoddy construction

Question: What caused the deaths of many school children?


Answer: seven

Question: How many schools collapsed in Mianyang City


Answer: 1,700

Question: How many people were buried under rubble in Mianyang City?


Answer: 7,000

Question: How many school buildings fell in the entire province?


Answer: 600

Question: How many were killed at the Juyuan Elementary School?


Answer: December 2008

Context: Details of school casualties had been under non-governmental investigation since December 2008 by volunteers including artist and architect Ai Weiwei, who had been constantly posting updates on his blog since March 2009. The official tally of students killed in the earthquake was not released until May 7, 2009, almost a year after the earthquake. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the earthquake killed 5,335 students and left another 546 children disabled. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the Chinese government declared that parents who had lost their only children would get free treatment from fertility clinics to reverse vasectomies and tubal ligations conducted by family planning authorities.

Question: When did an investigation occur under school casualties?


Answer: May 7, 2009

Question: When was the official tally of students killed in the earthquake released?


Answer: 5,335

Question: How many students were killed in Xinhua?


Answer: 546

Question: How many students were disabled in Xinhua?


Answer: May 7, 2009

Question: What date were the official numbers of students killed in the earthquake released?


Answer: Ai Weiwei

Question: Who kept a blog about the school deaths?


Answer: 5,335

Question: What is the total of school children killed?


Answer: 546

Question: How many children are disabled?


Answer: fertility clinics

Question: Where did the Chinese government decide that parents who had lost children could go for free treatment?


Answer: 5 million

Context: The earthquake left at least 5 million people without housing, although the number could be as high as 11 million. Millions of livestock and a significant amount of agriculture were also destroyed, including 12.5 million animals, mainly birds. In the Sichuan province a million pigs died out of 60 million total. Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide reported official estimates of insurers' losses at US$1 billion from the earthquake; estimated total damages exceed US$20 billion. It values Chengdu, at the time having an urban population of 4.5 million people, at around US$115 billion, with only a small portion covered by insurance.

Question: How many people were left without housing?


Answer: 11 million

Question: How many people could be potentially without housing?


Answer: 12.5 million

Question: How many animals were killed?


Answer: 1 million

Question: How many pigs died in Sichuan?


Answer: at least 5 million

Question: Because of the earthquake, how many people did not have housing?


Answer: 11 million

Question: How many people might actually be homeless?


Answer: 12.5 million animals

Question: How much livestock was lost?


Answer: a million

Question: How many pigs died from the earthquake in Sichuan ?


Answer: Reginald DesRoches

Context: Reginald DesRoches, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Georgia Tech, pointed out that the massive damage of properties and houses in the earthquake area was because China did not create an adequate seismic design code until after the devastating 1976 Tangshan earthquake. DesRoches said: "If the buildings were older and built prior to that 1976 earthquake, chances are they weren't built for adequate earthquake forces."

Question: Who was a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Georgia Tech?


Answer: professor of civil and environmental engineering

Question: What is the profession of Reginald DesRoches?


Answer: 1976

Question: When did China create a seismic design code for building?


Answer: Tangshan earthquake

Question: What catastrophe inspired them to make a building design code/


Answer: an international reconnaissance team of engineers was dispatched to the region

Context: In the days following the disaster, an international reconnaissance team of engineers was dispatched to the region to make a detailed preliminary survey of damaged buildings. Their findings show a variety of reasons why many constructions failed to withstand the earthquake.

Question: What happened days following the disaster?


Answer: make a detailed preliminary survey of damaged buildings

Question: What did the team of engineers do?


Answer: a variety of reasons why many constructions failed to withstand the earthquake.

Question: What did their findings show?


Answer: team of engineers

Question: After the quake what kind of international team was sent to the area?


Answer: survey of damaged buildings

Question: What was the team sent to China to make?


Answer: variety of reasons

Question: What kind of reasons do their findings show?


Answer: the poorer, rural villages

Context: News reports indicate that the poorer, rural villages were hardest hit. Swaminathan Krishnan, assistant professor of civil engineering and geophysics at the California Institute of Technology said: "the earthquake occurred in the rural part of China. Presumably, many of the buildings were just built; they were not designed, so to speak." Swaminathan Krishnan further added: "There are very strong building codes in China, which take care of earthquake issues and seismic design issues. But many of these buildings presumably were quite old and probably were not built with any regulations overseeing them."

Question: What areas were the hardest hit?


Answer: Swaminathan Krishnan

Question: Who was an assistant professor of civil engineering and geophysics at the California Institute of Technology?


Answer: rural part

Question: What part of China did the earthquake occur in?


Answer: not designed

Question: What did Swaminathan Krishnan mean when he said the buildings were just built?


Answer: very strong

Question: What manner of building codes are there in China?


Answer: regulations

Question: What were many of these old buildings built without?


Answer: $75 billion

Context: Even with the five largest cities in Sichuan suffering only minor damage from the quake, some estimates of the economic loss run higher than US$75 billion, making the earthquake one of the costliest natural disasters in Chinese history.

Question: What is an estimate of the economic loss from the quake?


Answer: minor damage

Question: What damage did the major Sichuan cities have?


Answer: US$75 billion

Question: What is an estimate of losses to economics?


Answer: Chinese history

Question: Whose is this one of the costliest disasters in history of?


Answer: five largest cities

Question: Which cities in Sichuan had minor damage?


Answer: 420,000

Context: Strong aftershocks continued to strike even months after the main quake. On May 25, an aftershock of 6.0 Mw (6.4 Ms according to CEA) hit northeast of the original earthquake's epicenter, in Qingchuan County, Sichuan, causing eight deaths, 1000 injuries, and destroying thousands of buildings. On May 27, two aftershocks, one 5.2 Mw in Qingchuan County and one 5.7 Mw in Ningqiang County, Shaanxi, led to the collapse of more than 420,000 homes and injured 63 people. The same area suffered two more aftershocks of 5.6 and 6.0 Ms (5.8 and 5.5 Mw, respectively, according to USGS) on July 23, resulting in 1 death, 6 serious injuries, collapse of hundreds of homes and damaging kilometers of highways. Pingwu County and Beichuan County, Sichuan, also northeast of Wenchuan and close to the epicenter of a 7.2 Ms earthquake in 1976, suffered a 6.1 Ms aftershock (5.7 Mw according to USGS) on August 1; it caused 2 deaths, 345 injuries, collapse of 707 homes, damages to over 1,000 homes, and blocked 25 kilometres (16 mi) of country roads. As late as August 5, yet another aftershock of 6.1 Ms (6.2 Mw according to USGS) hit Qingchuan, Sichuan, causing 1 death, 32 injuries, telecommunication interruptions, and widespread hill slides blocking roads in the area including a national highway.

Question: How many buildings collapsed as a result of the May 27th aftershocks?


Answer: 6.0 Mw

Question: How strong was the May 25 aftershock in Qingchuan county?


Answer: 1000

Question: How many people were injured in the May 25 aftershock?


Answer: more than 420,000

Question: How many homes were destroyed because of the May 27 aftershocks?


Answer: 63

Question: During the May 27 aftershock, how many people were injured?


Answer: Qingchuan, Sichuan

Question: Where was the aftershock of August 5 that caused widespread hill slides?


Answer: Wei Hong

Context: Executive vice governor Wei Hong confirmed on November 21, 2008 that more than 90,000 people in total were dead or missing in the earthquake. He stated that 200,000 homes had been rebuilt, and 685,000 were under reconstruction, but 1.94 million households were still without permanent shelter. 1,300 schools had been reconstructed, with initial relocation of 25 townships, including Beichuan and Wenchuan, two of the most devastated areas. The government spent $441 billion on relief and reconstruction efforts.

Question: Who was the executive vice governor?


Answer: 200,000

Question: How many homes were rebuilt?


Answer: 1.94 million

Question: How many homes were left without permanent shelter?


Answer: 1,300

Question: How many schools were reconstructed?


Answer: Wei Hong

Question: Who spoke about the dead and missing people on November 21, 2008?


Answer: 90,000

Question: How many people did Wei Hong say were dead or missing?


Answer: 200,000

Question: How many homes had been rebuilt?


Answer: 685,000

Question: How many houses were still under construction?


Answer: 1.94 million

Question: How many families were still without permanent homes?


Answer: Premier Wen Jiabao

Context: General Secretary and President Hu Jintao announced that the disaster response would be rapid. Just 90 minutes after the earthquake, Premier Wen Jiabao, who has an academic background in geomechanics, flew to the earthquake area to oversee the rescue work. Soon afterward, the Ministry of Health said that it had sent ten emergency medical teams to Wenchuan County. On the same day, the Chengdu Military Region Command dispatched 50,000 troops and armed police to help with disaster relief work in Wenchuan County. However, due to the rough terrain and close proximity of the quake's epicenter, the soldiers found it very difficult to get help to the rural regions of the province.

Question: Who flew to the earthquake area 90 minutes after it hit?


Answer: geomechanics

Question: What was Premier Wen Jiabao's background in?


Answer: the rescue work

Question: What did Jiabao oversee in the region?


Answer: 50,000

Question: How many troops were dispatched by the Chengdu military?


Answer: 90 minutes after

Question: How soon after the earthquake was Premier Wen Jiabao on his way to the area?


Answer: ten

Question: How many medical teams were sent to Wenchuan county?


Answer: 50,000

Question: How many troops were sent to the area for relief work?


Answer: proximity of the quake's epicenter

Question: Besides the rough terrain, why was it difficult to get to the area?


Answer: Level II emergency contingency plan

Context: The National Disaster Relief Commission initiated a "Level II emergency contingency plan", which covers the most serious class of natural disasters. The plan rose to Level I at 22:15 CST, May 12.

Question: What did the National Disaster Relief Commission initiate?


Answer: the most serious class of natural disasters

Question: What does a Level II emergency contingency plan cover?


Answer: at 22:15 CST, May 12

Question: When did the plan rise to Level I?


Answer: Level II emergency

Question: What level alert was instated for the quake?


Answer: most serious

Question: What class of disasters is a level II emergency?


Answer: Level II

Question: What level was the disaster set at 22:15 CST, May 12?


Answer: National Disaster Relief Commission

Question: What department initiated the emergency contingency plan?


Answer: 184

Context: An earthquake emergency relief team of 184 people (consisting of 12 people from the State Seismological Bureau, 150 from the Beijing Military Area Command, and 22 from the Armed Police General Hospital) left Beijing from Nanyuan Airport late May 12 in two military transport planes to travel to Wenchuan County.

Question: How many people were in the earthquake emergency relief team?


Answer: 12

Question: How many of the relief team were from the State Seismological Bureau?


Answer: 150

Question: How many of the team were from the military?


Answer: 22

Question: How many of the team were from the police?


Answer: earthquake emergency relief

Question: What kind of team left Beijing to go to Wenchuan?


Answer: 184

Question: How many people comprised the relief team?


Answer: 150

Question: How many soldiers were from the Beijing Military?


Answer: Armed Police General Hospital

Question: Where did 22 of the relief team come from?


Answer: in two military transport planes

Question: How did the relief team travel to Wenchuan county?


Answer: a close analysis by an alleged Chinese construction engineer

Context: In the China Digital Times an article reports a close analysis by an alleged Chinese construction engineer known online as “Book Blade” (书剑子), who stated:

Question: What did the China Digital Times report?


Answer: Book Blade

Question: Who was the construction engineer known as?


Answer: China Digital Times

Question: Where was an article reported about the scandal?


Answer: Book Blade

Question: What was the name of the person who published a report in the China Digital Times?


Answer: Children's Day

Context: On Children's Day, June 1, 2008, many parents went to the rubble of schools to mourn for their children. The surviving children, who were mostly living in relief centres, performed ceremonies marking the special day, but also acknowledging the earthquake.

Question: What was June 1, 2008 called?


Answer: living in relief centres

Question: Where were most of the surviving children?


Answer: performed ceremonies

Question: What did these children do on that day?


Answer: rubble of schools

Question: Where did parents go to mourn their children?


Answer: June 1

Question: When is Children's Day?


Answer: in relief centres

Question: Where were surviving children living?


Answer: more than $48.6 million

Context: Central State-owned enterprises have accumulatively donated more than $48.6 million. China National Petroleum Corp and Sinopec donated 10 million yuan each to the disaster area.

Question: How much did central state-owned enterprises donate?


Answer: 10 million yuan

Question: How much did China National Petroleum Corp and Sinopec donate?


Answer: 48.6 million

Question: How much have Central state enterprises donated?


Answer: 10 million yuan each

Question: How much did China National Petroleum and Sinopec donate?


Answer: $457 million

Context: On May 16 China stated it had also received $457 million in donated money and goods for rescue efforts so far, including $83 million from 19 countries and four international organizations. Saudi Arabia was the largest aid donor to China, providing close to €40,000,000 in financial assistance, and an additional €8,000,000 worth of relief materials.

Question: How much did China receive in donated money and goods?


Answer: 19 countries

Question: How many countries donated?


Answer: four

Question: How many international organizations donated?


Answer: Saudi Arabia

Question: What country was the largest aid donor to China?


Answer: €40,000,000

Question: How much financial assistance did Saudi Arabia give China?


Answer: 83 million

Question: How much money was donated from foreign sources?


Answer: Saudi Arabia

Question: What country was the largest aid donor to China?


Answer: four

Question: How many international organizations made donations?


Answer: a counterpart support plan

Context: In 2008, State Council established a counterpart support plan (《汶川地震灾后恢复重建对口支援方案》). The plan is to arrange 19 eastern and central province and municipalitie to help 18 counties, on "one province to one affected county" basis. The plan spanned 3 years, and cost no less than one percent of the province or municipality's budget.

Question: What did the State Council establish in 2008?


Answer: 3 years

Question: How long did the plan last?


Answer: counterpart support plan

Question: What did the state council set up in 2008?


Answer: one province to one affected county

Question: What is the basis for this plan?


Answer: 3 years

Question: How long is the plan due to last?


Answer: one percent

Question: What is the cost per province's budget?


Answer: that the sudden shift of a huge quantity of water into the region could have relaxed the tension between the two sides of the fault, allowing them to move apart, and could have increased the direct pressure on it, causing a violent rupture

Context: An article in Science suggested that the construction and filling of the Zipingpu Dam may have triggered the earthquake. The chief engineer of the Sichuan Geology and Mineral Bureau said that the sudden shift of a huge quantity of water into the region could have relaxed the tension between the two sides of the fault, allowing them to move apart, and could have increased the direct pressure on it, causing a violent rupture. The effect was "25 times more" than a year's worth of natural stress from tectonic movement. The government had disregarded warnings about so many large-scale dam projects in a seismically active area. Researchers have been denied access to seismological and geological data to examine the cause of the quake further.

Question: What was concluded about the construction?


Answer: Zipingpu Dam

Question: What structure did an article contemplate could have caused the quake?


Answer: 25 times more

Question: What was the affect of the dam on the stresses in that area?


Answer: The government

Question: Who disregarded warnings about dams in the area?


Answer: seismically active

Question: What type of area is Sichuan?


Answer: access to seismological and geological data

Question: What have researchers been denied?


Answer: opportunities for researchers to retrofit data in order to model future earthquake predictions

Context: The earthquake also provided opportunities for researchers to retrofit data in order to model future earthquake predictions. Using data from the Intermagnet Lanzhou geomagnetic observatory, geologists Lazo Pekevski from the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje in Macedonia and Strachimir Mavrodiev from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences attempted to establish a "time prediction method" through collecting statistics on geomagnetism with tidal gravitational potential. Using this method, they were said to have predicted the time of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake with an accuracy of ±1 day. The same study, however, acknowledges the limitation of earthquake prediction models, and does not mention that the location of the quake could be accurately predicted.

Question: What did the earthquake allow?


Answer: the time of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake

Question: What did the professors predict?


Answer: time prediction method

Question: What did they try to establish?


Answer: statistics

Question: What did they collect to use in this method?


Answer: that earthquake prediction was a global issue

Context: In a press conference held by the State Council Information Office the day after the earthquake, geologist Zhang Xiaodong, deputy director of CEA's Seismic Monitoring Network Center, restated that earthquake prediction was a global issue, in the sense that no proven methods exist, and that no prediction notification was received before the earthquake. Seismologist Gary Gibson of Monash University in Australia told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that he also did not see anything that could be regarded as having 'predicted' the earthquake's occurrence.

Question: What was stated in the press conference?


Answer: no proven methods exist

Question: What do many geologists believe about earthquake prediction?


Answer: a global issue

Question: What kind of issue is earthquake prediction?


Answer: no prediction notification

Question: What was received before the quake occurred?


Answer: did not see anything

Question: What did seismologist Gary Gibson have to say about the prediction of the quake?


Answer: In 2002

Context: In 2002, Chinese geologist Chen Xuezhong published a Seismic Risk Analysis study in which he came to the conclusion that beginning with 2003, attention should be paid to the possibility of an earthquake with a magnitude of over 7.0 occurring in Sichuan region. He based his study on statistical correlation. That Sichuan is a seismically active area has been discussed for years prior to the quake, though few studies point to a specific date and time.

Question: When was a Seismic Risk Analysis published?


Answer: Chen Xuezhong

Question: Who published the Seismic Risk Analysis?


Answer: Chen Xuezhong

Question: Who published a Seismic Risk Analysis Study?


Answer: 2002

Question: In what year did Chen Xuezhong publish an earthquake study?


Answer: over 7.0

Question: What strength did he predict the next quake in Sichuan to be?


Answer: over 30 years

Context: The earthquake was the worst to strike the Sichuan area in over 30 years. Following the quake, experts and the general public sought information on whether or not the earthquake could have been predicted in advance, and whether or not studying statistics related to the quake could result in better prediction of earthquakes in the future. Earthquake prediction is not yet established science; there was no consensus within the scientific community that earthquake "prediction" is possible.

Question: How long had it been since an earthquake of similar magnitude?


Answer: 30 years

Question: How long since the Sichuan area has had a severe quake?


Answer: no consensus

Question: Does the scientific community agree that earthquake prediction is possible?


Answer: statistics

Question: People wanted to know if the study of what math could produce better predictions?


Answer: Earthquake prediction

Question: What is not an established science?


Answer: the Taipei Fire Department

Context: Many rescue teams, including that of the Taipei Fire Department from Taiwan, were reported ready to join the rescue effort in Sichuan as early as Wednesday. However, the Red Cross Society of China said that (on May 13) "it was inconvenient currently due to the traffic problem to the hardest hit areas closest to the epicenter." The Red Cross Society of China also stated that the disaster areas need tents, medical supplies, drinking water and food; however it recommended donating cash instead of other items, as it had not been possible to reach roads that were completely damaged or places that were blocked off by landslides. Landslides continuously threatened the progress of a search and rescue group of 80 men, each carrying about 40 kg of relief supplies, from a motorized infantry brigade under commander Yang Wenyao, as they tried to reach the ethnically Tibetan village of Sier at a height of 4000 m above sea level in Pingwu county. The extreme terrain conditions precluded the use of helicopter evacuation, and over 300 of the Tibetan villagers were stranded in their demolished village for five days without food and water before the rescue group finally arrived to help the injured and stranded villagers down the mountain.

Question: What department was ready to join the rescue effort by Wednesday?


Answer: over 300

Question: How many Tibetan villagers were stranded?


Answer: the traffic problem

Question: What was the reason that many rescue teams could not join the relief efforts?


Answer: donating cash

Question: What action did the Red Cross recommend ?


Answer: landslides

Question: What problem continued to stop rescue teams from reaching affected areas?


Answer: Tibetan village of Sier

Question: Where were the soldiers under commander Yang Wenyao trying to go?


Answer: landslides

Context: Persistent heavy rain and landslides in Wenchuan County and the nearby area badly affected rescue efforts. At the start of rescue operations on May 12, 20 helicopters were deployed for the delivery of food, water, and emergency aid, and also the evacuation of the injured and reconnaissance of quake-stricken areas. By 17:37 CST on May 13, a total of over 15,600 troops and militia reservists from the Chengdu Military Region had joined the rescue force in the heavily affected areas. A commander reported from Yingxiu Town, Wenchuan, that around 3,000 survivors were found, while the status of the other inhabitants (around 9,000) remained unclear. The 1,300 rescuers reached the epicenter, and 300 pioneer troops reached the seat of Wenchuan at about 23:30 CST. By 12:17 CST, May 14, 2008, communication in the seat of Wenchuan was partly revived. On the afternoon of May 14, 15 Special Operations Troops, along with relief supplies and communications gear, parachuted into inaccessible Mao County, northeast of Wenchuan.

Question: What natural disasters were occurring in Wenchuan County?


Answer: 20

Question: How many helicopters were deployed?


Answer: 15,600

Question: How many militia reservists joined in on rescue efforts?


Answer: around 3,000

Question: How many survivors were found?


Answer: 15

Question: How many troops parachuted into Mao County?


Answer: heavy rain and landslides

Question: What were the biggest difficulties in reaching affected areas?


Answer: 20

Question: How many helicopters were sent to deliver aid to the affected areas?


Answer: 15,600

Question: By May 13, how many troops had been added to the rescue efforts?


Answer: around 3,000

Question: How people were reported to be survivors in Yingxiu Town?


Answer: around 9,000

Question: How many persons were still unaccounted for in Yingxiu?


Answer: the deployment of an additional 90 helicopters

Context: By May 15, Premier Wen Jiabao ordered the deployment of an additional 90 helicopters, of which 60 were to be provided by the PLAAF, and 30 were to be provided by the civil aviation industry, bringing the total of number of aircraft deployed in relief operations by the air force, army, and civil aviation to over 150, resulting in the largest non-combat airlifting operation in People's Liberation Army history.

Question: What did Premier Wen Jiabao order?


Answer: 60

Question: How many helicopters were provided by the PLAAF?


Answer: 30

Question: How many helicopter were to be provided by the civil aviation industry?


Answer: over 150

Question: How many aircraft were there in total?


Answer: over 150

Question: What is the total number of aircraft used in the relief operation?


Answer: 60

Question: How many helicopters came from the PLAAF?


Answer: civil aviation industry

Question: Who provided the other 30 helicopters?


Answer: non-combat airlifting

Question: What kind of operation did this massing of aircraft produce?


Answer: the Tzu Chi Foundation

Context: Beijing accepted the aid of the Tzu Chi Foundation from Taiwan late on May 13. Tzu Chi was the first force from outside the People's Republic of China to join the rescue effort. China stated it would gratefully accept international help to cope with the quake.

Question: What Foundation wanted to aid Beijing?


Answer: Taiwan

Question: Where was the foundation based?


Answer: late on May 13

Question: When did Beijing agree to aid from Taiwan?


Answer: Tzu Chi Foundation

Question: What was the first group from outside China to join in the relief operation?


Answer: international help

Question: What did China say they would accept?


Answer: cope with the quake

Question: What did China need help for?


Answer: China Airlines

Context: A direct chartered cargo flight was made by China Airlines from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport sending some 100 tons of relief supplies donated by the Tzu Chi Foundation and the Red Cross Society of Taiwan to the affected areas. Approval from mainland Chinese authorities was sought, and the chartered flight departed Taipei at 17:00 CST, May 15 and arrived in Chengdu by 20:30 CST. A rescue team from the Red Cross in Taiwan was also scheduled to depart Taipei on a Mandarin Airlines direct chartered flight to Chengdu at 15:00 CST on May 16.

Question: Who made a direct chartered cargo flight?


Answer: May 15

Question: What date did the cargo flight leave?


Answer: May 16

Question: When did a rescue team depart?


Answer: chartered cargo flight

Question: How did the move the relief supplies from Taiwan to the stricken area?


Answer: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

Question: From what airport did the chartered flight leave?


Answer: Chengdu

Question: Where did the chartered flight from Taiwan land?


Answer: rescue team

Question: What Red Cross team left Taipei on May 16


Answer: Chengdu

Question: Where did the Red Cross team from Taiwan land?


Answer: satellite images of the quake-stricken areas

Context: On May 16, rescue groups from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Russia and Taiwan arrived to join the rescue effort. The United States shared some of its satellite images of the quake-stricken areas with Chinese authorities. During the weekend, the US sent into China two U.S. Air Force C-17's carrying supplies, which included tents and generators. Xinhua reported 135,000 Chinese troops and medics were involved in the rescue effort across 58 counties and cities.

Question: What did the US share?


Answer: Chinese authorities

Question: Who did the US share the satellite images with?


Answer: 135,000

Question: How many Chinese troops were involved in the rescue efforts?


Answer: May 16

Question: When did groups from South Korea, Japan, and others arrive in China?


Answer: satellite images

Question: What did the U.S. share with China?


Answer: tents and generators

Question: What was included in the the Air Force C-17 supplies?


Answer: 135,000

Question: How many Chinese troops and medics were involved in the relief efforts?


Answer: The Internet

Context: The Internet was extensively used for passing information to aid rescue and recovery efforts. For example, the official news agency Xinhua set up an online rescue request center in order to find the blind spots of disaster recovery. After knowing that rescue helicopters had trouble landing into the epicenter area in Wenchuan, a student proposed a landing spot online and it was chosen as the first touchdown place for the helicopters[not in citation given]. Volunteers also set up several websites to help store contact information for victims and evacuees. On May 31, a rescue helicopter carrying earthquake survivors and crew members crashed in fog and turbulence in Wenchuan county. No-one survived.

Question: What was extensively used to pass information to aid rescue and recovery efforts?


Answer: an online rescue request center

Question: What did the Xinhua news agency set up?


Answer: to find the blind spots of disaster recovery

Question: What was the purpose of this online rescue request center?


Answer: Wenchuan

Question: Where did rescue helicopters have trouble landing?


Answer: The Internet

Question: What was used as a communications aid in the relief efforts?


Answer: news agency Xinhua

Question: Who set up an online site to focus on blind spots in recovery?


Answer: a student

Question: What person suggested a landing spot for helicopters near the epicenter?


Answer: contact information

Question: What kind of information were websites set up to store?


Answer: May 31

Question: On what date did a rescue helicopter crash with no survivors?


Answer: a moment of silence

Context: On May 12, 2009, China marked the first anniversary of the quake with a moment of silence as people across the nation remembered the dead. The government also opened access to the sealed ruins of the Beichuan county seat for three days, after which it will be frozen in time as a state earthquake relic museum, to remind people of the terrible disaster. There were also several concerts across the country to raise money for the survivors of the quake.

Question: What was done for the anniversary?


Answer: the sealed ruins of the Beichuan county seat

Question: Where did the government open access to?


Answer: three days

Question: How long was it opened for?


Answer: a moment of silence

Question: What did China do to mark the first anniversary of the quake?


Answer: earthquake relic museum

Question: What will the Beichuan county seat be used for?


Answer: several concerts

Question: What kind of event were given to raise money for quake survivors?


Answer: the terrible disaster

Question: What is the Beichuan museum meant to remind people of?


Answer: blood

Context: Following the earthquake, donations were made by people from all over mainland China, with booths set up in schools, at banks, and around gas stations. People also donated blood, resulting in according to Xinhua long line-ups in most major Chinese cities. Many donated through text messaging on mobile phones to accounts set up by China Unicom and China Mobile By May 16, the Chinese government had allocated a total of $772 million for earthquake relief so far, up sharply from $159 million from May 14.

Question: What was also donated?


Answer: China Unicom and China Mobile

Question: What companies received the money?


Answer: all over mainland China

Question: After the quake, people from where in China made donations?


Answer: donated blood

Question: What caused long lines in most major cities?


Answer: booths

Question: What were the Chinese setting up to take in donations?


Answer: text messaging

Question: How did a lot of people donate using mobile phones?


Answer: $772 million

Question: How much had the Chinese government designated by May 16?


Answer: 557

Context: The Red Cross Society of China flew 557 tents and 2,500 quilts valued at 788,000 yuan (US$113,000) to Wenchuan County. The Amity Foundation already began relief work in the region and has earmarked US$143,000 for disaster relief. The Sichuan Ministry of Civil Affairs said that they have provided 30,000 tents for those left homeless.

Question: How many tents were flown to the region?


Answer: 2,500

Question: How many quilts were flown to the region?


Answer: 788,000 yuan

Question: How much were both supplies worth?


Answer: Wenchuan County

Question: What county were the supplies flown to?


Answer: 30,000

Question: How many tents did the Sichuan Ministry provide for the homeless?


Answer: Red Cross Society of China

Question: What group took tents and quilts to Wenchuan county?


Answer: US$143,000

Question: How much has the Amity Foundation designated for disaster relief?


Answer: 30,000

Question: How many tents did the Sichuan Ministry of Affairs provide?


Answer: those left homeless

Question: What were all these tents and quilts for?


Answer: The Amity Foundation

Question: What foundation had already begun relief work in the area?


Answer: 7,000

Context: The central government estimates that over 7,000 inadequately engineered schoolrooms collapsed in the earthquake. Chinese citizens have since invented a catch phrase: "tofu-dregs schoolhouses" (Chinese: 豆腐渣校舍), to mock both the quality and the quantity of these inferior constructions that killed so many school children. Due to the one-child policy, many families lost their only child when schools in the region collapsed during the earthquake. Consequently, Sichuan provincial and local officials have lifted the restriction for families whose only child was either killed or severely injured in the disaster. So-called "illegal children" under 18 years of age may be registered as legal replacements for their dead siblings; if the dead child was illegal, no further outstanding fines would apply. Reimbursement would not, however, be offered for fines that were already levied.

Question: How many schoolrooms collapsed in the quake?


Answer: tofu-dregs schoolhouses

Question: What catch-phrase was invented as a result of collapsed schools?


Answer: inadequately engineered

Question: Why did so many schools collapse during the earthquake?


Answer: over 7,000

Question: What are the estimations of how many schoolrooms collapsed?


Answer: tofu-dregs schoolhouses

Question: What has the citizenry started calling these type of schools?


Answer: legal replacements

Question: What can illegal children be registered as in place of their dead siblings?


Answer: four-hour program called The Giving of Love

Context: On the evening of May 18, CCTV-1 hosted a special four-hour program called The Giving of Love (simplified Chinese: 爱的奉献; traditional Chinese: 愛的奉獻), hosted by regulars from the CCTV New Year's Gala and round-the-clock coverage anchor Bai Yansong. It was attended by a wide range of entertainment, literary, business and political figures from mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Donations of the evening totalled 1.5 billion Chinese Yuan (~US$208 million). Of the donations, CCTV gave the biggest corporate contribution at ¥50 million. Almost at the same time in Taiwan, a similarly themed programme was on air hosted by the sitting president Ma Ying-jeou. In June, Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan, who donated $1.57 million to the victims, made a music video alongside other artists entitled "Promise"; the song was composed by Andy Lau. The Artistes 512 Fund Raising Campaign, an 8-hour fundraising marathon, was held on June 1 in Hong Kong; it was attended by some 200 Sinosphere musicians and celebrities. In Singapore, MediaCorp Channel 8 hosted a 'live' programme 让爱川流不息 to raise funds for the victims.

Question: What did CCTV-1 host on the evening of May 18th?


Answer: Bai Yansong

Question: Who was the show hosted by?


Answer: Donations of the evening totalled 1.5 billion Chinese Yuan

Question: How large were the donations from the program?


Answer: $1.57 million

Question: How much did Jackie Chan donate to support?


Answer: Promise

Question: What was the name of the music video that Jackie Chan made for the event?


Answer: The Giving of Love

Question: What was the program that CCTV-1 hosted?


Answer: US$208 million

Question: What did the donations total for the program?


Answer: CCTV

Question: What company gave the most?


Answer: 1.57 million

Question: How much did actor Jackie Chan donate?


Answer: Promise

Question: What was the name of Chan's music video?


Answer: This is the first time [that] the Chinese media has lived up to international standards

Context: Rescue efforts performed by the Chinese government were praised by western media, especially in comparison with Myanmar's blockage of foreign aid during Cyclone Nargis, as well as China's previous performance during the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. China's openness during the media coverage of the Sichuan earthquake led a professor at the Peking University to say, “This is the first time [that] the Chinese media has lived up to international standards”. Los Angeles Times praised China's media coverage of the quake of being "democratic".

Question: What did a professor at the Peking University say about the handling of the earthquake?


Answer: foreign aid

Question: What did Myanmar block after Cyclone Nargis?


Answer: up to international standards

Question: What did a Peking professor say about Chinese media coverage?


Answer: Los Angeles Times

Question: Who praised Chinese media coverage as being democratic?


Answer: 1976 Tangshan earthquake

Question: In which previous catastrophe not live up to international standards?


Answer: quake lakes

Context: As a result of the magnitude 7.9 earthquake and the many strong aftershocks, many rivers became blocked by large landslides, which resulted in the formation of "quake lakes" behind the blockages; these massive amounts of water were pooling up at a very high rate behind the natural landslide dams and it was feared that the blockages would eventually crumble under the weight of the ever-increasing water mass, potentially endangering the lives of millions of people living downstream. As of May 27, 2008, 34 lakes had formed due to earthquake debris blocking and damming rivers, and it was estimated that 28 of them were still of potential danger to the local people. Entire villages had to be evacuated because of the resultant flooding.

Question: What formed behind blockages?


Answer: 34

Question: How many quake lakes formed?


Answer: 28

Question: How many of the lakes were a danger to people?


Answer: 7.9

Question: What was the magnitude of the Sichuan earthquake?


Answer: large landslides

Question: What blocked many of the area's rivers?


Answer: quake lakes

Question: What formed behind the blocked rivers?


Answer: 34

Question: By May 27, how many earthquake lakes had formed up behind landslide debris?


Answer: Entire villages

Question: What had to be evacuated due to potential flooding?


Answer: Mount Tangjia in Beichuan County, Sichuan

Context: The most precarious of these quake-lakes was the one located in the extremely difficult terrain at Mount Tangjia in Beichuan County, Sichuan, accessible only by foot or air; an Mi-26T heavy lift helicopter belonging to the China Flying Dragon Special Aviation Company was used to bring heavy earthmoving tractors to the affected location. This operation was coupled with the work done by PLAAF Mi-17 helicopters bringing in PLA engineering corps, explosive specialists and other personnel to join 1,200 soldiers who arrived on site by foot. Five tons of fuel to operate the machinery was airlifted to the site, where a sluice was constructed to allow the safe discharge of the bottlenecked water. Downstream, more than 200,000 people were evacuated from Mianyang by June 1 in anticipation of the dam bursting.

Question: Where was the most precarious quake lake located?


Answer: by foot or air

Question: How could you only get to this quake lake?


Answer: tractors

Question: What machinery was airlifted into the location?


Answer: 200,000

Question: How many people were evacuated downstream?


Answer: the dam bursting

Question: What was the fear that caused 200,000 people to be evacuated from Mianyang?


Answer: Mount Tangjia

Question: Where was the worst of the quake lakes located?


Answer: Beichuan County, Sichuan

Question: Where is Mount Tangjia?


Answer: 1,200

Question: How many soldiers had to travel to the area by foot?


Answer: The State Council

Context: The State Council declared a three-day period of national mourning for the quake victims starting from May 19, 2008; the PRC's National Flag and Regional Flags of Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions flown at half mast. It was the first time that a national mourning period had been declared for something other than the death of a state leader, and many have called it the biggest display of mourning since the death of Mao Zedong. At 14:28 CST on May 19, 2008, a week after the earthquake, the Chinese public held a moment of silence. People stood silent for three minutes while air defense, police and fire sirens, and the horns of vehicles, vessels and trains sounded. Cars and trucks on Beijing's roads also came to a halt. People spontaneously burst into cheering "Zhongguo jiayou!" (Let's go, China!) and "Sichuan jiayou" (Let's go, Sichuan!) afterwards.

Question: Who declared the mourning period?


Answer: national mourning

Question: What did the State Council declare a period of?


Answer: Mao Zedong

Question: This was the biggest display of mourning since the death of who?


Answer: May 19, 2008

Question: When did the Chinese hold a moment of silence?


Answer: Cars and trucks

Question: What came to a halt during the moment of silence?


Answer: three-day period

Question: How long was the national mourning for the quake victims to last?


Answer: Olympic torch relay

Context: The Ningbo Organizing Committee of the Beijing Olympic torch relay announced that the relay, scheduled to take place in Ningbo during national morning, would be suspended for the duration of the mourning period. The route of the torch through the country was scaled down, and there was a minute of silence when the next leg started in city of Ruijin, Jiangxi on the Wednesday after the quake.

Question: What was suspended for the duration of the mourning period?


Answer: Ningbo

Question: Where was the relay scheduled to take place?


Answer: Beijing Olympic torch relay

Question: What was suspended during the period of mourning?


Answer: in Ningbo

Question: Where was the torch relay supposed to take place?


Answer: The route

Question: What part of the relay did they change?


Answer: Ruijin, Jiangxi

Question: Where was there a minute of silence during the relay?


Answer: black and white

Context: Many websites converted their home page to black and white; Sina.com and Sohu, major internet portals, limited their homepages to news items and removed all advertisements. Chinese video sharing websites Youku and Tudou displayed a black background and placed multiple videos showing earthquake footage and news reports. The Chinese version of MSN, cn.msn.com, also displayed banner ads about the earthquake and the relief efforts. Other entertainment websites, including various gaming sites, such as the Chinese servers for World of Warcraft, had shut down altogether, or had corresponding links to earthquake donations. After the moments of silence, in Tiananmen Square, crowds spontaneously burst out cheering various slogans, including "Long Live China". Casinos in Macau closed down.

Question: What colors did many websites convert their home pages to?


Answer: all advertisements

Question: What did internet portals remove from their home pages?


Answer: various gaming sites

Question: Many of what shut down completely?


Answer: burst out cheering

Question: What did the crowds in Tiananmen Square do after the moment of silence?


Answer: Casinos

Question: What business closed in Macau?


Answer: Ye Zhiping

Context: Ye Zhiping, the principal of Sangzao Middle School in Sangzao, one of the largest in An County, has been credited with proactive action that spared the lives of all 2,323 pupils in attendance when the earthquake happened. During a three-year period that ended in 2007, he oversaw a major overhaul of his school. During that time he obtained more than 400,000 yuan (US$60,000) from the county education department, money used to widen and strengthen concrete pillars and the balcony railing of all four storeys of his school, as well as secure its concrete floors.

Question: Who was the principal of Sangzao Middle School?


Answer: proactive action that spared the lives of all 2,323 pupils in attendance when the earthquake happened

Question: What was the principal credited with?


Answer: 2,323

Question: How many students attended the school?


Answer: 400,000 yuan

Question: How much money was used to strengthen the construction of the school?


Answer: Ye Zhiping

Question: What school principal strengthened his school?


Answer: Sangzao

Question: Where is the Sangzao Middle School?


Answer: An County

Question: The Sangzao school is one of the biggest in what county?


Answer: three-year period

Question: How many years was Ye Zhiping involved in the school overhaul?


Answer: to gain first-hand material of construction quality

Context: However, Reuters reported in June that, to date, Chinese prosecutors have joined an official inquiry into ten collapsed schools during May's devastating earthquake to gain first-hand material of construction quality at the collapsed schools, launch preliminary inquiries and prepare for possible investigations into professional crime. It was also reported that safety checks were to be carried out at schools across China after last month's earthquake.

Question: Why were the schools inspected?


Answer: safety checks

Question: What was to be carried out at schools after the quake?