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<extra_id_5>Which of the following represents the velocity of a moving object?
<extra_id_0>40
<extra_id_1>40 m north
<extra_id_2>40 m/s
<extra_id_3>40 m/s north
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Which causes the electric fan to work?
<extra_id_0>the blades run themselves
<extra_id_1>power outlets allow the blades to rotate
<extra_id_2>the air pushes the fan
<extra_id_3>power outlets allow the fan to think
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Researchers at the University of Kansas say that people can accurately judge 90 percent of a stranger's personality simply by looking at the person's shoes. "Shoes convey a thin but useful slice of information about their wearers," the authors wrote in the new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality."Shoes serve a practical purpose, and also serve as nonverbal cues with symbolic messages.People tend to pay attention to the shoes they and others wear." Medical Daily notes that the number of detailed personality traits detected in the study include a person's general age, their gender, income, political affiliation, and other personality traits, including someone's emotional stability. Lead researcher Omri Gillath said the judgments were based on the style, cost, color and condition of someone's shoes.In the study, 63 University of Kansas students looked at pictures showing 208 different pairs of shoes worn by the study's participants.Volunteers in the study were photographed in their most commonly worn shoes, and then filled out a personality questionnaire. So, what do your shoes say about your personality? Some of the results were expected: People with higher incomes most commonly wore expensive shoes, and flashier footwear was typically worn by extroverts . However, some of the more specific results are intriguing.For example, "practical and functional" shoes were generally worn by more "agreeable" people, while ankle boots were more closely aligned with "aggressive" personalities. The strangest of all may be that those who wore "uncomfortable looking" shoes tend to have "calm" personalities. And if you have several pairs of new shoes or take exceptional care of them, you may suffer from "attachment _ " spending an inordinate amount of time worrying about what other people think of your appearance. There was even a political calculation in the mix with more liberal types wearing "shabbier and less expensive" shoes. The researchers noted that some people will choose shoe styles to mask their actual personality traits, but researchers noted that volunteers were also likely to be unaware that their footwear choices were revealing deep insights into their personalities. We learn from the text that shoes one wears may _ .
<extra_id_0>be used to judge others' personality accurately
<extra_id_1>show thick and useful information about one's personality
<extra_id_2>convey useful information including one's emotional stability
<extra_id_3>only convey some information about one's personality
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Do you know that many clowns go to school to learn how to be funny? How would you like to go to that school? You could learn how to walk and talk like a clown. Then you could make people laugh. Clowns may go to school for a year. There they learn to move in funny ways. They learn to run and jump like different animals. They also learn how to fall down in a special way. They make sure they don't get injured. They make every move look easy. But really it's hard work. In a school clowns decide how they will look. They make funny pants and tops. Then clowns have their funny long shoes made. They also learn to make up their faces. Clowns carefully put special paint on, so they look silly. They start by making every part of their feces white. Then they use red paint around their mouths to make them look big. Clowns may paint re spots on each side of their faces, too. Big red noses are added. They put on funny hair or funny hats. Now they look silly. They are ready to go to work! You can see clowns at the circus or parade. They do funny things to surprise people. Ten big clowns may get out of a very small car. Or they may walk on a high rope. Then they almost fall. The faces they make when they try to stand up again make people laugh. From the passage, we can learn that clowns play at _ .
<extra_id_0>a parade
<extra_id_1>the circus
<extra_id_2>school
<extra_id_3>both A and B
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>What's going to happen in the future? Will robots control our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen in 10 to 30 years from now, according to the BBC.2-1-c-n-j-y Digital money We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us seeing it. That means we are already using digital money. Using a card is much easier than searching our pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash. When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. It's reported that people in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, and the US might be next. Bionic eye It's no longer something only in a science fiction movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back--by wearing bionic eyes. A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to "see" the environment and send data to the mind. Now the bionic eye only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes. A high resolution image could be just a few years away. Self-driving cars Unlike a human driver, a self-driving car won't get distracted by phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car driver itself. Many vehicle companies are now planning self!driving cars. "By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road," said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
<extra_id_0>Bionic eyes only appear in the science fiction film.
<extra_id_1>Human drivers won't get distracted by something outside.
<extra_id_2>The blind wearing bionic eyes may see clearly in the future.
<extra_id_3>There will be no road accidents at all if self-driving cars are used.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Birds build nests out of things such as
<extra_id_0>fragments from plants
<extra_id_1>small glass shards
<extra_id_2>entire tree trunks
<extra_id_3>several flower buds
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>More than half a century ago, there were 4, 000 drive-in movie theaters in the United States, and watching a movie from your car was a popular way to spend an evening. But with the number of drive-ins reduced to just a few hundred, outdoor movie has been popping up across the nation. Going to an open-air theater has become a modern summer pastime for an increasing number of movie fans. In recent years, outdoor movie screenings have come up in parks, vacant lots and shopping malls around the nation. On average, about 1,000 people attend each movie night. It attracts a lot of young professionals, young workers and residents nearby. For some, the outdoor movies bring back the memories of the drive-in theaters of their youths. But for the majorities, they think it is comparable to the atmosphere of drive-ins, as they can bring friends, food, good wine, and watch the movie together. The returning of Americans' love affair with outdoor movies makes Stephen Bastas ever busier. His seven-member crew sets up screens in various locations mostly in the Washington area every day throughout the summer. They are doing pretty well and they hope to continue the trend. And it looks like they are going to. That's because many fans say there is nothing like watching a movie on a breezy summer evening under the stars. From the text, we can learn that Stephen Bastas is most probably _ .
<extra_id_0>a movie maker
<extra_id_1>an outdoor movie fan
<extra_id_2>a movie director
<extra_id_3>an open-air theater operator
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>I really love this job because I enjoy working with small children. I also think my work is very important. But there was a time when I thought I would never have a job like this. I wasn't the best student because I didn't do much schoolwork. Just before I left school, I started thinking what I might do and found that there's not much I could do. I thought I wasn't that kind of person to have a career. I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls for a family. It wasn't difficult at first. But problems began when I agreed to live in, so that my boss could go out to work in the evenings. I got very tired because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children. One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Mary who used to go to school with me. I told her about my job. She said that I should get a qualification if I wanted to work with children. And it would help me learn more skills to look after children better without feeling too tired. _ . I decided to take part-time lessons. In that way, I had to leave the family. But all the lessons I took helped me look after children better and helped me get a job at a kindergarten . Now I have a job as a professional teacher at a kindergarten. I should be thankful to Mary. I would never have a career if it wasn't for her. The writer's first job was to _ .
<extra_id_0>teach part-time lessons
<extra_id_1>look after children for a family
<extra_id_2>help children with their schoolwork
<extra_id_3>look after children at a kindergarten
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>The iPhone has become one of the most popular mobile phones in the United States. An 18-year-o1d student in California has used his knowledge of the device to create his own business,gaining national recognition for his work. Vincent Quigg is the CEO of TechWorld. His company is kind of like a hospital for iPhones,specializing in customizing and repairing iPhones. Vincent Quigg launched TechWorld while in high school. "My mom became single a couple of years ago and I had to grow up. And in order to keep my lifestyle, I had to find different ways to keep my phone, keep a car, transportation and all that stuff. So I had to find ways to be entrepreneurial." An organization cal1ed the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. or NFTE, helped the young man get started. His mother, Carla Quigg: "He quit the class, which made me very disappointed." "It was extremely hard for myself to find a business to start and run with it. But once I had that ' _ 'or what I knew I wanted to go with, it was really easy and extremely fun." At the time, Vincent worked for the electronics store BestBuy. He says people always came into the store with broken electronic devices. He decided that repairing those devices was what he wanted to do. He not only re-registered for the NFTE class, but he also won the organization's national competition for best young entrepreneur.His business has grown through word-of-mouth. Vincent says he now fixes up to l0 phones per week. He earns about $l,500 each month in sales. TechWorld has two other employees. Kacee Wheeler is one of them. He works on the technical side of the business while Vincent Quigg now deals with finances and planning. He says he wants to continue to grow his business. What is Vincent Quigg's company specialized in?
<extra_id_0>Customizing and repairing iPhones.
<extra_id_1>Advertising and selling iPhones.
<extra_id_2>Helping students set up business.
<extra_id_3>Offering people medical advice.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Peach trees have sweet-smelling blossoms and produce rich fruit. What is the main purpose of the flowers of a peach tree?
<extra_id_0>to attract bees for pollination
<extra_id_1>to create flower arrangements
<extra_id_2>to protect the tree from disease
<extra_id_3>to feed migratory birds
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A motivational strategy that parents can employ with their kids, is to frame tasks and responsibilities in the context of what the end benefit is for them. I call this strategy WIIFM ("What's in it for me?"). When a teen can combine an understanding of WIIFM with a sense of passion about achieving a goal, barriers will start to fall away. At our teen summer camps, we arrange an event near the end of the 10-day session that helps campers identify an important life goal and mentally break through their biggest barrier to achieving the goal. We pass around 12-by-12-inch pine boards. We tell campers that this activity is not about breaking a piece of wood. It's about how you can get what you want in your life. It's about breaking barriers to grab on to your goals. They have the power to break through any barrier. It has nothing to do with body size or physical condition. The skinniest, smallest teens will break through the board almost as easily as the big ones. We talk to the campers about the reasons they might have had for not reaching their goals in the past. Maybe they got lazy and decided it wasn't worth the effort. Maybe they failed and let their fear of failure hold them back. But this exercise is about putting the past where it belongs. Today is about making new choices. By this point in the program, we ask them to think of the goal they've set for themselves and write their goals on the boards. Then they write the possible obstacles which may hold them back on the opposite sides. An inch of pine now stands between them and their dreams. The facilitators and their teammates gather around. The support is strong. One by one, they break through the barriers and grab their goals! All around us teens are laughing, crying, hugging, and holding up the broken pieces of their boards. The confidence shown on their faces is beautiful. While arranging such an activity in one's home is almost unrealistic for parents, the value of helping a teen break through a personal barrier simply by being there as moral support can not be overestimated. More help for parents in the form of videos and articles is available at our website, in our blogs and in a monthly e-newsletter. The passage is intended for _ .
<extra_id_0>teens
<extra_id_1>parents
<extra_id_2>campers
<extra_id_3>Tutors
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>In today's world many people seem to be hungry for money. Money does have its most useful effect on the poor. But once a person has a rich life, a lot more money doesn`t mean more happiness. If money were everything, all millionaires would have real love, true friendship, good health and a long life. However, this is not always true .But can love be bought ?I`m afraid not . Love means to give , not to take . To every person , health and long life are probably the most precious things . Well , can health and a long life be bought with money ? The answer is "No". Of all the longest living people in the world, few of them are millionaires. True friendship can't be bought, either. In a word, where money is dreamed too much, it can cause brothers to quarrel, marriage to end, lovers to hate, and strangers to fight. No matter how much money you have, it is still not enough to make a happy person if you have no one to laugh with, no one to cry for. ,. what does the sentence "Love means to give , not to take "mean in the passage ?
<extra_id_0>,
<extra_id_1>,
<extra_id_2>,
<extra_id_3>,
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift cover? Or is it the look on the receiver's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most? This Christmas I was thinking what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father. I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-color1ed flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was mainly about dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The picture was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper color1ing with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly like. Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he opened those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame , I knew I had given the perfect gift. The author made the gift by _ .
<extra_id_0>searching for poems online
<extra_id_1>drawing the background by hand
<extra_id_2>painting the letters in three color1s
<extra_id_3>matching the words with pictures
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Both the young and the old may feel lonely. A three-year-old child will feel lonely when it is left alone, and an old man over eighty years old is often afraid to live alone, too. Some people feel lonely because they may not have enough time to make friends. Not only the quiet, shy people may feel lonely. Some people are active and outgoing, but they are sometimes afraid to talk and make friends with others. They always try to hold other people away from them. They may seem to have lots of friends, but inside they are hurting. Are you lonely? If your answer is "yes", you may need to work hard enough! Here are some tips to think about: To be wanted and needed is a big answer to loneliness. Is there any way you can help other people? Try to do something helpful for others even if you are very busy. By helping other people, we find friends and lose loneliness. Do you have an interest or hobby? Find a group of people with this interest and join them. Live in the real world! The world on the Internet is not a real world and it is very different from the real life. The students asleep in class are mostly those who often surf the net through the night. As a result, they'll get lost in the real world. Don't wait for someone to phone, or write, or email you, you call them. And if they seem too busy, it doesn't mean you are not welcome. Try another time! When you've done anything wrong to other people, don't be too proud to say sorry. You must do that even if you find it hard to open your mouth. If you have done something wrong, you should _ .
<extra_id_0>say sorry to others
<extra_id_1>do it again
<extra_id_2>open your mouth
<extra_id_3>leave at once
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Shower Radio -- Warranty and Directions Introduction Before using the radio, please read all directions, and put warranty information in a safe place. You may need to refer to the warranty information later. Warranty The radio is warranted for one year. If it fails to work because of problems of materials, please return it to the address on the warranty card. We will not pay shipping costs for returning the radio. We will either repair or replace the radio. At least four weeks is needed to examine the problem and repair the radio. If you have not heard from us within six weeks, call our customer service department at 1-800-123-4567. Radios that are returned not for problems of materials will pay service fee and the cost of the repairs. Customers will be informed of the charge by postcard. Radios will not be returned until these fees are paid. Directions The radio is designed and built to operate well in a damp environment. To Operate the Radio 1. Put two AA batteries following the introduction. 2. Turn the POWER dial in a clockwise direction until it clicks. 3. Press the station selector button for your desired station. The station's call number will be visible on the digital screen. 4. To switch between AM or FM stations, move the AM/FM switch. To Operate the Timer 1. Each time the Timer Set button is pressed, five minutes will be put on the timer. The amount of time on the timer will be visible for five seconds on the digital screen. 2. When the timer doesn't work, a sound will be given off. The timer may be reset again after one minute. Troubleshooting Before returning the radio for service, please check the following items: Problem: Radio cannot be heard. 1. Check batteries. 2. Check Power/Volume Control. Problem: Timer does not work. 1. Check batteries 2. Follow directions for setting timer. 3. Turn the power control on. 4. Adjust the volume control. According to the text, what should you do before returning the radio for service?
<extra_id_0>Contact the store where you purchased it.
<extra_id_1>Call the producer for a repair number.
<extra_id_2>Consult the telephone book for local repair service.
<extra_id_3>Check whether certain problems exist.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Bill Fulton doesn't remember losing his wallet, but its return helped him remember the past. The leather stayed smooth and the cowboy design unblemished . And when he looked inside, the contents brought back memories from 1946, when he apparently dropped the wallet behind the balcony bleachers in the Baker Middle School gym. Fulton's Social Security Card and bicycle license, bearing the address where he lived during his teenage years, were positioned in their respective compartments, apparently untouched since the year after World War Il ended. Worker Nathan Osborne found the wallet -- along with old homework, lost library books and a 1964 talent show program -- while removing the bleachers for renovations on June 17. It was brought to Fulton's door the following day by Melanie Trindle, the Baker Middle School secretary. Middle School Principal Mindi Vaughan said the brown pine bleachers were connected to the gym balcony's brick wall and had remained in the same place since the school, known as the Helen M. Stack Building, opened in 1936. Fulton, 78, said he probably lost the wallet while cheering for the Baker High basketball team with a group of friends. Fulton said the bicycle ID was needed because he delivered medicine for Rodamar Drug. He was surprised, however, that his bicycle ID wasn't inside. He said he always kept it there. But rather than focus on what was inside the wallet, Fulton said the recovery has led him to reflect on his life -- one that took him to the Korean War and Berlin before the return to Baker City. He worked at Ellingson Lumber Company for 30 years, from March 1964 to April 1994. Since his retirement, Fulton has enjoyed spending time with his 11-year-old black dog, Smokey. The two often hike the nearby mountains. Trindle's knock on the door, wallet in hand, induced a slight ripple in his life, prompting him to consider the times he hadn't thought about in many years. "Where did all the times go?" Fulton said with a deep sigh. "It' s hard to believe that the times have gone so fast." After he retired, Fulton _ .
<extra_id_0>lived a peaceful and pleasant life
<extra_id_1>often regretted losing his wallet
<extra_id_2>lived a hard life by raising dogs in the mountains
<extra_id_3>quite missed his past life
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Online Voting --The Most Beautiful Places in China What are the most beautiful places in China in your eyes? Please take part in our activity and vote online. We are looking forward to your choice and voice! Everyone is welcome! Rules: 1) Voting period: October 1 to November 30. 2) The results and the winners list will be released in December. 3) 10 votes are allowed. 4) Please leave your contact information when sending your votes. CRIENGLISH takes no responsibility if a winner fails to receive the award because of incorrect contact information. 5) Your comments will be important in choosing the winners. 6) CRIENGLISH reserves the right to decide the final winners. 7) CRIENGLISH reserves the right for final explanation of the rules. Awards: The three top winners will each receive an award worth 300 Yuan (about 48 US dollars); The five second place winners will each receive an award worth 200 Yuan (about 32 US dollars); The ten third place winners will each receive an award worth 100 Yuan (about 16 US dollars). What can be learned about the rules?
<extra_id_0>The activity lasts three months.
<extra_id_1>Everyone must provide 10 votes at least.
<extra_id_2>Only the one giving his information can join the activity.
<extra_id_3>You'd better give a comment in order to win.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>It may be hard to believe, but the American Revolution --the war that freed the American states from British control--began over a cup of tea. Tea was not the only thing that caused the war, of course, but it played a very big part. The British people's love of tea is well-known. When the British won control over mush of North America in the early 1700s, they brought their tea- drinking habits with them. Tea quickly became the continents most popular drink. As tea could not be grown locally, just as in Britain, it was shipped into the country--mostly from India. In the early 1700s, the Britain government made a special deal with the East India Company, as an English trading company. They agreed that no other company was allowed to bring tea to Britain or any country controlled by Britain, including America. It was a great deal for the East India Company, since it meant that the company could decide whatever price it wanted for its products. And _ always decided on a high price! In North America, the local people did not like having to pay such high prices. Instead of overpaying for tea from the British, they turned to Dutch traders, who secretly brought tea to the country that was just as good--and much less expensive. Although this broke the law, the American people didn't care. They got the same cup of tea at a much lower price. The East India Company, however, didn't like this at all. By the 1760s, they were losing millions of pounds each year to Dutch traders--a huge amount of money in a time when PS60 a year was considered a good income. Instead of reducing their prices to compete with the Dutch, the company asked the British government for help and the government agreed. In 1767, the British introduced new law that increased the prices of all goods which were brought into America. These laws helped make the East India Company even richer and forced local people to pay much more for everything. The American leaders asked the British government not to do so, but the British refused to listen. These unfair laws increased Americans' anger about British rule and the rest, as they say, is history. What did the East India Company do to stop losing money?
<extra_id_0>It reduced the price of its tea.
<extra_id_1>It improved the taste of its tea.
<extra_id_2>It introduced a new kind of tea.
<extra_id_3>It asked the British government for help.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>British and American scientists are raising genetically modified pigs in the hope of providing organs for transplant to humans, the project leader wrote in a newspaper Sunday. Scientists in London and California have begun conducting the genetic experiments to find a solution to record-long waiting lists for organ transplants, Robert Winston said in an opinion piece written for Britain's Sunday Times. In Britain alone, around 8,000 patients are waiting for a transplant. "People needing a new heart or liver are waiting for someone else to die -usually a violent death in a traffic accident," Winston wrote in the newspaper. He said his team was "trying to modify pigs so their organs might save the lives of humans." The scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to reduce the chances of the organs being rejected by patients, as has been common in previous attempts to use animal tissues, said Winston, who heads the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at London's Hammersmith Hospital. Working with Dr. Carol Redhead of the California Institute of Technology, Winston's team has injected human genes directly into male piglets , adding them to the animal's sperm . He said that pigs involved in experiments had successfully produced transgenic sperm, but acknowledged that British and European laws had prevented the team from using the pigs to mate. The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the experiments would be moved to the United States following difficulties with funding and regulations in Britain. It said the pigs would be bred in Missouri. "Our U.S. friends will benefit from our technology and the income we might have produced for Britain will be lost," Winston wrote. Some scientists have previously blamed the idea of using animal organs for human transplant, saying the technique risks spreading animal viruses to humans. Winston said his research project is attempting to breed virus-free pigs. It can be inferred from the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>animal organs are commonly used for human transplant now
<extra_id_1>lots of patients need animal organ transplants now
<extra_id_2>examples of the animal tissues being rejected have happened
<extra_id_3>it is not safe to use animal organs for human transplant
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Word Power Author(s): Kaplan $13.95 You'll never be at a loss for words again. Energize your vocabulary with must-know everyday words that are the essentials of a good vocabulary, engaging lessons to help you use words in text, hot words often found on tests, tips to help you figure out new words, roots, and more. Grades: 8 & up Ages: 13 & up Word Smart Junior Author(s): Russell Stauffer $ 17.95 Now this is the way to add new words to your vocabulary! Word Smart Junior will make you laugh so much. You'll be amazed that you've just learned more than 120 fascinating and very useful words! Parents, teachers, and friends will marvel at your eloquence ! Grades: 3-5 Ages: 8-10 Grammar Smart Junior Author(s): Marcia Reynolds $ 16.85 Do you quake when your teacher says, "Now it's time for grammar"? Do your verbs agree with your subjects? Fear no more!A big Hollywood producer and a famous movie star will help you learn all those nasty elements of grammar. You'll be amazed at how quickly you learn, and how much fun it can be. _ and you'll never have to worry about it again. Grades: 7-9 Ages: 12-14 Grammar Smart: An Audio Guide to Perfect Usage Author(s): Julian Fleisher $ 12.68 The words you use say a lot about you ... but the way you put them together says even more. Your grammar makes an immediate and lasting impression on your teachers, and even your friends. So don't make the mistake of thinking that grammar is too complicated. We've created Grammar Smart to help you write and speak with clarity and confidence. Grades: 6-8 Ages: 11-13 The four books are all about _ .
<extra_id_0>fiction and mysteries
<extra_id_1>parenting and teaching
<extra_id_2>literature and arts
<extra_id_3>language study
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There have always been a lot of commonly believed but exercise. Some people believe that they can't help putting on hold that if they stop exercising, their muscles will turn into fat. Here are some more myths: false ideas about being fat and doing weight as they get older, while others I'll never lose weightI come from a fat family Wrong! While we can't change the body type we are bom with, we can't blame our genes for making us fat. There's plenty of evidence that fatness runs in families, and the main reason is that they share the same habits of eating too much and exercising too little. I am fat because I burn calories slowly Wrong! Fatness is not caused by a slow metabolism . In fact, although fat people consume more energy than slim people,they also fail to realize how much they eat! Keeping a diary can help you work out your daily food intake more accurately. Exercise is boring Wrong! Anything will become boring if you do it repetitively. The key is to develop a balanced and varied program thafs fun as well as progressive. If you enjoy a Sunday walk,take a different route. If you do yoga,try a tai chi class. If you like swimming, set yourself a distance or time challenge. No pain, no gain Wrong! Exercise is not meant to hurt. Indeed, pain is your body telling you something's wrong, and continuing to exercise could lead to serious injury. You may experience mild discomfort as you begin to exercise regularly, but this is your body adapting to the positive changes in your lifestyle and the aches should disappear relatively quickly. If they don't, rest and seek medical advice. According to the author, how can we make exercise more interesting?
<extra_id_0>By taking varied exercise.
<extra_id_1>By choosing simple exercise.
<extra_id_2>By doing regular exercise.
<extra_id_3>By sticking to outdoor exercise.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>An unpunctual man never does what he has to do at the right time. He is always in a hurry and in the end loses both time and his good name. A lost thing may be found again, but lost time can never be got back. Time is more useful than material things. In fact, time is life itself. An unpunctual man is always wasting his most important things as well as others'. An unpunctual person is always saying unhappily that he finds no time to answer letters or return calls. But the man who really has much to do is very careful of his time. He knows that he can not finish all his work unless he carefully does every piece of work. Being unpunctual is the sign of disrespect ( _ ) towards others. If a person is invited to dinner and arrives later than the time when he should be there, he keeps all the other guests waiting for him. Usually this will be thought as a great disrespect to the host and all the other guests. Not like a punctual person, an unpunctual one can't do his duty wonderfully, whether it is public or personal. Imagine how it would be if those who should do important tasks failed to be on time. A man who is known to be often unpunctual is never believed by his friends or fellow men. From the passage, we learn that an unpunctual man usually _ in the end.
<extra_id_0>saves time for others
<extra_id_1>leaves his family and friends
<extra_id_2>gets his chances and knowledge
<extra_id_3>loses his time and good name
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Which likely most relies on its looks to reproduce?
<extra_id_0>the shark
<extra_id_1>the horse
<extra_id_2>the spider
<extra_id_3>the peacock
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>"Congratulations, Mr. Jones, it's a girl." Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different answer from every man who hears these words. Some feel proud when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For other couples, pregnancy was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or unwillingly. Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is obvious that the change from the role of husband to that of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this re-socialization process. Although many good books have been written about American mothers, only recently have some books discussed the role of a father. It is argued by some writers that the transition to the father's role, although difficult, is not nearly as great as the transition the wife must make to the mother's role. The mother's role seems to require a complete transformation of daily routine and adaptation to a new life, on the other hand, the father's role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we have mentioned the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the father is still thought by many as the breadwinner in the household. It is stated in the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>some parents are not prepared to have a child
<extra_id_1>young couples do not like children at all
<extra_id_2>working couples do not have much time to take care of their children
<extra_id_3>many parents look forward to having a boy as their first child
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>My name is Lisa. Because of my job, I often went to the United States. I often felt worried during my trip because I didn't speak English well. So I decided to learn English. I went to Mrs Brown's English class. Before I came to the class, I always walked away when I met any Americans. But now I try to talk to Americans in English. And I like going to supermarkets, cafes and restaurants to talk with local people. I learn English in four ways. First , I listen to the teacher carefully and keep speaking in class. Second, I do my homework after I get home. I learn at least five words every day. Third, I listen to American radio and watch American TV programs. Finally, I surf the Internet to talk with different people in English. To learn English well, I think you must learn to open your mouth. For me that is the key to opening the door of learning English. What's the key to opening the door of studying English for Lisa?
<extra_id_0>Listening to American radio and watch American TV.
<extra_id_1>Learning to talk to Americans in English.
<extra_id_2>Listening carefully in class.
<extra_id_3>Learning at least five words every day.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>In China, safety education is becoming more and more important now. The last Monday in March is for students to learn it at school. It helps students learn more about what they should do to keep themselves safe. What are the accidents at school? Take a look. Stampedes , earthquakes and fires are the main accidents at school. A stampede always happens in crowded places. When students around you begin to push, just stand there and try to hold onto something. If you fall down in the crowd, move to one side and protect your head with your hands around. When earthquakes happen, you can get under a desk quickly and hold on. It'll protect you from falling things. If you are outdoors, find a place away from buildings, trees, and power lines. When there's a fire, leave the classroom quickly. It's better to put something wet over your mouth and nose. In this way, you won't breathe in smoke. Many people die in a fire, not because of the fire but smoke. It makes them cough and they can't breathe. That's very dangerous! So when you want to get out, you should make yourself close to the floor. Then you can breathe some fresh air. Stampedes , earthquakes and fires are the main accidents _ .
<extra_id_0>at school .
<extra_id_1>at home
<extra_id_2>on the farm.
<extra_id_3>in the open air.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>We all remember seeing hitchhikers , standing by the side of the road, thumb sticking out, waiting for a lift. But it is getting rare nowadays. What killed hitchhiking? Safety is often mentioned as a reason. Movies about murderous hitchhikers and real-life crime have put many drivers off picking up hitchhikers. That no single women picked me up on my journey to Manchester no doubt reflects the safety fear: a large, strangely dressed man is seen as dangerous. But the reason may be more complex: hitchhiking happens where people don't have cars and transport services are poor. Plenty of people still hitchhike in Poland and Romania. Perhaps the rising level of car ownership in the UK means the few people lift hitchhiking are usually considered strange. Why can't they afford cars? Why can't they take the coach or the train? Three-quarters of the UK population have access to a car; many of the remainder will be quite old. The potential hitchhiking population is therefore small. Yet my trip proves it's still possible to hitchhike. The people who picked me up were very interesting-lawyer, retired surgeon, tank commander, carpenter, man who live in an isolated farmhouse and a couple living up in the mountains. My conclusion is that only really interesting people are mad enough to pick up fat blokes in red, spotted scarves. Most just wanted to do someone a good turn; a few said they were so surprised to see a hitchhiker that they couldn't help stopping. The future of hitchhiking most likely lies with car-sharing organized over the Internet, via sites such as hitchhikers. org. But for now, you can still stick your thumb out(actually, I didn't do much of that, preferring just to hold up my destination sign) and people-wonderful, caring, sharing, unafraid people-will stop. In the UK, with its cheap coaches and reasonable rail service, I don't think I'll make a habit of it. But having enjoyed it so much, I'm ready now to do a big trip across Europe and beyond. In the 1970s a female friend of my wife's hitchhiked to India. How wonderful it would be to have another go, though Afghanistan might be a challenge. I wish I'd got that tank commander's mobile number. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>That some people refuse hitchhikers may reflect the safety fear.
<extra_id_1>Car ownership levels are lower in Romania than in the UK.
<extra_id_2>40% of UK people don't have access to cars.
<extra_id_3>Increased car ownership has reduced the need for hitchhiking.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Teary Joe was a boy with a special ability: he could make himself cry in less than a second. If he disliked something, or things became difficult, Teary Joe would not hesitate to put on a pitiful face and set great big tears running down his cheeks. In this way he managed to get practically everything he wanted, because no one could resist the pity inspired by his tearful little face. But one day, Teary Joe met Pipo. Pipo was asking people in the street for some change, in return for him helping them in any way he could. Pipo was very poor; he had no home and no family, so he made a living however he could. Even so, Pipo always had the biggest smiles on his face. Joe took to Pipo, so he decided to help him out in making some money. He went over next to Pipo, took off his hat, put it face-up on the ground, and started crying with the most pitiful of expressions. Ina few minutes, Joe's hat was full of coins and sweets, but when Joe offered all this to Pipo, Pipo declined. "I prefer deserving what I receive," answered Pipo with his usual smile, "It's much more fun making an effort to get things. Maybe I haven't gotten everything I've wanted, but I've done a load of interesting things." Teary Joe didn't answer; he just walked sadly away. Joe had got everything he wanted, but he'd done practically nothing of interest the whole day. That evening, having returned home, Joe requested a delicious cake for his supper. When his mother said no, Joe tried to cry but, remembering Pipo and how joyful he was, he tried to get the cake in some other way. Joe spent the whole evening helping his mother to water the plants and organize the library books. In the end there was no cake. But that wasn't so bad, because Joe discovered it had been much more fun doing all those things that evening rather than just sitting crying to get a piece of cake that, in the end, wouldn't have been worth it. Teary Joe sadly walked away because he _ .
<extra_id_0>considered that Pipo was very poor
<extra_id_1>realized he shouldn't change his life style
<extra_id_2>didn't get delicious cake for supper
<extra_id_3>got everything he wanted without delight
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Not many years ago, a wealthy and rather strange old man named Johnson lived alone in a village in the south of England. He had made a lot of money in trading with foreign countries. When he was seventy-five, he gave PS 12,000 to the village school to buy land and equipment for a children's play ground. As a result of his kindness, many people came to visit him. Among them was a newspaperman, During their talk, Johnson remarked that he was seventy-five and expected to live to be a hundred. The newspaperman asked him how he managed to be healthy at seventy-five, Johnson had a sense of humor . He liked whisky and drank some each day. "I have an injection in my neck each evening." He told the newspaperman, thinking of evening glass of whisky. The newspaperman did not understand what Johnson meant. In his newspaper he reported that Johnson was seventy-five and has a daily injection in his neck. Within a week Johnson received thousands of letters from all over Britain, asking him for the secret of his daily injection. The gift of money to the school suggests that Johnson _ .
<extra_id_0>had no children.
<extra_id_1>was a strange man.
<extra_id_2>was very fond of children.
<extra_id_3>wanted people to know how rich he was.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Road Lines is an interstate bus company operating in a five-state area. A federal statute authorizes the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to permit interstate carriers to discontinue entirely any unprofitable route. Road Lines applied to the ICC for permission to drop a very unprofitable route through the sparsely populated Shaley Mountains. The ICC granted that permission even though Road Lines provided the only public transportation into the region. Foley is the owner of a mountain resort in the Shaley Mountains, whose customers usually arrived on vehicles operated by Road Lines. After exhausting all available federal administrative remedies, Foley filed suit against Road Lines in the trial court of the state in which the Shaley Mountains are located to enjoin the discontinuance by Road Lines of its service to that area. Foley alleged that the discontinuance of service by Road Lines would violate a statute of that state prohibiting common carriers of persons from abandoning service to communities having no alternate form of public transportation. The state court should
<extra_id_0>dismiss the action, because Foley lacks standing to sue.
<extra_id_1>direct the removal of the case to federal court, because this suit involves a substantial federal question.
<extra_id_2>hear the case on its merits and decide for Foley because, on these facts, a federal agency is interfering with essential state functions.
<extra_id_3>hear the case on its merits and decide for Road Lines, because a valid federal law preempts the state statute on which Foley relies.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Angela Chang didn't know it would be so hard to turn her singing hobby into a career. Her agent used to take her to lots of auditions at different recording studios but the Taiwanese girl was always turned down for looking too young and small. Chang' s talent was finally recognized in 2002 by the Decca Record Company. When she was offered a contract she burst into tears. Two years later Chang, 21, is a star. With the release of her debut album "Over the Rainbow" this year, she won the "Most Promising New Artist in Taiwan" at the CCTV-MTV Music Awards in July. In September she won the "Best New Artist" in the Fourth Chinese Music Billboard Awards. "You just can't believe that such an amazingly powerful voice comes form such a small body," said musicians after hearing Chang sing "Over the Rainbow." "It's such a special voice. You cannot forget it." Chang can hit very high motes clearly and beautifully. Her tunes make Chang stand out from the numerous newcomers in the music world. But mainland fans also know her for her girl-next-door performances in Taiwanese TV dramas, "My MVP Valentine" and "At Dolphin Bay". But few people know that while filming her first TV series, Chang acted so badly that the director wanted to fire her. _ "I cried my heart out when I went back home." Change said, "But I know that defeat is often a temporary condition. By giving up you remain defeated." Though she looks very girlish, Chang said she has a boy's personality. "The way I release pressure is to have a sound sleep. When I wake up, everything is new." What musicians said shows _ .
<extra_id_0>Chang has a common voice
<extra_id_1>Chang isn't suitable to sing
<extra_id_2>they think highly of Chang
<extra_id_3>they will give Chang some direction
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>How do you usually celebrate your birthday? Playing a soccer game may not be your first choice. But Lu Han, the former EXO singer, did just that and showed has an unusual side of him. Lu Han celebrated his 25th birthday by playing a soccer game with players from Beijing No.47 High School on April 19th in Beijing, a day before his birthday. He scored three goals in the game. Lu Han has often shown on Weibo that he is a big soccer fan and his favorite soccer team is Manchester United. He said more than once that he used to dream of becoming a professional soccer player. So what was Lu Han's performance like on the pitch ?Fan Zhiyi, the former captain of the Chinese national soccer team, played with Lu Han in a friendly match in 2013. He thought that Lu Han is a top amateur player. ,A, B, C, D. When is Lu Han's birthday?
<extra_id_0>On April 18th.
<extra_id_1>On April 19th.
<extra_id_2>On April 20th.
<extra_id_3>On April 25th.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>From now on, never spend your precious time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow. The seeds, and the power to grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created: the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner. You were born rich. You can be a success if only you make the right choice. You cannot be successful without first developing your self-confidence. Your level of self-confidence is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with low self-confidence are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for their lives. They are mere victims. They are leaves tossed by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather. You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe that you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible. Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause, we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence. If you associate with positive-thinking people, you are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary, the opposite happens. We are responsible for finding, planting, and nurturing the seeds that contain future victory, born from setbacks. In short, in all areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, you are responsible. Once you recognize this, accept it, and firmly believe it, you are on the road to success. People with low self-confidence are compared to leaves because they _ .
<extra_id_0>are ready to change their minds
<extra_id_1>are easily affected by windy weather
<extra_id_2>don't have the power to face their fate
<extra_id_3>can't control themselves in life
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Hello!I'm Tim Hand, I'm English, but I'm in China. This is my mother. Her first name is Steve. My telephone number is seven-six-zero, nine-one-seven-six, My friend is Li Lei. His English name is Paul. He is Chinese. His telephone number is 281-5248.Look at the photo. Who's that in the photo? It's my Chinese teacher. His name is Liu Yong. He is a good teacher. ---Where is Tim?--- _ .
<extra_id_0>China
<extra_id_1>in China
<extra_id_2>In china
<extra_id_3>In China
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>A recent survey found that the French are the second-most insecure people in Europe after Italy about their proficiency in English. Only 13 percent of the French respondents believed they are proficient in the language, according to the European data agency Eurostat. The situation is no better in business circles, where three-quarters of French executives feel unprepared to hold an interview in English and only 16 percent say they feel comfortable with the language, a separate survey showed. The survey results aren't surprising. The French seem to have always had this cold and gloomy attitude toward the English language. But what struck me is that, despite the French pessimism, living in Paris without being able to speak the language of Moliere is easier these days than in the past. New immigrants are part of the reason. I can have an easy chat with the owner of the laundry in my neighborhood. Buying the medicine I need at the local pharmacy is effortless. Ordering a meal in English at the restaurant two blocks away from my apartment does not make me feel awkward. It is all because the people who run these businesses are immigrants. Greater tolerance and acceptance of non-French speakers is a reflection of the fact that France, willingly or not, has begun to embrace globalization more comfortably. For instance, you will never get the same look you would have had 15 years ago if you ask for directions in English on the streets of Paris. I have also met many native French who are happy to communicate in English. They are usually the kind of people who are open-minded and are sensitive to the changes beyond their own territories. They are very interested in gaining insight into what is happening on the other side of the globe. In my hometown, English is also being hotly debated since Beijing education authorities decided to reduce the importance of English proficiency in college entrance exams and increase that of the Chinese language and literature. The Chinese and the French share similarities in attitudes toward foreign languages. We are both so proud of our own languages and cultures that we can feel uncomfortable when we are forced to communicate in another language. But like it or not, English is still the most widely used language in the world, at least for the foreseeable future. After all, it is not about abandoning one's own language but about being able to fit more easily into this globalized world. What can we infer from the passage?
<extra_id_0>The immigrants in France speak English as their native language.
<extra_id_1>In France people refuse to communicate with each other in English.
<extra_id_2>Italians feel the most unconfident in speaking English in Europe.
<extra_id_3>French people are happy to face the changes in their country.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Staff, Inc., a flour wholesaler, contracted to deliver to Eclaire, a producer of fine baked goods, her flour requirements for a one-year period. Before delivery of the first scheduled installment, Staff sold its business and "assigned" all of its sale contracts to Miller, Inc., another reputable and long-time flour Miller, Inc., another reputable and long-time flour wholesaler. Staff informed Eclaire of this transaction. For this question only, assume that when Miller tendered the first installment to Eclaire in compliance with the Staff-Eclaire contract, Eclaire refused to accept the goods. Which of the following arguments, if any, legally support(s) Eclaire's rejection of the goods? I. Executory requirements contracts are nonassignable. II. Duties under an executory bilateral contract are assumable only by an express promise to perform on the part of the delegatee. III. Language of "assignment" in the transfer for value of a bilateral sale-of-goods contract affects only a transfer of rights, not a delegation of duties.
<extra_id_0>I only.
<extra_id_1>II and III only.
<extra_id_2>I and II and III.
<extra_id_3>Neither I nor II nor III.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Thick dust rose and a large building collapsed. This was the scene in Zhu Zhou,Hunan Province on May 17. Nine people were killed and 16 injured. Things were similar in the Sichuan earthquake. Thousands of people were buried in the ruins and lost their lives. What if we could have warned them? People are always _ to find a way of preventing buildings' collapse. Better materials and technology help,but they are not a solution. Just like humans,a building has its own life cycle from "birth" to "death".If we know when a building is going to collapse,we can repair it in advance or get out of it before it falls. Now,scientists at the University of Illinois have developed a material that turns red before it breaks. The invention could be used in things like climbing ropes or bridge supports. The research was led by Nancy Sottos,a professor at the university's Beckman Institute,and Douglas Davis,a graduate research assistant. The secret behind the color--changing material is a type of molecule .A molecule is a group of atoms held together by chemical bonds. Imagine you and your friends standing in a circle,holding hands. Each person stands for one atom,your hands represent the bonds,and the entire circle represents a molecule. If one person lets go of his or her hands,the molecule changes color. The research team put the molecule into a soft material. When the researchers stretched the material,it turned bright red for a few seconds before it broke into two pieces. When they repeatedly stretched and relaxed the material,without breaking it,it only turned a little red. The major problem is that light can get rid of the red color. When the team shone bright light on the molecule,the broken bond was fixed,and the color disappeared. Scientists have yet to do more research before the color--changing molecules can be used outside the lab. Which of the following is a WRONG statement?
<extra_id_0>Thousands of people died from the collapse of buildings in the Sichuan earthquake because they hadn't been warned.
<extra_id_1>There is no building that will never collapse.
<extra_id_2>A new material has been applied to buildings to warn people of collapse.
<extra_id_3>A color--changing material can turn red before it breaks.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Announcements Bret Harte vs. Calaveras alumni boys The annual Bret Harte vs. CHS alumni boy basketball game will be held at 7 p.m.,Saturday, Nov. 30,at Calaveras High. All players must have played at least one year of varsity basketball. Cost to play is $30. Admission for audience is $5 for adults and $2 for kids. Kids 6 and under are admitted free. For more information, call Kraig Clifton at 7430679 or Jeff Eltringham at 7360162. CHS girls basketball skills The Calaveras High girls basketball program presents the Junior Redskins Winter Skills, a developmental basketball program for girls in fifth through eighth grades that will be held from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Signups are still being accepted for the second of two fiveweek sessions, which will be held for five Sundays in a row beginning Jan. 12,2014. Cost is $25 per session. Each competitor receives a Tshirt at the end of each session with recommended drills.For more information or to sign up, call Jeremy Malamed at 2174563 or email sports.calent@gmail.com. CHS swim/baseball coaching vacancies Calaveras High School (CHS) is looking for a head boys/girls swim coach and a baseball coach for the 2014 spring season. Applications will be accepted and jobs will remain open until filled. Interview dates are to be set. Anyone interested can stop by the district office or the high school for an application.For more information, call Mike Koepp at 7541811. Foothills Little League signups Foothills Little League will hold signups for the 2014 season from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Pizza Factory in Valley Springs. All players must provide proofs of citizenship and a birth certificate.For more information, call Shawn Threet at 3047399 or leave a message at 7721516. Yoga in Rail Road Flat Yoga is being offered at Rail Road Flat Elementary from 9.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Fridays with instructor Kristine Louise. Cost is a $5 instructor fee and $2 donation to The Friends of Rail Road Flat School for each person. For more information,visit friendsofrrfschool.org. Which of the following needs your identification?
<extra_id_0>Yoga in Rail Road Flat.
<extra_id_1>CHS girls basketball skills.
<extra_id_2>CHS swim/baseball coaching vacancies.
<extra_id_3>Foothills Little League signups.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Ibrahim became disabled after contracting polio when he was three years old. At first his parents, like many other parents of disabled children in Niger, did not want to send him to school. They were worried he would be laughed at by his classmates. Despite his disability, and his parents' doubts, Ibrahim was determined to go to school. "When I was eight," Ibrahim says, "other kids of my age were going to school while I stayed at home. I did not like that. So, I pestered my parents until they finally let me go to school." Ibrahim's parents sent him to a private school nearby. Although the journey to and from school was a short one, it still wasn't easy for Ibrahim. He had to use his hands to help him move along, protecting them with plastic slippers. But at least he was getting an education. However, after only a year in school, Ibrahim's education was interrupted when his parents separated. His mother did not have the means to continue paying for his tuition. In 2007, Ibrahim received some money to be fitted with a leg brace , corrective shoes and his first pair of crutches . Now that he was more mobile than before, the most important thing for him was to find a way to go back to school. "I wanted to start school again last October," Ibrahim says. "After my mother told me she could not afford it, I went to visit some of my relatives for support. And I collected 5,000 francs CFA (US $8) to pay my tuition for half a year. I will find the rest of the money somehow." Ibrahim attends a school in which he is the only disabled student. According to his teacher, he is among the top five students in a class of 55. The best title for the passage might be _ .
<extra_id_0>A long way to go
<extra_id_1>Determined to learn
<extra_id_2>The only disabled student
<extra_id_3>I did not like that
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>I live in a small doll's house in a young girl's room. The girl is called Danielle. She loves me very much. She puts beautiful clothes on me and combs my hair every day. I look like a lady from the Tang Dynasty in China. My clothes are red and blue. I wear golden shoes and small gold hair clips. Danielle is going to take me to Japan for the Doll Festival. I can see many dolls there. Sometimes I feel lonely because I am Danielle's only doll and I never see other dolls. I want to talk with other dolls. I want to talk about our clothes, houses and lives. I want to ask the Japanese dolls a lot of questions. I want to ask the Kokeshi dolls why they have no arms or legs! They are usually little girls. I like to talk to young dolls. Danielle says I can meet some boys' dolls at the festival too. I hope I can make friends with some of them. Where is the Doll Festival?
<extra_id_0>In China.
<extra_id_1>In America.
<extra_id_2>In England.
<extra_id_3>In Japan.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>What's your earliest childhood memory? Can you remember the first time you heard thunder or watched a television program? Adults seldom recall events much earlier than the year or so before entering school, just as children younger than three or four rarely keep any memory of specific, personal experiences. A variety of explanations have been put forward by psychologists for this "childhood amnesia" . One argues that the _ , the region of the brain which is responsible for forming memories, does not mature until about the age of two. But the most popular theory thinks that, since adults do not think like children, they cannot access childhood memories. Adults think in words, and their life memories are like stories. But when they search through their mental files for early childhood memories to add to this verbal life story, they don't find any that fit the pattern. It's like _ . Now psychologist Annette Simms offers a new explanation for "childhood amnesia". She argues that there simply aren't any early childhood memories to recall. According to Dr. Simms , children need to learn to use someone else's spoken description of their personal experiences in order to turn their own short-term, quickly forgotten impressions of these experiences into long-term memories. In other words, children hear others talk about their experiences--Mother talking about the afternoon spent looking for crabs at the beach or Dad asking them about their day at Ocean Park. Without the help of this kind of verbal description, says Dr. Simms, children cannot form long-term memories of their personal experiences. Trying to find a Chinese word in an English dictionary is stated to show that _ .
<extra_id_0>adults and children have different memory patterns
<extra_id_1>it is unlikely to find a Chinese word in an English dictionary
<extra_id_2>Chinese and English are totally different languages
<extra_id_3>memories are in some way connected with languages
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>One day my 13-year-old daughter told me that she was going to spend the afternoon at her friend Jesse's house. I didn't doubt it until I called Jesse's number to remind Liz that it was her turn to walk the dog, and Jesse's mom picked up the phone and said, "I thought she and Jesse were planning to be at your house." It turned out that the two of them had decided to hang out at a coffee shop instead. When I questioned my daughter, she replied coldly, "What's the big deal? You're such a psycho ." Can you say it is right or wrong for them to behave like that? Their changeable personalities leave you feeling angry and guilty at the same time. _ "There's nothing wrong about being angry with your child," Says Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D., author of The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting. "Conflict is natural when your innocent, lovely child turns into an adolescent who can hardly tolerate you. It's part of the process of separation." Kids insisted on their individuality with behavior to purposely drive you crazy. It's their way of saying, "I am my own person" -- but doing it in a context that's safe and that has clear limits. So when your little darling changes into a silent person who still expects meals, clothing, and transportation, don't panic. Here's how to handle some common problems without losing your temper or your self-respect. By saying "In fact, if your kids don't annoy you from time to time, you're not doing your job", the writer probably means that _ .
<extra_id_0>when you are doing a job, your kids shouldn't annoy you
<extra_id_1>parents should be responsible for children's bad behavior
<extra_id_2>parents shouldn't tolerate their children's bad behavior
<extra_id_3>it's understandable for kids to annoy their parents
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Alan took an early interest in gardening---first on his grandfather's Yorkshire allotment in Ilkley, and then in his parents' back garden. Small polythene greenhouses appeared in the back garden, and cacti were bought from church markets. Alan left school at fifteen with one `O' level in Art and took a job as an apprentice gardener in Ilkley Parks Department nursery, studying for his City and Guilds in Horticulture in the evening. He went on to horticultural college at Oaklands in Hertfordshire where he studied for one year full-time, being awarded the National Certificate in Horticultural. This was followed by three years at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, resulting in the award of the Kew Diploma. After two years as supervisor of staff training at Kew, Alan entered journalism where he became first a gardening books editor, and then Deputy Editor of Amateur Gardening magazine. He appeared regularly on BBC Radio and Television in programs such as Nationwide , Breakfast Time, Open Air, Pebble Mill, Songs of Praise, Titchmarsh's Travels, and the Chelsea Flower Show. He presented the 100th edition of The Word for Channel 4, and hosted the quiz show Ask the Family. Gardeners' World and the hugely popular Ground Force, second only to Easterners in the BBC1 ratings, are broadcast as far as Australia, New Zealand and North America. After leaving both programs, Alan worked on two other series for the BBC to be transmitted in 2003 and 2004, one of them a landmark series on the natural history of Britain. Alan writes for the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Radio Times and BBC Gardeners' World magazine, and has more than thirty gardening books to his credit. His four novels, as well as a book about his own life, have been best sellers. Alan, 53, gardens organically, and lives with his wife, two daughters and a medley of animals. According to this passage, we can learn that _ .
<extra_id_0>Alanaccepted little education
<extra_id_1>Alan wrote many books about food
<extra_id_2>Alan had never been married
<extra_id_3>Alan was first a gardening books editor
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>John and Bobby joined the same company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary worker. John couldn't it anymore, gave his resignation to the boss and complained that the boss only promoted those who only said good words to him. The boss knew John worked very hard for the years. He thought for a moment and said, "I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave." John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find anyone selling watermelons in the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found a man selling water melons. The boss asked how much they per kilo. John shook his head and went back to the seller to ask and returned to tell the boss $1.2 per kilo. The boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelons in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, "Boss, only one person is selling watermelons. $1.2 per kg, and $10 for 10 kg. He has 340 melons in all, 58 of which are on the table. Every melon weighs about 2 kg. Brought from the South two days ago, they are fresh and red. " John was impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby. What does the passage mostly want to tell us?
<extra_id_0>Learning is the key to great success.
<extra_id_1>A person fails usually because of carelessness.
<extra_id_2>A more successful person sees more and further.
<extra_id_3>One's success is not related to his working hard.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Fossil fuels were formed from
<extra_id_0>volcanoes
<extra_id_1>the remains of living things
<extra_id_2>gases in the atmosphere
<extra_id_3>water trapped inside rocks
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>One Saturday afternoon about the second week of May, Maggie and her mom Jan went to the dentist. Maggie was seven years old and she was scared of the dentist, but her mom promised to fix her favorite chicken dish for dinner if Maggie was a good girl. "At least it's not the doctor's!" she said. They got to the dentist office and Jan told the woman, named Tiffany, at the front desk that they were there. There were lots of toys in the waiting room but Maggie was too nervous to enjoy them like the other kids. Finally, a woman came and told Maggie and Jan that it was Maggie's turn. They made a right turn and went to the third room on the left. Maggie sat down in the dentist's chair. A woman, Mary, came in and cleaned her teeth and told Maggie and Jan that Maggie had done well with her brushing. Then the dentist, Taylor, came in and did a checkup. He saw that everything was good and that Maggie had no problems with her teeth. He gave Maggie a bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a sugar free candy. There was also a smiley face sticker in the bag. Jan was proud of her daughter and stopped at the grocery store to get ingredients for the chicken dish for dinner as promised. What was in the bag that the dentist gave to Maggie?
<extra_id_0>toothbrush, toothpaste, candy, and sticker
<extra_id_1>toothbrush and toys
<extra_id_2>toothbrush, toothpaste, and candy
<extra_id_3>toothbrush and toothpaste
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>She was a poor girl who worked to get money to pay for her lessons. She became the famous woman scientist of her time. That's the story of Marie Curie's life. She didn't mind working and she didn't care about the honors that were given to her in later years. Marie was born in 1867. Her name was Marie Sklosovska then. She lived in Poland. Her father was a teacher. Everyone soon saw that Marie had a quick mind. Marie's mother died when her youngest daughter was only ten. From then on, Marie knew that she would have to work hard at her lessons if she wanted to be successful in her life. She studied very hard and was one of the best students at her school. Marie and her older sister, Bronya, wanted to study in France at the Sorbonne. But their father didn't have enough money to send them there. It was Marie who had an idea: she would teach at home and send her money to Bronya. After her sister finished studying in Paris, she would get work and send Marie the money to study there herself. So Marie worked very hard for six years to pay for her sister's studies. At last it was Marie's turn but when she got to France, her sister was married and could not give her much help. Again Marie worked. She studied in a small room without heat or light. She lived on bread and tea most of the time. But all she thought of was her maths and science. This was her world. After four years' hard work, Marie and her husband found something which was called radium . They were given the Nobel Prize for their great discovery . But they were too ill to go Stockholm themselves to receive it. Marie always said that it was because of her children that she want her work. And she discovered a hidden power and gave it to the world. It was the same power, however, that killed Marie in 1934. The greatness of Marie's life in fact is that _ .
<extra_id_0>She received two Nobel Prizes
<extra_id_1>She was the first woman to work at the Sorbonne
<extra_id_2>She helped her sister finish school.
<extra_id_3>She worked hard without taking care of the fame and honors she received
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>After living in the United States for quite a long time, I do not think about the cultural differences any more. Last month, my parents came to visit me. Their observations on the American lifestyle reminded me that cultural differences between living in China and America are actually everywhere. When my parents came to America, they praised my house. Everyone had his/her own bedroom; there was a front yard, a backyard and a garage; there were many bathrooms - all convenient and comfortable. However, they were not used to the glass doors at the first floor. My mom, from southern China, was worried that someone would break open the glass doors. Though I said that nobody would do that, she was still worried about it. When I brought them to eat in fast food restaurants, whether it was in McDonald's or KFC, they saw that refilling drinks was for free. This concept of free refill was so new to them. A Chinese friend told me a story. He and his American girlfriend ate at a restaurant. His girlfriend wanted to drink English tea. He was curious, so he tried some and found that it didn't taste bad with milk and sugar in it. Adding more water to tea is free of course, so he drank more cups. His girlfriend found it embarrassing and explained to him that what he was doing was not exactly fair. If he wanted to drink more tea, he should buy another cup. My friend thought that Americans could take advantage of the free refills, but only a few of them did that. After staying in America for some time, he changed his habit. We can infer that the writer _ .
<extra_id_0>doesn't like American culture
<extra_id_1>has got used to her life in America
<extra_id_2>received an American education as a child
<extra_id_3>thinks American and Chinese cultures are the same
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Hu Li's heart sank due to the color of the air.Driving 140 kilometers from Tianjin City to Beijing last week,she held her breath as the air became a charcoal grey haze .The 39yearold businesswoman has lived in Beijing for a decade,and this past month,she said,brought the worst air pollution she has ever seen.It gave her husband a cough and left her sevenyearold daughter housebound ."My husband as well as I is working here,so we have no choice," she said."But if we had a choice,we'd like to escape from Beijing." The extended heavy pollution over the last month,which caused punishment in return for a day last week-called the "airpocalypse" by internet users- has largely changed the way that Chinese think about the country's air.On one day,pollution levels were 30 times higher than levels considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO).Flights were cancelled.Roads were closed.One hospital in east Beijing reported they had treated more than 900 children for breathing issues.Bloomberg found that for most of January,Beijing's air was worse than that of an airport smoking area. The smog's most threatening aspect is its high concentration of PM 2.5 - particulate matter that is small enough to breathe deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream,causing breathing infections,lung cancer and possibly damaging children's development.The WHO has estimated that outdoor air pollution accounts for two million deaths per year,65% of them in Asia. From the passage we know high concentration of PM 2.5 _ .
<extra_id_0>can lead to choke
<extra_id_1>can cause heart cancer
<extra_id_2>will damage children's development
<extra_id_3>will damage people's organ
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just three grams less a day would affect heart disease in the United States. The result: thirteen percent fewer heart attacks. Eight percent fewer strokes. Four percent fewer deaths. Eleven percent fewer new cases of heart disease. And two hundred forty billion dollars in health care savings. Researchers found it could prevent one hundred thousand heart attacks and ninety-two thousand deaths every year. The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten, at the University of California, was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams, or one-half teaspoon, less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia University. Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium, which is how foods may list their salt content. The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies, while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants. Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas, like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children's Research Institute shows how that idea can influence what parents order for their children. Ninety-nine parents of three to six year olds took part. Half had McDonald's menus clearly showing how many calories were in each food. The other half got menus without the calorie information. We can learn from the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>Americans ate no more than 5 grams of salt per day in the 1970s
<extra_id_1>the American Heart Association suggest less than 3 grams of salt every day
<extra_id_2>a reduction in salt in the diet helps lower blood pressure
<extra_id_3>all the heart diseases result from eating more salt
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>So the little girl now walked on, her bare feet quite red and blue with the cold. She carried a small bundle of matches in her hand, and a good many more in her tattered dress. No one had bought any of them the live long day; no one had given her a single penny. Trembling with cold and hunger crept she on, the picture of sorrow: poor little child! The snow-flakes fell on her long, fair hair, which curled in such pretty ringlets over her shoulders; but she thought not of her own beauty, or of the cold. Lights were glimmering through every window, and the savor of roast goose reached her from several houses;it was New Year's eve, and it was of this that she thought. In a corner formed by two houses, one of which projected beyond the other. She sat down, drawing her little feet close under her, but in vain, she could not warm them. She dared not go home, she had sold no matches, earned not a single penny, and perhaps her father would beat her,besides her home was almost as cold as the street,it was an attic; and although the larger of the many chinks in the roof were stopped up with straw and rags. The wind and snow often penetrated through. Her hands were nearly dead with cold; one little match from her bundle would warm them. Perhaps, if she dared light it, she drew one out, and struck it against the wall, bravo! It was a bright, warm flame, and she held her hands over it. It was quite an illumination for that poor little girl; no, I call it rather a magic taper, _ , so beautifully blazed the fire within! The child stretched out her feet to warm them also; alas, in an instant the flame had died away, the stove disappeared, the little girl sat cold and comfortless, with the burnt match in her hand. The author emphasized that the story happened on New Year's Eve in order to _ .
<extra_id_0>highlight the cold weather
<extra_id_1>contrast with the girl's sadness.
<extra_id_2>present the time
<extra_id_3>describe the situation
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>All of us eat every day, but most of us don't understand nutrition . How much do you know about good nutrition? Are the following statements true or false? 1. People who don't eat meat can stay healthy. True. As long as people eat enough milk, eggs and meat alternates , they can get enough protein. 2. Fresh vegetables cooked at home are always more nutritious than canned vegetables. False. The difference depends more on how vegetables are prepared than whether they are fresh or canned. Vegetables cooked in too much water can lose a large quantity of vitamins. 3. Food eaten between meals can be just as good for health as food eaten at regular meals. True. Nutritional value depends on what types of food you eat, not when you eat them. Eating an egg or an orange between meals can _ a good diet. 4. Taking extra vitamins beyond the recommended daily allowances won't give you more energy. True. It's widely believed that extra vitamins provide more energy. But taking more than the baby needs doesn't make it function better, just as overfilling your gas tank doesn't make your car run better. 5. Natural vitamins are better supplements for the diet than _ vitamins. False. There is no difference. A vitamin has the same properties and specific chemical structure whether made in a laboratory or taken from plant or animal parts. 6. Older people need the same amount of vitamins as younger people. True. Older people need the same quantity of vitamins as younger people although they need fewer calories. Certain illnesses raise the requirements for some vitamins, but that is true for the young as well as the old. 7. Food grown in poor soil is lower in vitamins than food grown in rich sold. False. The vitamins in our foods are made by the plants themselves. They don't come from the soil. However, the minerals in a plant depend on the minerals in the soil. If you have answered these questions correctly, you can say you know much about food and nutrition by today's standards. But remember that nutrition is a growing science and that may be aged as new information is obtained. The main purpose of the passage is to _ .
<extra_id_0>list today's standards of some food and nutrition
<extra_id_1>introduce what should be eaten and what not
<extra_id_2>explain what is helpful to your health and what is not
<extra_id_3>test our nutrition IQ by judging the problems listed
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Doe, the governor of State, signed a death warrant for Rend, a convicted murderer. Able and Baker are active opponents of the death penalty. At a demonstration protesting the execution of Rend, Able and Baker carried large signs that stated, "Governor Doe - Murderer." Television station XYZ broadcast news coverage of the demonstration, including pictures of the signs carried by Able and Baker. If Doe asserts against XYZ a claim for damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, will Doe prevail?
<extra_id_0>Yes, if the broadcast showing the signs caused Doe to suffer severe emotional distress.
<extra_id_1>Yes, because the assertion on the signs was extreme and outrageous.
<extra_id_2>No, unless Doe suffered physical harm as a consequence of the emotional distress caused by the signs.
<extra_id_3>No, because XYZ did not publish a false statement of fact with "actual malice."
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Although women lead healthier, longer lives, the cruel opinion that they become "old" sooner than men is widespread in the workplace , research shows . A survey of more than 2,600 managers and personnel professionals showed that age discrimination is not only common in the workplace , but is shot through with inconsistencies . Six in ten managers reported being a victim of age discrimination--usually because they were turned down for a job for being too old or too young . Yet more than a fifth admitted that they used ages as an important standard . Although the survey found widespread agreement that older workers were better than younger colleagues when it came to reliability , commitment , loyalty and customer service , these qualities were not necessarily considered to be worthy of advancement . A large number of persons believed that workers between 30 and 39 had the best promotion chances , with only 2 percent giving example of 50 year-olds or above. There was evidence that people were considered old at different ages in different jobs . A young man working in IT said he was considered too old by the age of 28. In fact there was no evidence to suggest that older workers were less valuable to companies than younger workers , in fact the opposite was often true because older workers often brought experience . The findings also suggested that the Government's ideas on age in the workforce may also be out of step with reality. Which statement is true according to the writer's attitude ?
<extra_id_0>The present age standard doesn't go with reality .
<extra_id_1>The present age standard is reasonable .
<extra_id_2>Women should work longer than men .
<extra_id_3>Yong workers should learn from old workers .
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Liu Qian, a magician from Taiwan, cast his spell over an audience of thousands on the CCTV Spring Festival Show. Die-hard fans are still trying to work out the secrets behind many of the tricks he performed. But Liu, 32, when asked, laughed off the idea that there might be an "answer" to his magic. "The most fascinating things about magic is the puzzling process. People enjoy how magicians make the impossible come true," said Liu. Few people today believe in the possibility of real magic. They also often fail to consider magicians' devotion to their art. It can take a magician years' of practice to perfect a trick before he performs it on stage. Part of Liu's star appeal is his astonishing skill. However, when he began in the industry, he was embarrassingly clumsy. "I could practice thousands of times for one single act. It wasn't much fun," he said. No magician's supernatural powers on stage extend to their life off stage. Liu says his life was no easier or funnier because he was a magician. He developed an interest in magic at a young age, but didn't consider making a living out of it until he graduated from university. He had studied Japanese language and found himself unable to find a job. "My parents never considered being a magician as a proper job. To begin with, I had little confidence I would be doing this in the long term," he said. Yet Liu felt a powerful calling to become a magician. "For many people, magic somehow means a miracle, which is something we all secretly wish for no matter how hard-bitten or cynical we become," he said. Liu may be right. A popular modern dream is of the fairy godmother, who waves her magic wand and makes our dreams come true. But according to Liu, we all have the power to create magic in our lives. As Liu puts it: it's not the magic that makes it work;it's the way we work that makes it magic. As to whether there's real magic, Liu Qian believes _ .
<extra_id_0>there is no real magic and what counts in our life is the way we work
<extra_id_1>if we secretly wish for something, magic will turn out to be a miracle
<extra_id_2>the puzzling process of performing magic tricks is the answer to magic
<extra_id_3>there exists a fairy godmother waving her magic wand to make our dreams come true
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Which graph is best to present data collected on yearly water usage in the United States?
<extra_id_0>bar graph
<extra_id_1>line graph
<extra_id_2>scatterplot
<extra_id_3>circle graph
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>I am the mother of a five-year-old girl now, but I'll never forget some of the best lessons my mother taught me. Lesson 1---Always be there for your child I can't tell you the last time my parents missed a big event in my life; it never happened. Whether it was a play, or even just a practice---my parents were always there for me. As an only child, they _ everything in my life. Lesson2---Hide in the bathroom For years I wondered why my mother had made the bathroom her own personal library and would stay there forever. Now I know it's the only place for her to have at least two minutes of peace and quiet. Well, I try to, but that's quite difficult with two cats, a dog, a kid, a husband and only one bathroom. Lesson3---Get involved I was lucky in having parents who let me do anything they think was good. Now today, I am fond of being active and involved. Whether it is a sports game or a volunteering group, or just playing with my daughter, I love to be involved. Lesson4---It's OK to fail My parents weren't perfect and that was OK. I know I'm not perfect and I hope my daughter knows that's OK. Families love one another no matter what happens. If you fail, you learn from the mistakes and keep right on going. Parents are so important to a child's growth and development and I'm so glad that I had great parents to follow. The big event in the writer's life _ .
<extra_id_0>was seldom missed by her parents
<extra_id_1>was never missed by her parents
<extra_id_2>didn't include her musical performances
<extra_id_3>wasn't noticed by her dad sometimes
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>When we talk about superstitious beliefs , the beliefs associated with Friday the 13th , no doubt , deserve a special mention . In fact , such is the fear associated with this date that people just can't seem to stick to their daily routine on this day . The data from Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute suggests that somewhere around 17 to 21 million Americans are affected by the fear associated with this day , i.e. the combination of Friday and 13 . Even worse , the financial losses caused on this day amounts to as much as US$800 million every year . As we flipped through the pages of history , we realized that Friday the 13th bears the brunt of bad luck associated with number 13 , the unluckiest number , and Friday , the unluckiest day of the week . Number 13 has always been considered unlucky , mainly as a result of it being associated with various occurrences in mythology . While some associate it with the instance of Norse mythology , in which the god of joy and gladness - Balter , was killed in a dishonest manner by Loki - the god of discord and mischief , who was the 13th guest , others associate it with the Last Supper , in which the 13th guest was Judas , who betrayed Jesus to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver . Similarly , Friday has also been a sign of bad luck to many people , with incidents like Jesus being crucified on this unfaithful day , contributing to this belief . It is also widely believed that Cain killed Able on this very day of the week . The fear of Friday the 13th is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia and paraskevidekatriaphobia , the former combining the words frigga , meaning Friday , and triskaidekaphobia , meaning the phobia of number 13 . Over the period , the belief that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day has just become one of the most widely accepted superstitions , which consequently causes much blind panic and unreasonable fear in the world . We can learn from the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>superstition is more popular among the uneducated
<extra_id_1>religion is an important contributing factor to superstition
<extra_id_2>Numbers are believed to bring people bad luck in history
<extra_id_3>The belief of Friday the 13th is based on folk stories
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>"Haibao,the mascot of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo,is very cute,"said Gu Hui,a school kid."I want a big toy like the mascot." Haibao looks like the Chinese wordren,which means people or a person.The name,a typical lucky one in Chinese tradition comes from the Chinese phrase "Si Hai Zhi Bao" --the treasure of the four seas.It also means the treasure of Shanghai,which lies beside the sea. Haibao's blue curly hair looks like the waves of the sea.Its smile is a sign of the healthy spirit of China.Those thumbs-up will welcome millions of people to Shanghai from around the world.Its big feet show China has the ability to host a successful Expo. Haibao was created by two artists,one from the mainland and the other from Taiwan.The design is about people living together in the city.The designers want it to fit the theme of the Shanghai Expo,that is,a good life should be created by all the people and people should have harmonious relationships with nature and society,so that life in cities would be better. Surely the mascot will become the lucky symbol and cultural remark of Shanghai Expo. Which of the following is NOT true?
<extra_id_0>School children like Haibao.
<extra_id_1>The name Haibao shows Chinese traditional culture.
<extra_id_2>Haibao is the wisdom of two artists.
<extra_id_3>Haibao is an animal living in the sea near Shanghai.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Back in time, dog sledding was the only method of transportation in frozen parts of the world. You, too, can participate in this time-honored tradition after looking into dog sledding adventures and tours. Alaska Dog Sledding It offers two dog sledding tours in Alaska, the Golsovia Dog Trip and the Iditarod Dog Trip. On both trips, you will learn how to drive your own dog team. The Golsovia Dog Trip lasts six days. The Iditarod Dog Trip is held just before the internationally famous Iditarod race so that participants will be able to attend the Iditarod events. For more information, please see: Alaska Dog Sledding Greenland Expedition Specialists Travel through the shining ice and snow on the land of East Greenland via dog sledding. During this dog sledding vacation, you will be camping during the cold of winter and will take part in caring for the dogs and the camps. They also organize and guide kiting trips, sea kayaking trips and mountaineering vacations. For more information, please email: info@ expedition-greeland. com VICAAR Have you ever really wanted to see the North Pole? You can do it by dog sled. VICAAR offers two types of dog sledding trips to the North Pole. You should pay for clothing on the trip, permit of your North Pole visit, travel to the center of VICAAR, and more. But the cost of equipment is offered free. This trip is not for those who do not care for challenging conditions and exercise. VICAAR also offers other types of trips to both the North and South Poles. For more information, please see: VICAAR Panoramic Journey Travel to the Terelj National Park in Central Mongolia and live with local people during your dog sledding adventure. Along the way, see wolf, deer and other wildlife of the area. Panoramic Journey also offers an extreme dog sledding adventure that will take you to the outside of Siberia. Panoramic Journey offers horseback trips as well as dog sledding adventures to exotic locations in Mongolia and tours of Bhutan. For more information, please see: Panoramic Journey If you want to participate in a kiting trip, you should contact _ .
<extra_id_0>Panoramic Journey
<extra_id_1>VICAAR
<extra_id_2>Alaska Dog Sledding
<extra_id_3>Greenland Expedition Specialists
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>In America, most people don't get enough sleep. Children aged 5 to 12 are advised to sleep 10 to 11 hours every night, but most of them can't sleep that long. A study found that about 41 million American workers got less than six hours of sleep every night. Scientists worry that parents are passing their bad sleeping habits down to their children. In the study, Reut Gruber and some other scientists either added or reduced on hour of sleep for healthy children aged 7 to 11. They watched the children for five nights. They wanted to know if the amount of sleep can affect a child's behavior. Before the study began, students were asked to sleep the same amount of hours as usual. Their teachers were asked to record their behavior. After five nights of the records, scientists found that those who slept one hour less behaved worse than those who slept one hour more. Students with less sleep were more likely to feel sad and had more problems paying attention. The scientists chose to study children in their homes instead of in a laboratory, because they wanted to find out how everyday changes might affect children's behavior at school. "In the study, nobody became a talent, and nobody became crazy. But small changes in children can really make a big difference," says Gruber. According to the new study, children with less sleep _ .
<extra_id_0>were more likely to feel excited
<extra_id_1>were more active in playing games
<extra_id_2>had more problems paying attention
<extra_id_3>didn't want to answer questions in class
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Tony:I like eating hamburgers and drinking cola. Yes, they are not healthy. But I eat hamburgers and drink cola every day.I don't like vegetables. I hate tomatoes. Cindy: My favourite food is chocolate and my favourite drink is milk. Milk can make me healthy. I drink milk every morning. I like fruit too. And my favourite fruit is oranges. Zhang Qiang: I like meat. I eat beef and chicken, but my favourite is beef. So I'm strong and tall. Liu Xin: I like candy and vegetables. I eat candy every day. But my mum says candy can make me fat. Now I'm fat so I do sports every day. Liu Xin eats _ every day.
<extra_id_0>vegetables
<extra_id_1>beef
<extra_id_2>candy.
<extra_id_3>chicken
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>It is raining money ! Imagine this . A big bag full of money falls from the sky and lands right next to you . What would you do with the money ? This is the question faced by British seven-year-old Damian in the film " Millions ." Damian and his brother moved to a new place with their dad , after their mother passed away . Damian tries to make new friends , but he feels lonely . When Damian is watching some trains one day , a bag full of money falls out of the sky and lands at Damian's feet . The bag has 265,000 pounds in it ! He can't wait to tell his brother , nine-year-old Anthony . But Anthony doesn't want to tell their dad . Soon the money brings trouble . They have different ideas about what to do with it . Damian is kind-hearted . He wants to give money away to the poor . But Anthony wants to use it all to make more money ! As a kid , he also wants to buy a lot of fun toys ! But they have only one week to spend the money before Britain starts using euros ! They also find out where the money came from ! The terrible owner wants it back ! At the same time , their father works hard to give them a bigger house . What will they do with the money ? Watch the film to find out . Together with the two kids , you'll learn that true wealth has nothing to do with money ! What does Damian's brother want to do with the money ?
<extra_id_0>Give the money to the poor .
<extra_id_1>Buy a lot of toys .
<extra_id_2>.
<extra_id_3>Both B and
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Marine invertebrates are likely to be discovered in
<extra_id_0>rushing streams
<extra_id_1>backyard ponds
<extra_id_2>clam filled waters
<extra_id_3>local pools
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>If a large boulder is kept in direct sunlight it can
<extra_id_0>become powerful
<extra_id_1>grow larger
<extra_id_2>gain chill
<extra_id_3>lose portions
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>One afternoon, my son came home from school and asked me, "Are all people the same even if their skin color is different?" I thought for a moment, then I said, "I'll explain. Let's go to a fruit store first. I have something interesting to show you." At the store, I told him that we needed to buy apples. And we bought some red apples, green apples and yellow apples. After we got home, I told Adam, "It's time to answer your question." I put one of each type of apple on the table: first a red apple, followed by a green apple and then a yellow apple. Then I looked at Adam, who was sitting on the other side of the table. "Adam, people are just like apples. They come in different colors, shapes and sizes. See, some may not even look as delicious as others." As I was talking, Adam was examining each one carefully. Then, I took each of the apples and peeled them, placing them back on the table, but in a different place. "OK, Adam, tell me which one is the red apple, the green apple and the yellow apple." He said, "I can't tell. They all look the same now." "Take a bite of each one. See if that helps you tell which one is which." He took big bites, and then a huge smile came across his face. "People are just like apples! They are all different, but if you take off the outside, they're pretty much the same on the inside." "Right," I agreed. "Just like everyone has their own features but they are nearly the same." He completely got it. I didn't need to say or do anything else. Now, when I eat an apple, it tastes a little sweeter than before. What perfect fruit it is! I took Adam to buy apples for _ .
<extra_id_0>supper
<extra_id_1>his question
<extra_id_2>a party
<extra_id_3>a present
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Environmental organizations have asked businesses to take action to reduce waste. Which of the following changes could a business make in order to become more “environmentally friendly”?
<extra_id_0>Purchase only recycled paper and paper products.
<extra_id_1>When making photocopies, print on only one side of the paper.
<extra_id_2>Purchase wood products manufactured only in other countries.
<extra_id_3>When packing boxes, use Styrofoam™ filler instead of old newspapers.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Eating too much fatty food, exercising too little and smoking can raise your future risk of heart disease. But there is another factor that can cause your heart problems more immediately: the air you breathe. Previous studies have linked high exposure to environmental pollution to an increased risk of heart problem, but two analyses now show that poor air quality can lead to heart attack or stroke within as little as a few hours after exposure. In one review of the research, scientists found that people exposed to high levels of pollutants were up to 5% more likely to suffer a heart attack within days of exposure than those with lower exposure. A separate study of stroke patients showed that even air that the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers to be of "moderate" quality and relatively safe for our health can raise the risk of stroke as much as 34% within 12 to 14 hours of exposure. The authors of both studies stress that these risks are relatively small for healthy people and certainly modest compared with other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure. However, it is important to be aware of these dangers because everyone is exposed to air pollution regardless of lifestyle choices. So stricter regulation by the EPA of pollutants may not only improve environmental air quality but could also become necessary to protect public health. The text mainly discusses the relationship between _ .
<extra_id_0>heart problems and air quality
<extra_id_1>heart problems and exercising
<extra_id_2>heart problems and smoking
<extra_id_3>heart problems and fatty food
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Goodreads. com is a website for book lovers everywhere. If you love to read, and if you love social networking, you should check out Goodreads. The website marries social networking and books in such a way as makes your friends' reading progress easy to follow and makes it simpler than ever to find your next reading material. Goodreads is a social network for readers. Like Facebook or Twitter, it allows you to share information. Unlike most popular social networks, Goodreads also allows you to show your friends your progress on the book you are reading and to write reviews for everything you've ever read. You can see and comment on your friends' reading progress. Goodreads is simple to use. When you sign up for an account, you will be able to find your friends by their email addresses or other social network accounts. Once you have some friends, every time you log in, you will see a timeline of their updates. You can see when they've added a book to a list, or when they've finished or reviewed a book. As soon as you have an account, you can also start looking for books you've read or that you want to read and added them to your lists. Once you finish reading a book, you can go to the book page and review it by giving it any number out of five stars. If you wish to write a longer review, you can do that, too. If you have ever finished a book and needed a recommendation for what to read next, Goodreads has the answer. Finding your next book has never been easier. Now, not only can you search for individual books you know you want to read and add them to your "to read" list, but you can also easily see what your friends have recently read. When you search through your friends' reviews, you can also see who likes what books, making your selection process even easier. Adding books to your "to read" list can help you keep track of what you want to read next, and seeing what books your friends enjoy - or don't enjoy- can help you better your list of books to read next. Like all good social networks, Goodreads has apps for mobile phones and ways to connect to other social networks. You can get Goodreads for iphone and Android by downloading them from the App Store or Andorid Market. You can also connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts so all of your networks know what you're reading. Furthermore, you can connect your Amazon Kindle to automatically update your progress on your e-books. Last but not least , you can set up Goodreads to auto- publish book reviews to your Wordpress or blog. Sharing your favorite books has never been easier . If you want to create a web space for your own book club, you can do that easily; just start a new group on Goodreads and update the page to show what books you're reading. You can also create events to easily share with members where and when book club meetings and author readings are taking place. Goodreads. com is young, but we will do our best to attract more people and we hope you can use it and give us your advice. A "to read" list is bound to help you _ .
<extra_id_0>review books you have recently read
<extra_id_1>make your selection process even easier
<extra_id_2>find the books your friends didn't read recently
<extra_id_3>record what you want to read next
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>James lives in Hawaii and his mother lives in Korea. James speaks English (he never learned Korean), and his mom only speaks Korean. They communicate perfectly. Eric is from Honduras, but he lives in the U.S. Eric just started learning English and speaks very little. But, everyday Eric reads the latest local US news on the Web, with no problem. What these people (and close to 60 million others around the world) share is a remarkable, free software program called Babylon. Babylon may well be the most advanced translation software in the world, and it's a must-have for anyone whose life goes beyond the borders of their own language or those who want it to. Once you download it, you can simply highlight the part in practically any format, and it's instantly translated into the language of your choice. You can use it to translate a website, email, word doc, pdf, and actually any document in any format you can think of. You can write a document in your native language, and Babylon will instantly translate it into another before you send it. The program translates 75 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Indian, and Russian. It also includes up-to-date encyclopedias , dictionaries, and spell checkers. Babylon is a long way from early translation software that would, more often than not, make an unreadable text with grammar errors that was better suited for making laughs than comprehension. Babylon's ability to understand and translate is perfect. In fact, businesses are adopting Babylon as the standard when it comes to translating commercial communications and other important documents. Babylon is also a great tool for people who are learning another language. Use it anytime you come across a word or passage you don't understand. What users enjoy most is the program's ability to open up a different world to them. Whether it's surfing a news site in a different country, or being able to properly communicate with a family member or friend overseas, Babylon can make it happen. Best of all, Babylon is free! To get your free copy, visit Babylon.com. What is the main function of Babylon?
<extra_id_0>It is a software used for translation.
<extra_id_1>It's a website designed for communication.
<extra_id_2>It's a program intended to help language beginners.
<extra_id_3>It's a document downloaded personally.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>On Thanksgiving Day, a teacher asked her class of firstgraders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought that these children from poor families actually had little to be thankful for. And she found most of them drawing pictures of flowers or tables with food. The teacher was very surprised to see the picture Douglas handed in. It's a hand,a simple hand. But whose hand? The class were very interested in the strange picture. "I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food," said one child, "A farmer's," said another, "Because he grows beautiful flowers. " Finally when the others were at work ,the teacher went over to Douglas' desk and asked whose hand it was. "It's your hand, Teacher," he said quietly and shyly. She remembered that she had often taken Douglas, a dirty lonely child, by the hand while having a class break. She often did that with the children. But it meant so much to Douglas. Perhaps this is everyone's thanksgiving,not for the material things we get,but for the chance,in whatever small way, to give to others. What do you learn about Douglas from the passage?
<extra_id_0>He liked drawing hands
<extra_id_1>He was very active in class.
<extra_id_2>He always kept his hand clean
<extra_id_3>His family was not rich.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Music is magic! Music speaks louder than words and it is a "language" that the whole world can understand. A piece of music can produce a response in the heart and mind. Like feeling an electrical current or receiving a personal radio signal, music has a spiritual effect on a person. Different kinds of music influence people in different ways. I have listened to music all my life. When I was twelve years old, the Beatles came to America and my whole world opened up. Maybe young people today cannot understand the influence of the Beatles when they exploded across America. Their influence changed the way we dressed, looked, acted and spoke... even our culture. The Beatles arrived in America from the UK just under three months after the assassination of President John Kennedy, which had put America into a great depression. And the freshness and lively spirit of the Beatles was exactly what the country needed to refresh itself. Music links the heart of the hearer with that of the composer. This means that it mixes the spirit of the composer with your spirit when you listen to it. And the music can take your spirit out of your body and transport you into another world. Music has a great way of touching people. Music can make you laugh, cry or shout. It's also a great source of inspiration. Try this one day and notice what happens: make yourself a cup of tea, sit on your sofa and play one of your favorite songs. Close your eyes, and soon you'll find yourself creating vivid mental images--matching the music that you are listening to. One will do all of the following while listening to music EXCEPT _ .
<extra_id_0>feeling very refreshed
<extra_id_1>having emotional changes
<extra_id_2>painting some vivid pictures
<extra_id_3>feeling inspired by the composer
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it "was too crowded." "I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby appearance, the pastor guessed the reason, and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus. Some years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor buildings and the parents called for the kindhearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn purse was found which seemed to have been picked up from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, "This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School." For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note, he told people the story of her unselfish love and devotion. A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000, a huge sum for that time. When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. . What's the best title of the passage?
<extra_id_0>57 Cents
<extra_id_1>A little girl's wish
<extra_id_2>Pastor and Girl
<extra_id_3>A bigger Church
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>An old man, too old to live on his own, went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled , and he couldn't see clearly. The family ate together at the dinner table every night. But the grandfather's trembling hands and poor sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he drank milk, he spilled it on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became angry with him. "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. So the husband and the wife set a small table in the corner. There, the grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since the grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes he had tears in his eyes as he ate alone. The four-year-old grandson watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy said, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mum to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old boy smiled and went back to work. The words struck the parents and they were speechless. Then tears started to run down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took the grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. The wise parents should realize that the children are their parents' mirror. Why did the old man live in his son's house?
<extra_id_0>Because he was ill.
<extra_id_1>Because he felt lonely.
<extra_id_2>Because he missed his children.
<extra_id_3>Because he was so old and weak that he couldn't live alone.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Online Voting --The Most Beautiful Places in China What are the most beautiful places in China in your eyes? Please take part in our activity and vote online. We are looking forward to your choice and voice! Everyone is welcome! Rules: 1) Voting period: October 1 to November 30. 2) The results and the winners list will be released in December. 3) 10 votes are allowed. 4) Please leave your contact information when sending your votes. CRIENGLISH takes no responsibility if a winner fails to receive the award because of incorrect contact information. 5) Your comments will be important in choosing the winners. 6) CRIENGLISH reserves the right to decide the final winners. 7) CRIENGLISH reserves the right for final explanation of the rules. Awards: The three top winners will each receive an award worth 300 Yuan (about 48 US dollars); The five second place winners will each receive an award worth 200 Yuan (about 32 US dollars); The ten third place winners will each receive an award worth 100 Yuan (about 16 US dollars). Who probably wrote the passage?
<extra_id_0>A Travel Research Agency
<extra_id_1>A Medical Center
<extra_id_2>An Animal Reservation
<extra_id_3>A Souvenir shopping mall
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>It is 7 o'clock in the morning. You check yourself in the mirror, adjust your collar, and consider the busy day ahead. But at least you know that the stress won't damage your health, for this is no ordinary set of clothes you are wearing. Set within the fabric are numerous sensors, constantly monitoring your vital signs. If danger signs are detected, the garment is programmed to contact your doctor and send a text message telling you to take it easy. Garments that can measure a wearer's body temperature or trace their heart activity are just entering the market, but the European project BIOTEX weaves new functions into smart textiles. _ biosensors in a textile patch can now analyse body fluids, even a tiny drop of sweat, and provide a much better assessment of someone's health. Jean Luprano, a researcher at the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), coordinates the BIOTEX project. "One of the most obvious applications for smart fabrics is in the medical field," he says. "There has been a good deal of progress with physiological measurements, body temperature or electrocardiograms . But no one has yet developed biochemical sensing techniques that can take measurements from fluids like sweat and blood. We are developing a suite of sensors that can be integrated into a textile patch. The patch is a sensing and processing unit, adaptable to target different body fluids and biochemical species. At the very least, some basic biochemical analyses could complement the physiological measurements that can already be monitored. In some circumstances, fluidic analysis may be the only way to get information on a patient's health status." Garments mentioned in the passage are probably most useful in the field of _ .
<extra_id_0>environment
<extra_id_1>fashion
<extra_id_2>education
<extra_id_3>medicine
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>"There are no real friends or enemies in the business world". This saying may have been on the minds of bosses at China's main online video providers, Youku.com Inc and Tudou Holdings Ltd, when the one-time rivals agreed to merge on March 12. The deal will create the country's largest company in the online video industry, Youku Tudou Inc. Three months ago, the two companies were involved in a copyright dispute. On December 12, Tudou charged Youku.com with illegally airing the entertainment series,Kangxi is coming. Tudou was the only company which had rights to the series. In response, Youku filed a lawsuit against Tudou, claiming the company was broadcasting more than 50 Youku-owned TV series. According to analysts, the deal came out of the market battle between the two companies. Each spent so much money buying licensed content that they ended up _ last year. "Funding pressures are the main reason for the deal," said Shi Jialong, a Hong Kong-based analyst with CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. "After the merger, there might be a fall in copyright purchase prices, which is good for the industry in the short term." The new company will face competition from Web portals providing similar services. Youku owned 21.8 percent of Chin's online video market in the last quarter of last year and Tudou 13.7 percent, but Sohu.com followed close on the heels with 13.3 percent, according to domestic research company Analysys International. Some analysts do not feel the deal will secure the market for Youku Tudou. Shi Yu, CEO of media company KU6, said the merger was unlikely to have a "one plus one more than two" effect. In his opinion, video-hosting sites need to find new ways of generation profit to succeed in the market. The main reason for Youku.com Inc and Tudou Holdings Ltd to merge is that _ .
<extra_id_0>the two companies were in great demand of money
<extra_id_1>they were charge with illegally airing the entertainment series
<extra_id_2>the two companies created the country's largest company
<extra_id_3>they intended to cut down the prices of copyrights
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17,1706 in Boston,America. In his life he built a successful printing and publishing business in Philadelphia;he conducted scientific studies of electricity and made several important discoveries;he was a diplomat and statesman;he helped establish Pennsylvania's first university and America's first city hospital;he also organized the country's first subscription library . Franklin was also _ in America as an inventor until Thomas Edison. Ben had poor eyesight and needed glasses to read. He got tired of always taking them off and putting them back on,so he decided to figure out a way to make his glasses let him see both near and far. He had two pairs of glasses cut in half and put half of them together. Today,we call them bifocals .Another invention of his,an iron stove,allowed people to warm their homes. He loved to learn about new things. He also thought it was important to make life better with the things that he invented. Electricity was one of the things he experimented with when he retired from his business. Ben discovered that lightning and electricity were the same thing. The lightning rod was an important invention that we still use today to protect buildings and ships from lightning damage. Franklin preferred to have his inventions used freely for the comfort and convenience of everyone. Thomas Jefferson,the third president of America,called Benjamin Franklin "the greatest man of the age and country in which he lived".To Benjamin Franklin there was no greater purpose in life than to "live usefully". Which of the following is NOT Benjamin's invention?
<extra_id_0>Bifocals.
<extra_id_1>The iron stove.
<extra_id_2>Printing.
<extra_id_3>The lightning rod.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>After two weeks of meetings in Paris, 195 countries reached an agreement on December 12 to do with climate change. It's the first time in history that most of the world's countries, rich or poor, agreed to take action. The agreement sets the long-time goal of making sure the world temperature does not get 2degC higher than the levels in the 1800s. Otherwise there will be serious problems on Earth like natural disasters. The agreement also asks countries to volunteer to make promises based on each country's economy , politics and technology. For developed countries, they will do even more. They have a plan to offer over $100 billion (about 647 billion yuan) to help poorer countries develop clean energy like water and wind power. Besides, there are some legally binding rules. Those countries need to set national goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions every five years. And they will publicly report their progress every five years starting in 2023. However, the Paris Agreement alone won't solve the climate change problem. The future depends on how well each country will carry out their promises. Lots of money will be offered to help poorer countries _ .
<extra_id_0>reduce noise pollution
<extra_id_1>produce clean energy
<extra_id_2>control climate change
<extra_id_3>develop their economy
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Once a neighbour stole one of Washington's horses. Washington went with a police officer to the neighbour's farm to get the horse, but the neighbour refused to give the horse up; he claimed that it was his horse. Washington placed both of his hands over the eyes of the horse and said to the neighbour, "If this is your horse, then you must tell us in which eyes he is blind." "In the right eye," the neighbour said. Washington took his hand from the right eye of the horse and showed the police officer that the horse was not blind in the right eye. "Oh, I have made a mistake," said the neighbor. "He is blind in the left eye." Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the left eye, either. "I have made another mistake," said the neighbor. "Yes," said the police officer, "and you have also proved that the horse does not belong to you. You must return it to Mr. Washington." From the passage, we know _ .
<extra_id_0>Washington was a wise man
<extra_id_1>Washington's neighbor was cleverer than Washington
<extra_id_2>the police officer was the cleverest of the three
<extra_id_3>all the three men were not very clever
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe's hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15. Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: "Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. " (Regardless of your politics, you don't want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated--no trading disks, no on-line communication--or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?--as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system. In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened--an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike--on the artist's birthday. Computer viruses are _ .
<extra_id_0>diseases spread from one computer to another by shared disks
<extra_id_1>viruses hidden in a computer's instructions by the designers
<extra_id_2>little time bombs hidden in a computer waiting to be triggered
<extra_id_3>just those computer programs created by malevolent designers
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Having learned much about the War of Resistance against Japan, Mao Jingxin didn't like the Japanese when she was a child. "I thought they were cruel and rude," said the 18-year-old girl from Hebei Province. But she began to change her mind after she met some Japanese teenagers in a history museum six years ago. These fashionable high school students looked seriously at the history displays and talked to Mao in a friendly way. "I found that they are not bad as I thought," she said. Like Mao, many Chinese teenagers' are caught up in this confusion. A survey by 21st Century Teens shows about 51 per cent of Chinese teenagers say they dislike Japan. But most of them still want to have a Japanese friend. Also, Japan lies third on their list of Asian countries that they want to visit, following Singapore and South Korea. Teens did a survey just before the 60th anniversary of the victory day of the War of Resistance against Japan, which fell on September 3. The survey aimed to encourage understanding and communication between young Chinese and Japanese. Teens also wanted to understand Chinese teenagers' attitudes towards Japan, and how much they actually know about the country. As Teens found, more than 60 per cent of Chinese teenagers learn about Japan through the media or books. Only 16 per cent have ever met a Japanese person. "Most of my friends hate Japan for what it did to China during World War II. But people should not live in hatred. I think the best way to figure it out is to have contact with the Japanese people myself," Zhang Yuyuan, a Senior 2 girl, told us in the survey. "Japan has done wrong to Asian countries including China and it has caused pain to everyone," said Hikaru, a 17-year-old girl in Kawasaki . Having visited China four times and learned much, she understands the importance of communication between the two peoples. She plans to join in an exchange programme with Chinese youth. "Welcome to Japan, my Chinese friends!" She says it with a smile. The passage is written to _ .
<extra_id_0>give a brief introduction to the history of the War of Resistance against Japan
<extra_id_1>report what Chinese teenagers think about Japan
<extra_id_2>provide information about Japanese teenagers
<extra_id_3>encourage Chinese teenagers to meet the Japanese
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Life gets noisier every day and very few people can be free from noise of some sort or another. It doesn't matter where you live--in the middle of a modern city, or a faraway village--the chances that you will be disturbed by jet aero planes, transistor radios, oil-powered engines, etc. are almost everywhere.We seem to be getting used to noise, too. Some people feel quite lonely without background music while they are working. Scientific tests have shown that total silence can be very frightening experience for human beings. However, some people enjoy listening to pop music which is very loud, and this can do harm to their eardrums .The noise level in some disco is far above the usual safety level for heavy industrial areas. One recent report about noise and concentration suggested that although a lot of people say that any noise disturbs their concentration, what really affects their ability to concentrate is a change in the level of noise. It goes on to say that a background noise, which doesn't change too much (music, for example) may even help people to concentrate. From this passage, the pollution of noise _ .
<extra_id_0>doesn't matter much
<extra_id_1>has become worse everywhere
<extra_id_2>has become better in big cities
<extra_id_3>has become better in villages
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>If an animal is able to reproduce then
<extra_id_0>that animal has matured
<extra_id_1>that animal was impregnated
<extra_id_2>that animal was in heat
<extra_id_3>that animal was interested
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Could smells affect your lifespan? Female fruit flies rid of the ability to smell food outlive their peers.The sense of smell may be linked to the cellular ageing process in many other organisms--even people.A link has recently been found between sensory experiences and lifespan in both worms and flies.For example, Scott Pletcher, a biologist at the University of Michigan, found that eliminating fruit flies' ability to smell enabled them to live nearly 20 percent longer than flies with an intact sense of smell. Pletcher's team reasoned that food smells were the ones most likely to affect ageing, as nutrition and longevity are known to be linked in many organisms.To test the idea that food odors affect lifespan, Pletcher's team eliminated flies' ability to smell carbon dioxide, which is produced by some fly foods.They left the rest of the smelling system intact. This intervention had no effect on male flies, but the females lived 30 percent longer than normal.Pletcher thinks eliminating the ability to smell CO2may deprive flies of information about food availability.This could signal to cells that food is scarce, causing processes that promote survival.Indeed, his team found that the CO2-insensitive female flies stored extra fat and that both males and females immune to CO2were more resistant to stress than normal flies.Pletcher isn't sure why the change in his fruit flies only affected the lifespan of the females, but he suggests that females may simply be more sensitive to the odor of CO2. A smell or taste that stretches lifespan in humans could be a potential preventative for age-related disease, he adds.Although in fruit flies it appears to be the smell of CO2that affects ageing, he says that an analogue in humans might be a smell or taste linked to human food--or a lack of it.Matt Kaeberlein studies ageing at the University of Washington in Seattle. He cautions that we don't know whether ageing and smell are linked in mammals.But " we definitely undergo physiological changes in response to smelling food--I'm getting hungry just thinking about it--so I think it's possible." The purpose of the study by Scott Pletcher is to _ .
<extra_id_0>show there is the best way to make lifespan longer
<extra_id_1>tell us we should eliminate our smell ability to live long
<extra_id_2>show the sense of smell can affect the cellular ageing process
<extra_id_3>explain female fruit flies without ability to smell odor can live longer
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>One day a teacher was giving her young students a lesson on how the government works . She was trying to explain the principle of income tax . "You see ," she began , speaking slowly and carefully , "each person who works must pay part of his or her salary to the government . If you make a high salary , your taxes are high . If you don't make much money , your taxes are low ." "Is that clear ?" she asked . "Does everyone understand the meaning of income tax ?" The students nodded. "Are there any questions ?" she asked . The students shook their heads . "Very good !" she said . "Now ,I would like you to take a piece of paper and write a short paragraph on the subject of income tax ." Little Joey was a slow learner . He had lots of problems with spelling and grammar , but this time he at least seemed to understand the task . He took his pen and after a few minutes , he handed the teacher the following composition : Once I had a dog . His name was Tax . I opened the door and in come Tax . The teacher was trying to explain _ one day .
<extra_id_0>the basic principles of the income tax
<extra_id_1>how the government works
<extra_id_2>everyone should pay income tax
<extra_id_3>how much tax one should pay for his income
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Zach has a stepson, Bradley. One day, Zach drove over to meet Bradley. Bradley was a student in a high school. He neither liked nor disliked Zach, even though he had known Zach for three years. Zach was still trying to get along with Bradley. He told Bradley that he was coming over. Bradley said OK. When Zach got there, he asked if Bradley wanted to drive his car. Bradley had a driver's _ . Bradley said all right. Zach told him not to drive too fast, but he could drive anywhere he wanted. Bradley got on the 210 Road and headed northwest. Zach gave Bradley a few driving tips: Don't drive next to big cars; don't drive behind trucks with goods... On their way back, Zach suggested that they stop at the golf course . He wanted to show Bradley how to play golf. But Bradley didn't like it; he liked his video games. However, Bradley soon found that playing golf was fun and he did very well. The next day, Bradley, for the first time, called Zach. Bradley asked if Zach would come the next Saturday, so they could take a drive and go to the golf course again. Zach said yes, with a happy feeling in his heart. What's the main idea of the passage?
<extra_id_0>What Zach did in his spare time.
<extra_id_1>How Zach got on well with his stepson.
<extra_id_2>Zach taught Bradley how to play golf.
<extra_id_3>Zach was good at driving and playing golf.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>In 1977, Irene Pepperberg of Harvard University began studying what was on another creature's mind by talking to it. Her first experiments began with Alex. Alex was a one-year-old African grey parrot and Irene taught him to produce the sounds of the English language. "I thought if he learned to communicate, I could ask him questions about how he sees the world." At the time, most scientists didn't believe animals had any thoughts. They thought animals were more like robots but didn't have the ability to think or feel. Of course, if you own a pet you probably disagree. But it is the job of a scientist to prove this and nowadays more scientists accept that animals can think for themselves. "That's why I started my studies with Alex," Irene said, "Some people actually called me crazy for trying this." Nowadays, we have more and more evidence that animals have all sorts of mental abilities. Sheep can recognize faces. Chimpanzees use a variety of tools and even use weapons to hunt. And Alex the parrot became a very good talker. Thirty years after the Alex studies began. Irene was still giving him English lessons up until his recent death. For example, if Alex was hungry he could say "want grape". Alex could count to six and was learning the sounds for seven and eight. "He has to hear the words over and over before he can correctly say them." Irene said, after pronouncing "seven" for Alex a few times in a row. Alex could also tell the difference between colors, shapes, sizes, and materials (e.g. wood and metal). Before he finally died, Alex managed to say "seven". Another famous pet that proved some animals have greater mental skills was a dog called Rico. He appeared on a German TV game show in 2011. Rico knew the names of 200 different toys and easily learned the names of new ones. When Rico became famous, many other dog owners wanted to show how clever their pets were. Another dog called Betsy could understand 300 words. One theory for dogs' ability to learn a language is that they have ben close companions to humans for many centuries and so their ability to understand us is constantly evolving . While animals can't do what humans do yet, some scientists believe that examples like Alex and Rico prove that evolution develops intelligence, as well as physical appearance. Irene wanted to find out _ .
<extra_id_0>what a parrot thinks
<extra_id_1>why a parrot can speak
<extra_id_2>how parrots make sounds
<extra_id_3>if parrots speak English
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Do you know that people without friends are more likely to die an early death? It's true.However,not all the friends are helpful to up your chances of living a long,happy life. The following types of friends are just what you need to keep the doctor away. A Loyal Best Friend Sometimes a loyal best friend is the only thing you need to stay calm. Everyone needs a non-judgmental friend who will support them no matter what.This is the kind of friend who knows all of your deepest and darkest secrets, but still loves you all the same. An Honest Confidant There are certain situations in life where we need to hear the harsh truth. It is really hard for you to face it, but that's what the honest confidant is for. Friends are supposed to be honest with each other. If you find someone who is bravely honest with you (in a constructive way), then hold on to this person! People like that are hard to come by these days. A Polar Opposite If you only develop friendships with others who follow the same beliefs, customs, and values as you do, chances are you're kept away from the rest of the world. Try to break out of your comfortable zone and befriend people who hold opposing views. You'll learn to accept people who don't see the world exactly the way you see it. A Work Pal Do you know that with a full--time job, you spend at least 50%of your waking hours at work? Depressing, isn't it? The more isolated you are at work, the more depressed you get. That's why it makes sense to get a work pal to chat with to help you get through the week. You spend 50%of your waking hours at work, and so does your work pal. You'll find it much easier to complain about work with someone than to eat lunch alone every day. With them in your life, you're bound to live a long and happy life! A loyal best friend must _ according to the passage.
<extra_id_0>be one of family members
<extra_id_1>love you whoever you are
<extra_id_2>stay with you most of the time
<extra_id_3>be good at keeping you quiet
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Ten Chinese PhD students are demanding that Beijing Normal University Professor Yu Dan be away from her television show on CCTV10. They argue that her on-air explanations of Confucius's Analects (<<>> ) are "incorrect and misleading". Yu is known for explaining Confucius's Analects to a TV audience. But some complain that her explanations are unfaithful to Chinese tradition. But Yu doesn't seem to worry too much about her critics, saying, "It's a matter of personal choice. Some like KFC, while others like McDonalds." STEALING some online gamer's password might seem less harmful than credit card theft. It does keep the victim from wearing himself out all night playing. But it is not all that nice, says 19-year-old Zhang Qiwen, in Shanghai. Last August, Zhang accidentally downloaded a Trojan while playing Warcraft. The Trojan is a type of virus used by hackers to steal people's passwords. Overnight the Trojan transferred all the "gold" (game credits) from Zhang's private account to an unknown account. Zhang hopes the police will find and punish the thief, who can also pocket some cash since the stolen "gold" can go on sale online. New England's largest indoor public garden has opened here in a historic park, and officials expect it to become a center for learning about plants as well as a top attraction for visitors. The glass-walled Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, which opened on March 2, offers a tropical garden, an orchid garden, and a Mediterranean room with a collection of citrus trees. The center also has two classrooms and will offer gardening classes provided by the University of Rhode Island. Roger Williams Park, named for the city's 17th-century founder, also has a zoo. The park already attracts more than 2 million visitors a year, and Providence Mayor David Cicilline said that he expects the new center will attract more and more visitors to Providence. We can learn from the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>there are four gardens in Roger Williams Park Botanical Center.
<extra_id_1>No one likes Yu Dan's explanation of Confucius's Analects.
<extra_id_2>Yu Dan won't show up on CCTV any more for explanations of Confucius's Analects.
<extra_id_3>Some people make money by stealing online gamers' game credits and selling them.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Each new school year brings fresh reminders of what educators call the summer learning gap.Some call it the summer learning setback.Simply speaking,it means the longer kids are out of 'school,the more they forget.The only thing they might gain is weight. Most American schools follow a traditional nine-month calendar with winter and spring breaks and about ten weeks of summer vacation.Some schools follow a year-round calendar.They hold classes for about eight weeks at a time,with a few weeks off in between.The National Association for Year-Round Education says there were fewer than 3,000 such schools at last count.They were spread among forty-six of the fifty states. But many experts point out that the number of class days in a year-round school is generally the same as in a traditional school.Lead researcher Paul von Hippel said,"Year-round schools don't really solve the problem of the summer learning setback.They simply spread it out across the year. Across the country,research shows that students from poor families fall farther behind over the summer than other students.Experts say this can be prevented.They note that many schools and local governments offer programs that can help. But calling them "summer school" could be a problem.The director of the summer learning center at Johns Hopkins,Ron Fairchild,said research with groups of different parents in Chicago and Baltimore found that almost all strongly disliked the term "summer school".In American culture,the idea of summer vacation is connected to beliefs about freedom and the joys of childhood.The parents welcomed other terms like "summer camp," "extra time" and "hands-on learning." Which of the following statements is true?
<extra_id_0>Students from poor families often fall behind after the vocation.
<extra_id_1>Year-round schools can solve the problem of the learning gap.
<extra_id_2>There are schools in each state following a year-round calendar.
<extra_id_3>Nothing can help the students who fall behind after the vocation.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>When my brother and I were young, my mom would take us on Transportation Days. It goes like this: You can't take any means of transportation more than once. We would start from home, walking two blocks to the rail station. We'd take the train into the city center, then a bus, switching to the tram, then maybe a taxi. We always considered taking a horse carriage in the historic district, but we didn't like the way the horses were treated, so we never did. At the end of the day, we took the subway to our closest station, where Mom's friend was waiting to give us a ride home--our first car ride of the day. The good thing about Transportation Days is not only that Mom taught us how to get around. She was born to be multimodal . She understood that depending on cars only was a failure of imagination and, above all, a failure of confidence--the product of a childhood not spent exploring subway tunnels. Once you learn the route map and step with certainty over the gap between the train and the platform, nothing is frightening anymore. New cities are just light-rail lines to be explored. And your personal car, if you have one, becomes just one more tool in the toolbox--and often an inadequate one, limiting both your mobility and your wallet. On Transportation Days, we might stop for lunch on Chestnut Street or buy a new book or toy, but the transportation was the point. First, it was exciting enough to watch the world speed by from the train window. As I got older, my mom helped me unlock the mysteries that would otherwise have paralyzed my first attempts to do it myself: How do I know where to get off? How do I know how much it costs? How do I know when I need tickets, and where to get them? What track, what line, which direction, where's the stop, and will I get wet when we go under the river? I'm writing this right now on an airplane, a means we didn't try on our Transportation Days and, we now know, the dirtiest and most polluting of them all. My flight routed me through Philadelphia. My multimodal mom met me for dinner in the airport. She took a train to meet me. Which means of transportation does the writer probably disapprove of?
<extra_id_0>Airplane.
<extra_id_1>Subway.
<extra_id_2>Tram.
<extra_id_3>Car.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>The United States Department of the Interior granted Concessionaire the food and drink concession in a federal park located in the state of New Senora. Concessionaire operated his concession out of federally owned facilities in the park. The federal statute authorizing the Interior Department to grant such concessions provided that the grantees would pay only a nominal rental for use of these federal facilities because of the great benefit their concessions would provide to the people of the United States. The legislature of the state of New Senora enacted a statute imposing an occupancy tax on the occupants of real estate within that state that is not subject to state real estate taxes. The statute was intended to equalize the state tax burden on such occupants with that on people occupying real estate that is subject to state real estate taxes. Pursuant to that statute, the New Senora Department of Revenue attempted to collect the state occupancy tax from Concessionaire because the federal facilities occupied by Concessionaire were not subject to state real estate taxes. Concessionaire sued to invalidate the state occupancy tax as applied to him. The strongest ground upon which Concessionaire could challenge the occupancy tax is that it violates the
<extra_id_0>commerce clause by unduly burdening the interstate tourist trade.
<extra_id_1>privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by interfering with the fundamental right to do business on federal property.
<extra_id_2>equal protection of the laws clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because the tax treats him less favorably than federal concessionaires in other states who do not have to pay such occupancy taxes.
<extra_id_3>supremacy clause of Article VI and the federal statute authorizing such concessions.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>The United States has many different kinds of climate .On the west coast ,the temperature changes very little between summer and winter,but the north central states have a very different kind of climate.In these states,people wear light clothes during the summer,and they need heavy wool or fur clothes in winter. In the southwest,the climate is quite warm during the winter,but hot in summer. In the eastern part of the United States,summer temperatures are very different from winter temperatures.Summers are usually hot,and winters are usually cold.Spring temperatures are comfortably warm,and autumn temperatures are quite cool. Years ago,people in the cold areas of the United States did not often get vegetables and fresh fruits during the winter.Today trucks and trains carry fruits and vegetables very quickly to all parts of the United States.In this way,Americans"send their climate"to people in other states. In the north central states,people wear _ clothes in summer and _ clothes during the winter.
<extra_id_0>silk;linen
<extra_id_1>light;heavy fur
<extra_id_2>wool;cotton
<extra_id_3>wool;silk
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Many Americans are turning to Japan, they think, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one survey, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese preschools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as determination, concentration, and the ability to work as a member of a group. The huge majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents. Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools. Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children's chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens. Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to _ .
<extra_id_0>broaden children's knowledge
<extra_id_1>train children's creativity
<extra_id_2>lighten children's study load
<extra_id_3>enrich children's experience
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Yawning sends out certain messages -either "Oh,this movie is so boring" or "I probably need to get some sleep". But did you know that a yawn can also help your brain to cool down when it is overheated? A new study, led by a research team at Princeton University, has indicated that yawning could be the brain's natural way of regulating temperature. People yawn more often when the temperature outdoors is lower than their body temperature but are less likely to yawn when it is hotter outdoors, according to Sciencedaily. com. The research team did an experiment on 160 people, 80 in summer and 80 in winter, to examine how often they yawned at different air temperatures. The study found that people yawned more often in winter than in summer. Scientists say that when the air temperature is lower outside the body, there is heat exchange between the overheated brain and the cool air. But when the air temperature is higher than or equal to the body, people are less likely to yawn because the hot air they breathe in will make the brain even hotter. When people yawn, their jaw is also stretched,which increases blood flow and may also help cool the brain The study showed that the amount someone yawned could be related to the amount of time they spent outside. The longer they spent outside in summer, the less they yawned. Nearly 40 percent of participants yawned within their first five minutes outside, but after that the percentage was reduced to less than 10 percent. However, the result was the opposite in winter. The number of people who yawned increased when they spent more than five minutes outdoors. But the change was only slight compared to summertime. According to Gallup, this is the first report to show that yawning frequencies change depending on season. This could help us to understand better the way our brains work. It may also help us understand the reason why frequent yawning can sometimes be a sign of brain disease. What could be the best title for the text?
<extra_id_0>Yawning Is A Sign of Brain Disease
<extra_id_1>Yawning Cools Your Brain
<extra_id_2>Yawning Benefits Your Body
<extra_id_3>Yawning Carries Some Information
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>If boy wizard Harry Potter uses his magic to capture the hearts of millions of teenagers, high school students Gabriella and Troy have charmed American boys and girls with their stories of campus life. They are the leading characters in High School Musical, a series of hugely successful films in the US. The sequel , High School Musical 3, came out on October 24 and has topped the American box office for two straight weeks. The show has everything attractive to teenagers -- dancing, catchy music, puppy love and good looks. The story starts when high school basketball star Troy and brainy Gabriella -- _ -- meet during the winter break. At a karaoke contest they discover their love for singing and an interest in each other. When school starts, Troy finds out that Gabriella is the new girl at his school. Eager to find the magic they had during karaoke, Troy and Gabriella decide to audition for the school's upcoming musical. This angers the school's drama queen Sharpay. However, they overcome difficulties and become the leading actors. But the story doesn't end there. High School Musical 2 follows their adventures over summer vacation when Sharpay tires to break up Troy and Gabriella. In the latest sequel, high-school seniors are facing the possibilities of being separated from each other as they go off in different directions when graduating from high school. Joined by the rest of their friends, Troy and Gabriella stage a musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about the future. "The success of the High School Musical films shows Disney's long-term efforts to attract youngsters for whom Mickey Mouse seems to babyish," wrote New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff. "For the time being, the movie has made fictional high school students as recognizable as that 79-year-old mouse." What happens in High School Musical 2, according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>Troy and Gabriella audition for a school musical.
<extra_id_1>Troy and Gabriella meet at a karaoke contest.
<extra_id_2>Troy and Gabriella graduate from high school.
<extra_id_3>Sharpay tries to break up Troy and Gabriella.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>A student learns that one year on Mercury is about 88 Earth days. This means it takes 88 Earth days for Mercury to
<extra_id_0>travel in orbit around its moon.
<extra_id_1>complete one rotation on its axis.
<extra_id_2>switch orbits with the nearest planet.
<extra_id_3>make one complete orbit around the Sun.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>The Smiths are going to visit Hong Kong next summer. They will fly there. They will spend about two weeks there. First, they are going to visit all the places of interest in the city and also do some shopping. They can enjoy shopping until ten o'clock at night. Second, they are going to eat delicious food there. There are many Chinese and western restaurants there. They can enjoy many kinds of food, for example, fish, meat and vegetables. Last, they are going to visit Disneyland. There are lots of interesting things to do. They will take lots of photos there. They are looking forward to their summer holidays. The Smiths can _ in Hong Kong.
<extra_id_0>only enjoy western food
<extra_id_1>only enjoy Chinese food
<extra_id_2>enjoy western and Chinese food
<extra_id_3>only enjoy vegetables
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Animals have the ability to make people understand them, especially when they are in serious danger and hope to get help from man. And they often go together to help one another. One day, I visited my friend Jack on a sheep farm in North America. Suddenly one sheep came to cry in front of us. She made the most painful cries. Jack said ,"Something must be wrong. Come on, Mike. Let's follow her." Together we followed the sheep back to where she was feeding on the farm. She rushed forward and kept on looking back to see if we were coming. She finally took us to an old well , and we heard the sad voice of her young baby that had fallen into the well. As the well had no water and was only six feet deep, we took a ladder and climbed down. After a few minutes, the baby sheep was saved. The mother sheep looked happy with the successful result of the _ . She came to tell us her trouble and got help. How amazing! Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>There was no water in the well.
<extra_id_1>At last the baby sheep lost its life.
<extra_id_2>The story happened in North America.
<extra_id_3>Animals can make people understand them.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |