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<extra_id_5>The whole world is helping tsunami victims. Students in the U.S. are also taking part. A friend of mine suggested that we organize a relief effort for the victims. We are officers of the American Red Cross at Yale (I'm the chairperson). After sending a letter to the other members of the Red Cross, I received a large number of responses from students interested in helping. We decided to organize a charity concert to raise money for tsunami-ravaged areas. All ticket earnings will go directly to our parent organization, the American Red Cross. Currently, we're in the process of inviting Yale's numerous song, dance, and chamber music groups to perform at the concert. So far, we've had a great response from these groups and volunteers have continued to pour in with their ideas and feedback. When I checked my inbox this morning, I had 56 tsunami fundraiser-related emails waiting for me. Although, everyone is still on winter vacation and away from school, we have the Internet to link up Yalies from around the globe. We share ideas not on the latest video games, but on how best to provide help. The Red Cross at Yale is not alone in its aid effort. Student organizations across campus are working hard to raise funds and provide help to those who need it. Yale's South Asian Society (SAS) and the Asian American Students Alliance (AASA), which is an umbrella organization for many other groups including the Sri Lankan Students Association, are organizing charity dinners. The food will be donated by restaurants from around campus. Every last penny of the earnings will be donated to a non-profit organization providing aid to South Asia. After some discussion with the SAS and AASA, our groups have decided to plan our two events together. Students can attend the benefit dinner then go to the charity concert. There is no doubt in my mind that both events will have a fantastic turnout. The author keeps in touch with Yalies to _ .
<extra_id_0>ask them to offer help
<extra_id_1>inform them the latest news
<extra_id_2>ask them to join in the concert
<extra_id_3>ask them to work for the Red Cross
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>What will you be doing when you are 26 years old? Studying at university or working for a living? Take a look at what Albert Einstein was doing at the age of 26. 100 years ago, Einstein was working in Switzerland. His hobby was physics. Without much money or help, he wrote five papers for a physics magazine. Three of these greatly changed the study of physics and our understanding of space, time, light and matter . His most famous work is on the Theory of Relativity . Einstein was given the Nobel Prize for his discoveries. Although he also did many other things later, the years 1905 has been called Einstein's "Year of Wonders". It has been 100 years since then. Because of this, the UN has named 05 the World Year of Physics. Today, over fifty years after Einstein's death, a question is asked, " Will there ever be another Einstein?" It may take a long time. After all, Einstein was born more than 200 years after Sir Isaac Newton, another great scientist. Besides, physics is a different field now, and education is different, too. Even if you can't be the next great scientist, it is still helpful to remember some of the things that made Einstein great. He thought independently and read widely. He left with us a formula for life: If A is a success in life, then A="X+Y+Z." X is work, Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut. Why hasn't there been another scientist as great as Einstein?
<extra_id_0>Because the study of physics is not enough.
<extra_id_1>Because it is hard to make important discoveries as Einstein did.
<extra_id_2>Because people don't work hard any more.
<extra_id_3>Because physics is getting more and more difficult.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>According to a survey, only 4% of the people in the world are left-handed. Why? One theory centers on the two halves of the brain. For example, the left half and the right half, each of which functions differently. Medical science believes that the left half of the brain dominates over the right half. The foundation of this theory is the fact that nerves from the brain cross over at neck-level to the opposite side of the body, and nerves from the other side of the brain reciprocate . The end result is that the opposite sides of the body are controlled by the opposite sides of the brain. The dominant left half of the brain, which kindly supplies the right half of the body, theoretically makes it more skillful in reading, writing, speaking, and working, and makes most people right-handed. Lefties, however, whose right half of the brain dominates, work best with the left side of their bodies. Theory number two focuses on the _ nature of the body. Examples of the asymmetry, which flows from head to toe, are that the right side of our faces differs slightly from the left, that our legs differ in strength, or that our feet vary in size. One aspect of this asymmetry is that for most people the right hand is stronger than the left. There is no doubt that all exist in a "right-handed society", which produces most basics, including scissors, doorknobs, locks, screwdrivers, automobiles, buttons on clothing, and musical instruments for the 96%. Left-handed people make up for the unfairness by being members of an elite society, which includes many of the greatest geniuses, including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>Left-handed people are better at speaking
<extra_id_1>Left-handed people are believed to have stronger left halves of the brains
<extra_id_2>Right-handed people are cleverer than left-handed people
<extra_id_3>Right-handed people work best with the right side of their bodies
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Dr Asim Syed, 32, has performed more than 100 operations at London's Hammersmith Hospital in the country's busiest transplant unit, but never imagined that he would one day become a donor himself. He stepped forward when was told his 64-year-old mother might be dead within months unless she got a new kidney . The worried surgeon brought her to London to be cared for at his hospital. However, it was not all plain sailing. Tests showed Dr Syed was the wrong blood group, so the only way was to go through a special blood-washing process. He consulted colleagues about that, but they didn't agree, because the risk of rejection is still too high. Dr Syed and his mother were then advised to consider a new way of donating and receiving, called an organ-paired. That is, Dr Syed donated his kidney to an unknown person and another donor in the chain was a successful match for his mother. The chain of three transplants took place at the same time on July 31 with Dr Syed's kidney going to a recipient in the Midlands and Mrs. Syed receiving her kidney from a person in the south of England. Just hours after donating his own kidney, Dr Syed found himself recovering in bed next to his mother. Mrs Syed said, "When I came round from my operation Asim was in the next bed and the first thing he said was, 'Mum now all your worries are over.' Tears fell down." Now mother and son are recovering well with Dr Syed already back at work. Mrs. Syed is staying with him for several months while the hospital monitors her progress. He said, "I did what anyone would do when they see a relative suffering disease. Although I wasn't able to help mum directly, by agreeing to be part of a chain, I was also very happy." What can be inferred from the text?
<extra_id_0>The hospital still needs improving.
<extra_id_1>Dr Syed has love and devotion to his parents.
<extra_id_2>The expense in the hospital is too high to afford.
<extra_id_3>Dr Syed donated his kidney to his mother directly.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>dry wood easily what?
<extra_id_0>scorches
<extra_id_1>freezes
<extra_id_2>evaporates
<extra_id_3>melts
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Bob is eleven years old. One day, his friend Jenny said to him, "I'm going to have a birthday party on Saturday. Bob, can you come?" Bob asked his mother, and his mother said, "Yes, you can go. " On Saturday afternoon, his mother said to him again, "Now, Bob, when you go to the party, you must be polite , and don't ask for food until someone gives it to you. " "All right, Mom. " Bob said, and he went to Jenny's house by bike. There were many children at the party. They played games for about an hour, and then Jenny's mother gave them some food, but she forgot Bob and didn't give him any. After a long time, he took up his plate and said loudly, "Does anyone want a nice clean plate?" How old is Bob?
<extra_id_0>Nine.
<extra_id_1>Ten.
<extra_id_2>Eleven.
<extra_id_3>We don't know.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The managing editor is usually the person in charge of the day-to-day editorial process of a newspaper. He or she makes sure that the newspaper comes out on time each day and that costs are kept within a budget. He or she is usually responsible for hiring and firing newsroom staff, and serves as the spokesperson for the newspaper. The managing editor may also be involved in story, photo and graphics selection, assignments, laying out pages, and editing copy and writing headlines. The news editor is in charge of the news pages of the newspaper. He or she makes decisions on which stories are used and which are not. The news editor and his or her assistants also lay out pages of the paper. The copy editor edits wire and local stories and writes headlines. The copy editor is often the last person to see a story before it actually appears in print. The city editor makes sure that the news in the city is covered and that as many local stories as possible get into each edition. The city editor monitors the local general assignment, beat and specialty reporters. The state editor supervises reporters who cover communities and areas outside the city but still within the circulation area of the newspaper. The national editor _ reporters in bureaus in cities outside the circulation area of the newspaper. Most newspapers rely on the wire services for national news, but some have correspondents who work in other cities and report to the national editor. What is mainly discussed in this passage?
<extra_id_0>How newspapers are made.
<extra_id_1>People in a newspaper newsroom.
<extra_id_2>How news is collected and edited.
<extra_id_3>People in charge of the newspaper industry.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Teens want structure in their lives, which means they want their lives well-planned. To begin building structure, teens need love and trust. They need to know their parents arc there to give them needed love and support .Teens want to be sure that nothing can prevent parents from shouldering their responsibility for them -- not their growing maturity ,misbehavior, nor anger at something they have done. Teens want parents to keep control while allowing them to make some decisions. There are some ways you can help your teens create reasonable structure and remain close. One way is to spend time together. Parents often mistake their teens' increased interest in friends for a disinterest in the family. Teens would like to spend more time doing things with their parents, but watching TV is not counted as spending time together. As your teens mature, it is important for you and your teens spend time alone together, one to one. Your teens need time to talk to you alone without any other family member present. Talk with your teens about their interests and concerns. Make sure you really show interest in what is happening. When talking with your teens, give full attention and do not stop them. The way to help your teens become adults is to let your teens into your world. Sharing your emotions and concerns with your teens is important. Avoid causing needless worry. Trust your teens. Don't expect the worst. Hope for the best. Telling your teens you don't like their friends will cause the teens not to bring their friends home. If something should go wrong, believe that your teens didn't do it on purpose. It is very important that you treat your teens with respect. Teens need the same respect adults show for total strangers. Don't talk down to your teens. You need to be supportive o f your teens. What may be a small problem to you may be troubling to your teens. Teens don't have the experiences that adults have had. Let the teens know that you understand how much it hurts when something happens that is upsetting or hurtful to them. As they mature, they can look back at some problems they had and laugh at having been upset by something that now seems unimportant. The most important things to remember are: talk with your teens, listen to their worries and offer suggestions when needed. This will help your teens to live a well-organized life. What is the best title of the passage ?
<extra_id_0>Training Teens to Become Responsible Adults.
<extra_id_1>Helping Teens to Build Reasonable Structure.
<extra_id_2>Improving the Relationship with Your Teens.
<extra_id_3>Stepping into Your Teens' Secret Word.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>American schools begin in September after a long summer holiday. There're two terms in a school year. The first term is from September to January, and the second term is from February to June. Most American children begin to go to school when they're five years old. Most students are seventeen or eighteen years old when they finish high school. High school students take only five or six subjects each term. They usually go to the same classes every day, and they have homework for every class. After class, they do a lot of interesting things. After high school, many students go to college . They usually have to pay a lot of money. So, many college students work after class to get money for their studies. After high school, many students go to _ .
<extra_id_0>cities
<extra_id_1>work
<extra_id_2>college
<extra_id_3>town
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Can you understand the beginning of this article? "My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & 3 kds FTF." The Scottish teacher who received it in class had no idea what the girl who wrote it meant. The essay was written in a form of English used in cell phone text messages. Text messages (also called SMS2) through cell phones became very popular in the late 1990s. At first, mobile phone companies thought that text messaging would be a good way to send messages to customers, but customers quickly began to use the text messaging service to send messages to each other. Teenagers in particular enjoyed using text messaging, and they began to create a new language for messages called texting. A text message is limited to 160 characters, including letters, spaces, and numbers, so messages must be kept short. In addition, typing on the small keypad of a cell phone is difficult, so it's common to make words shorter. In texting, a single letter or number can represent a word, like "r" for "are," "u" for "you," and "2" for "to." Several letters can also represent a phrase, like "lol" for "laughing out loud." Another characteristic of texting is the leaving out of letters in a word, like spelling "please" as "pls." Some parents and teachers worry that texting will make children bad spellers and bad writers. The student who wrote the essay at the top of this page said writing that way was more comfortable for her. (The essay said, "My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three kids face to face.") Not everyone agrees that texting is a bad thing. Some experts say languages always evolve, and this is just another way for English to change. Other people believe texting will disappear soon. New technology for voice messages may soon make text messages a thing of the past. Why aren't some people worried about the effect of texting?
<extra_id_0>Not many people use texting.
<extra_id_1>Spelling in English is too difficult.
<extra_id_2>Teenagers quickly become bored with texting.
<extra_id_3>Texting will disappear because of new technology.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Perez sued Dawson for damages arising out of an automobile collision. At trial, Perez called Minter, an eyewitness to the collision. Perez expected Minter to testify that she had observed Dawson's automobile for five seconds prior to the collision and estimated Dawson's speed at the time of the collision to have been 50 miles per hour. Instead, Minter testified that she estimated Dawson's speed to have been 25 miles per hour. Without finally excusing Minter as a witness, Perez then called Wallingford, a police officer, to testify that Minter had told him during his investigation at the accident scene that Dawson "was doing at least 50." Wallingford's testimony is
<extra_id_0>admissible as a present sense impression.
<extra_id_1>admissible to impeach Minter.
<extra_id_2>inadmissible, because Perez may not impeach his own witness.
<extra_id_3>inadmissible, because it is hearsay, not within any exception
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>As I drive about the Sois in rural Thailand I catch little glimpses of things that barely register on the mind as the scenery flies by; strange things, beautiful things, sad things, interesting things. I wish I could hold on to these scenes; explore them in detail. I wish that I had the time to stop and investigate further as I'm driving by, but time is a commodity worth more than all the moneys in the world. I wish I had more. I once had a guy wave to me as I passed him. He yelled out something, almost in greeting, as if he knew me. I wonder if we knew each other once, in another place, another time, and he recognized my soul as I drove by in the truck, and just had to yell a hello. I wish I had stopped and said hello too. I saw two young girls, dressed in school uniforms. White blouses, blue skirts, books in hand. They were holding hands, talking, walking down the road, jostling(,)each other with their shoulders and teasing each other as they strolled along. As I passed the one closest to the truck looked up. She was close enough to touch almost. Her smiling face, her clear eyes and golden smooth skin are there in my mind's eye now. I can see her as if she were standing next to me. Once in a while her face just pops into my head. Why? Why is she still there? Sometimes I think maybe I'm a bit mad. I stopped at a road stop on a corner one time. An old lady standing by the roadside walked over to the truck and put her hand on my arm and smiled at me. Her palm was so cool. It must have been a hundred degrees out that day. She said something in Thai and giggled and walked away. Who was she? Why did she touch me? Why was her hand so cool? Why did I just sit there and let her touch me? I didn't flinch away. It was almost as if I knew her, and we were just saying a quick hello. Her cool touch almost seemed familiar; like my long dead grandmother's soothing cool touch remembered from when I was just a little boy. I need more time. I need to stop the truck more often, and just say hello. Things glimpsed along the road are often far more interesting and wonderful than that which seems to consume our daily lives. Slow down. Stop the truck. Get out, and say hello. What kind of life does the writer normally lead?
<extra_id_0>Busy.
<extra_id_1>Tiring.
<extra_id_2>Meaningless.
<extra_id_3>Boring.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>The evidence for harmony may not be clear in some families. But it seems that four in five young people now get on with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly- held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels. An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past. "We were surprised by just how positive today's young people seem to be about their families, "said one member of the research team. "They're expected to be rebellious and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There's more negotiation and discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don't want to rock the boat. " So it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat the children as friends. "My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me, "says 17-years-old Daniel Lazall. "I always tell them when I'm going out clubbing. As long as they know what I'm doing, they're fine with it. "Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. "Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiation. For example, as long as I'd done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that. " Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenagers' rebellion is not rooted in real facts. A researcher comments, "Our surprise that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in out social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. The normal situation throughout history has been a smooth change from helping out with the family business to taking it over. " The study shows that teenagers don't want to _
<extra_id_0>share family responsibility
<extra_id_1>cause trouble in their families
<extra_id_2>go boating with their family
<extra_id_3>make family decisions
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>It never occurred to Sun Yukun that the decision he made four years ago would have an impact on his career. When the 22-year-old entered college in 2009, he decided not to change his rural residence to a students' collective one. But when he finished college and was offered a job with a state-owned enterprise in Beijing, Sun was told that he couldn't accept the offer unless he had an urban hukou (household registration record). This time, he had no choice but to change his residence status. Transferring hukou to a university became optional in 2003, and many students are confronted with the dilemma of whether to do so or not. Professionals suggest they make the decision based on their current situation and future plans. 'I regret transferring my hukou' Wang Jinbi, 20, is an accounting major at Beijing Union University. Coming from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, she transferred her hukou when she enrolled at university. "I didn't think it was a big deal," Wang says. "Since I'm registering under an urban hukou, it doesn't matter whether it's in Beijing or Inner Mongolia, I thought." What Wang didn't expect, however, is that she would regret her decision later. "After two years of study, I've figured out my future plans. I want to return to my hometown and make a living there," she says. That means Wang needs to transfer her hukou back again, which she worries will be a troublesome procedure. "I have a friend who graduated last year. She spent a lot of time and energy transferring her hukou back to her hometown again due to complicated paperworks," says Wang. Guidelines for transferring hukou Wang's experience is not uncommon. Many students don't know what their decision means for their future. In order to help these students, Xie Yongqiang, from the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Justice, posted a guideline for transferring hukou on a micro blog. According to Xie, students should firstly think about where they're going to stay. "If you like the city where you're studying and are considering staying there after graduation, then you should transfer your hukou," he wrote. Students should also transfer their hukou if they intend to participate in an exchange program. According to Ju Haojie, deputy director of the household registration department at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, when applying for exchange programs, it saves a lot of trouble if students have a collective hukou registered under the university. But Xie also made suggestions for students with a rural registration. "If your family has land and a house, it's possible that you'll get a share of compensation in the event of a forced relocation. For those students, I would recommend them not to transfer their hukou," he wrote. This doesn't affect students in terms of receiving medical insurance and other benefits at university. 'I want to stay in Beijing' Sometimes, students abandon their rural hukou for the prospect of a better future. Tang Yanwei is one of them. The 23-year-old from Yantai, Shandong province, had a rural hukou but transferred it after enrolling at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Although there are a lot of preferential policies for rural residents, for Tang, an urban hukou in Beijing is attractive. "I want to stay in Beijing, so a students' collective Beijing urban hukou is a promising start," he says. "I'll do anything that could help me stay here. After all, there's no turning back for me now." Which of the following statements is NOT true?
<extra_id_0>Sun Yukun thinks the decision he made four years ago would have an effect on his career.
<extra_id_1>Wang Jinbi regrets transforming her hukou and she wants to stay at home.
<extra_id_2>Xie Yongqiang says if someone likes the city where they're studying and are considering staying there after graduation, then he should transfer Hukou.
<extra_id_3>Tang Yanwei wantsto stay in Beijing, so he transforms his hukou.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Barefoot Traveler is a tour agent that specializes in diving holidays,tailor-made to your own needs.The most popular destinations include Bonaire,Tobago,the Bahamas, Maldives,Oman,Seychelles and Thailand. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff,who are qualified divers themselves,will be able to advise you on the best destinations for your requirements. Whether you want to learn to dive,further your diving qualifications,continue to discover the underwater world,or simply relax on the beach,we are here'to help organize your holiday. We are happy to satisfy single travelers and offer special discounts . Group discounts are offered to groups of eight or more travelers and tailor-made packages are available for Dive Clubs. We also offer a series of diving liveaboard choices throughout the Caribbean.Indian Ocean and South East Asia.Liveaboards are very popular scuba diving holidays for those who want to access the best diving sites. Our barefoot luxury holiday brand is for those trying something a little more special,whether it's your honeymoon,anniversary or simply for more discerning travelers.We have a selection of 4 and 5 star levels which are the best in luxury holidays. What's the author's purpose in writing this passage?
<extra_id_0>To give some advice on diving.
<extra_id_1>To introduce the popular destinations.
<extra_id_2>To teach diving skills.
<extra_id_3>To attract tourists.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Come and see the Indian elephants and new tigers from America. The bears are waiting to meet you, and the monkeys from china are waiting to throw things at you. The lovely dogs from Australia are waiting to laugh at you. The giraffes from Zambia are waiting to look down on you. Tickets Adults :$2.00 Children : Over 12: $1.00 Under12: Free Opening time 9:00 am- 4:00pm(from Saturday to Thursday) 10:00am-3:00pm (Friday) Keep the zoo clean! Don`t touch , give food or go near the animals. How many kinds of animals are mentioned in the passage?
<extra_id_0>Four
<extra_id_1>Five
<extra_id_2>Six
<extra_id_3>Seven
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The tragic death of celebrity Wang Bei has made people aware of the risks of cosmetic surgery, which is becoming increasingly popular. A survey on the reaction to Wang's death, conducted by Tencent, which runs China's most popular instant-messaging service, received more than 600,000 responses, as of press time Monday.Forty-one percent of respondents expressed sorrow over her death, saying, "It's a pity she died at such a young age." Some 31 percent said she should have been more cautious and less vain, while 10 percent were enraged at the hospital that conducted the surgery.The remaining 18 percent were indifferent. A common thread of online discussion is why someone considered beautiful was so dissatisfied with her looks.Some netizens said Wang was a victim of society's unrealistic ideal of beauty: double eyelids, an aquiline nose and the pointed chin typical of Western celebrities.Others said her death underscores the limits to which people will go to achieve fame and fortune.Young people, see cosmetic surgery as the key to wealth and love. "They want to improve their appearance to find better opportunities at work and in marriage," says Ding Xiaobang, a plastic surgeon with the Peking Union Medical College Hospital."We're living in a highly competitive society.People regard appearance as a weapon and a means of empowerment...Most of them tell me, 'I don't care how much I spend, just make me look beautiful'." In the past decade, Ding says he Has seen a growing number of patients, like Wang Bei, who are young and naturally good-looking.The surgeon attributes this trend to people becoming richer, the standards of beauty changing, competition and frustration. "Some are frustrated with life and use surgery as a way to try and recover," lie says. The surge in demand for plastic surgery has resulted in a rise in the number of unauthorized business establishments and surgeons conducting such procedures. Meanwhile, experts say, young and beautiful people who still seek plastic surgery need to address their self-awareness issues and be more accepting. "They've built their identity around the admiration of others and fail to establish a system to assess themselves," says Zhu Wenbo, a psychologist with Blue Bay Psychological Consulting Center in Chengdu."People's opinions always change, so this is not a reliable way to evaluate oneself." What kind of people is regarded as a beauty nowadays?
<extra_id_0>a person with single eyelid, an aquiline nose and a pointed chin
<extra_id_1>a person with double eyelids, an aquiline nose and a pointed chin
<extra_id_2>a person with double eyelids, a snub nose and a pointed chin
<extra_id_3>a person with double eyelids, a snub nose and a chubby chin
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>In far northern prefix = st1 /Mongolia, the living of the smallest ethnic group in the country--the Tsaatan community depends on a kind of animal reindeer. An American named Morgan Keay visited the Tsaatan community when she was studying in Mongoliain 2002. Local leaders told her that the animals were not healthy and the number of reindeer was. getting too small to support the community. Back in the United States, Morgan Keay and a friend who had also studied inMongoliastarted an organization. They named it Itgel the Mongolian word for "hope". The Itgel Foundation has helped bring foreign scientists to Mongoliato research and treat reindeer diseases. They also helped Tsaatan workers build a community and visitor center. The building includes guest rooms for tourists. The Tsaatan not only work as guides, they now provide services for travelers. The community works in partnership with international tour operators, who had formerly been in control of the services. People in the community designed the center, which they also own and manage. Before the visitor center was built, families earned an average of 100 dollars a year. Now Morgan Keay says the average is 3 to 4 times that. Money also goes into a community account. Four years ago the Tsaatan had fewer than 500 reindeer. Now the herd has already reached 900. Morgan Keay says the Tsaatan are becoming economically independent for the first time. The Mongolian government is now considering a development plan written by the community that deals with education, health, the environment and economics. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
<extra_id_0>Tte Tsaatan used to control the services for travelers to the community.
<extra_id_1>Morgan Keay is a Mongolian devoted to environmental conservation
<extra_id_2>The Mongolian government had designed a development plan for the community.
<extra_id_3>Money got from the visitor centre is managed by the community now.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Hetty Robinson learnt all about money when very young. As a child, she read the financial pages of the newspaper to her rich father. Her father died when Hetty was 30, and she inherited $1 million. When she herself died in 1916, she left almost $100 million to her two children. Hetty made her money on the New York stock exchange. She was a financial genius. She made money so easily that people called her the Witch of Wall Street. But although she was one of the richest women in the world, she counted every cent and spent as little as possible. She didn't own a house, because she didn't want to pay taxes. So she and her children lived in cheap hotels. She spent almost nothing on clothes, and always wore the same long black dress. She washed it herself, but to save soap she only washed the bottom of the dress, where it touched the ground. Other people had their own offices, but Hetty used a desk in the bank where she kept her money, because it didn't cost anything. She sat in the bank and ate her sandwiches while she bought and sold stocks and shares. If the bank complained, she just moved all her money to another bank. Hetty's family paid the price for her meanness. When she was 33 she married a millionaire, Edward Green, and they had two children. But Green lost all his money, so she left him. When her son, Ned, injured his knee, Hetty didn't want to pay for a doctor, so she took him to a free hospital for poor people. Unfortunately the doctor knew Hetty was rich and he asked for money. Hetty refused and took the boy away. His leg got worse and two years later doctors removed it. But eventually Ned got his revenge . At the age of 81, Hetty had an argument with a shop assistant about the price of a bottle of milk. She became so angry that she had a heart attack and died. So Hetty's meanness finally killed her. Ned inherited half his mother's fortune, and he spent it all on parties, holidays and expensive jewellery. What fact can be learned about Hetty Robinson from the passage?
<extra_id_0>She was nice to her son.
<extra_id_1>She died from extreme anger.
<extra_id_2>She worked for a bank.
<extra_id_3>She came from a poor family.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold him in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was. We often speak of "Mommy's mommy," and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is that I carry a "faulty" gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman. Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much as I could. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex. On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work. But I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people's hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find the way out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action. My own process began on February 2. The operation took eight hours. Then I woke up with tubes in my breasts. It did feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But days after surgery I can be back to a normal life. There have been many advances in this procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful. I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a surgery operation was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me. It is a comfort that they see nothing that makes them scared. They can see my small scars and that's it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and I will do anything to be with them as long as I can. On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices. I acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on alternatives to surgery. My own regimen will be posted in due course on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center. I hope that this will be helpful to other women. I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they can take measures. Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of. What message does the writer want to convey?
<extra_id_0>People can do more than they think.
<extra_id_1>Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
<extra_id_2>Women should face their diseases bravely.
<extra_id_3>All things are difficult before they're easy.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the great nineteenth century English novelist, was born near Portsmouth. His father ran heavily into debt and when he was twelve, he had to go and work in a factory for making boot polish. The only formal education he received was a two-year schooling at a school for poor children. In fact, he had to teach himself all he knew. He worked for a time as junior clerk in a lawyer's office. After that, he worked as a reporter in the law courts, and later in parliament, for London newspapers. His career as a writer of fiction began in 1833 with short stories and essays in periodicals, and in 1837 his comic novel The Pickwick Papers made him the most popular author at his time in England. He was a great observer of people and their places because he was attracted by life and conditions in mid-nineteenth century London. He wrote 19 novels all his life and in many of them, Dickens gave a realistic picture of all classes of England society, showing deep sympathy for the poor and unfortunate, exposing the injustice and inhumanity of the bourgeoisie . Many of his novels like Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities and so on drew attention to the unsatisfactory social conditions that existed in England over a hundred years ago. Dickens criticized capitalist society from the point of view of bourgeois humanism. He wished to see improvement in the living conditions of the poor, but failed to find any effective means to achieve that end. Which of the following novel made Dickens the most popular writer at his time in England?
<extra_id_0>Oliver Twist
<extra_id_1>The Pickwick Papers
<extra_id_2>A Tale of Two Cities
<extra_id_3>Great Expectations
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Nursing at prefix = st1 /BethIsraelHospitalproduces the best patient care possible. If we are to solve the nursing shortage, hospital administration and doctors everywhere would do well to follow Beth Israel's example. At Beth Israel each patient is assigned to primary nurse who visits at length with the patient and constructs a full-scale health account that covers everything from his medical history to his motional state. Then he writes a care plan centered on the patient's illness but which also includes everything else that is necessary. The primary nurse stays with the patient through his hospitalization, keeping track with his progress and seeking further advice from his doctor. If a patient at Beth Israel is not responding to treatment, it is not uncommon for his nurse to propose another approach to the doctor. What the doctor at Beth Israel has in the primary nurse is a true colleague. Nursing at Beth Israel also involves a decentralized nursing administration; every floor, every unit is a self-contained organization. There are nurse managers instead of head nurses; in addition to their medical duties they do all their own hiring and dismissing, employee advising, and they make salary recommendations. Each unit's nurses decide among themselves who will work what shifts and when. Beth Israel's nurse-in-chief ranks as an equal with other vice presidents of the hospital. She is also a member of the Medical Executive Committee, which in most hospitals includes only doctors. Which of the following is the character of the nursing system at Beth Israel Hospital?
<extra_id_0>The doctor gets more active professional support from the primary nurse.
<extra_id_1>Each patient is taken care of by a primary nurse day and night
<extra_id_2>The primary nurse writes care plan for every patient
<extra_id_3>The primary nurse keeps records of the patient's health conditions every day.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Nobody knows for certainty all the details of the life of Aesop. However, scholars have been working to established some facts and this is the brief story of Aesop as it is accepted today. Aesop was born a slave around the year 620 B.C. InAncient Greece, it was a privilege and tradition of freedmen to be interested in public affairs, so Aesop worked hard to raise himself from a servile slave's position to a high position of renown. He was a thinker and philosopher and eventually became widely admired. Aesop was a smart man and a good speaker. He liked to learn and to also teach people, so he traveled through many countries. He came to Sardis, the capital of the famous king Croesus of Lydia who was a patron of learning and learned men. Croesus was so impressed by Aesop that he invited Aesop to permanently reside at Sardis. The king hired Aesop to do diplomatic government work such as trying to establish peace between the various republics of Greece. Aesop reconciled the inhabitants of these cities by telling his wise fables. It was on one of these ambassadorial missions that Aesop was killed. Croesus had sent him to Delphi with lots of gold which was to be distributed among the citizens. After talking with the people of Delphi, Aesop got so mad at the citizens because of their covetousness. He refused to divide the money and instead sent it back to his master. The Delphians were so mad they executed Aesop as a public criminal. As it often happens in Greek history, the Delphians were visited by a series of calamities as a sort of retribution for Aesop's death. This is where the phrase "the blood of Aesop" originated. The saying means "wrongful deeds will not go unpunished". In memory of Aesop, a statue was erected in Athens. The statue was created by the famous Greek sculptor, Lysippus. The phrase "the blood of Aesop" probably means " _ ".
<extra_id_0>No pains, no gains.
<extra_id_1>Well begun is half done.
<extra_id_2>It's no use crying over spilt milk.
<extra_id_3>Wrongful deeds will not go unpunished.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>On Christmas Eve a few years ago an English couple received a very special telephone call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very important. The Haydens' 15-year-old daughter had disappeared six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. "I'm phoning to wish a happy Christmas," she said, "I love you." Ronals and Edwine Hayden were so happy that they started a special telephone service called "Alive and Well". The service helps parents to get in touch with children who have run away from home. Young people can phone "Alive and Well" and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So no one can speak to the child of making him return home. Parents of runaway children who are under eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home, so children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through "Alive and Well" they can telephone their parents without worrying about this or giving out their addresses. The Haydens and their helpers write down the tape recorded telephone messages and connect the address given. Many of the 30,000 British teenagers who have left home are probably in London. For only two pence they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial 5675339 and stop a parent's worry: Is he dead or alive? If you ring "Alive and Well", _ .
<extra_id_0>you will get the information you want
<extra_id_1>your message will be passed over to your parents
<extra_id_2>the police will bring you home
<extra_id_3>your parents will know where you are
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>In Jane Austin's time, unmarried girls were always closely guarded, and hardly allowed to be alone with a young man; and during the Victorian period (just the period after Jane Austin) exposure of the body in particular was thought to be most immoral, Victorian ladies wore dresses reaching down to their feet, long in the sleeve and high at the neck. Since then, ways of dressing as well as times have changed. Girls were no longer guarded, and they can do more or less what they like. And yet among all these astonishing changes, one thing has remained much the same for most people, and that is the same of becoming a mother before being married. If this does happen, there often comes a quick marriage with the responsible man. If this is impossible, the affair may bring considerable shame to the girl's parents as well as to herself. It is now quite normal for a girl, once past the age of about fifteen, to go out with a boyfriend, and although her parents will probably insist that she come home at a certain time, beyond this they depend on her or look after herself. Kisses between young men and women are now considered to be perfectly normal, but although times have changed so much, most people still believe that a woman should not become a mother before being married. From the article, we learn that _ .
<extra_id_0>an unmarried girl must come back home for the night.
<extra_id_1>it is good for a girl of 15 to have a boyfriend.
<extra_id_2>the unmarried girl who has a baby needn't get married at once.
<extra_id_3>a girl of 15 has the right to be alone with her boyfriend.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Earth Day is on April 22nd.People say thanks to the Earth and learn ways to keep the Earth safe and clean.But saving the Earth is not just for grow-ups.Kids are also taking an active part in it. The American writer and filmmaker Lynne made a film called Young Voices for the Planet.It lists a lot of stories about different kids who help to keep our environment clean. Team Marine, US A group of students at Santa Monica High School started an organization called Team Marine.They tell people why plastic bags are bad for sea animals and environment.In 2011, they successfully made lawmakers in their city stop people using plastic bags. Felix, 15, Germany In 2007, a 9-year-old boy, Felix, started a club,Plant for the Planet.It encourages children around the world to plant trees in their own countries.Felix helped plant 25 million trees in Germany and 120 million trees worldwide. Alec, 17, US When he was 12, Alec set up Kids VS Global Warming.It teaches kids about weather change and ways to stop the world getting warmer and warmer.Alec travels widely to encourage people to help stop global warming.He has given more than 70 talks across the country. Olivia, 13, US When Olivia was 11, she heard about the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.She painted 500 pictures of birds to raise money for the clean-up.She raised more than $200,000 to protect birds and other wild animals. The passage is mainly about how _ .
<extra_id_0>kids are saving the Earth
<extra_id_1>parents are planting trees
<extra_id_2>students are raising money
<extra_id_3>grow-ups are using plastics bags
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Health officials issued a waring over common energy-saving lghtbulbs after research showed some types could potentially harm the skin and may even raise the risk of cancer. A study by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) found that some eco-friendly lightbuulbs release levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that are above recognized safety limits. The agency urged people who work with lamps nearby to avoid spending more than one hour within a foot of the eco-friendly bulbs. The warning was directed at those using desk lamps for long periods, such as jewellery makers, and others who might have lights close to their faces, such as car mechanics. John O'Hagan, a scientist at the HPA's centre for radiation, chemical and environmental dangers, began tests on the ligthbulbs after patient groups raised concern about them. Among the groups were patients with a skin disease called lupus, which makes people highly sensitive to light. The tests measured UV light from the lamps and found the highest levels of UV radiation, measured 2cm from the lightbulbs, were _ to being outside in direct sunlight in the summer. The most immediate risk from the lightbulbs is a reddening of the skin similar to sunburn, but there is also a small increased risk of skin cancer associated with this, again similar to that of sunburn. The risk of health problems from the lightbulbs was not so high that people should remove them from their homes. People are advised to avoid using open lightbulbs for long close work until the problem is sorted out. It has confirmed that the government will not be reviewing its strategy on introducing energy efficient lightbulbs. In the next part, the author would most probably further explain _ .
<extra_id_0>why people needn't remove the lightbulbs from their homes
<extra_id_1>how researchers have planned to sort out the problem
<extra_id_2>how the government has responded to HPA's discovery
<extra_id_3>how long people should work close to the open lightbulbs
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Experiments aboard the spaceship Columbia have disproved a theory on the human nervous system which won an Austrian professor a Nobel prize 79 years ago. West German astronaut Ulf Merbold disproved the theory during tests aboard the spaceship yesterday. His discovery is connected with the workings of the inner ear, the body's balance mechanism . In l914 Professor Robert Barany won the Nobel prize for Physiology and Medicine when he announced that temperature differences affected the inner ear and caused the eyes to blink . His theory was accepted by scientists. But Merbold carried out tests to find if the theory was correct and shocked himself and space officials when he proved it wrong. According to Barany's theory the eyes would blink when cold air was blown into one ear and hot air blown into the other. But if this theory was correct such a movement would be impossible in zero gravity . Both Merbold's eyes continually blinked when the test was carried out. Barany's theory declared to prove _ .
<extra_id_0>how our hearing mechanism works
<extra_id_1>why we constantly move our eyes
<extra_id_2>that eye movement is affected by temperature
<extra_id_3>how hearing reacts
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The 2016 Rio Olympic Games have come to an end. Without doubt, many Chinese sports fans sat in front of the TV and cheered our athletes on, hoping that they would get as many gold medals as possible. But sometimes our desire for gold medals can result in the sadness of failure. When Liu Xiang, China's track hero, pulled out of the Beijing Olympics due to injury, he greatly disappointed many Chinese sports fans. But things are different now. In the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, we saw a healthier and more _ Chinese attitude toward the sportspeople, fully in line with the Olympic spirit. China didn't win any gold medals on the first day. But, instead of criticizing the athletes who failed to finish on top of the podium , the majority of fans were happy with their efforts. "Reacting in the right way when an athlete misses out on gold shows the maturity of a person, and is also a challenge for a country to face up to in the process of development," commented CRI. Swimmer Fu Yuanhui won fans' hearts, even if she only won a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke final. Her fans on her Sina Weibo micro blog have increased 100,000 to over 6 million. Many sports fans appreciated her straightforward character and attitude toward competition. "The warm support from Internet users shows that public attitude toward competitive sport and the Olympics have gotten to a higher level," said an article in the People's Daily. People like Fu Yuanhui because of her _ .
<extra_id_0>kindness to the fans
<extra_id_1>winning a bronze medal
<extra_id_2>attitude to competition
<extra_id_3>Weibo mirco blog
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>There is a sign at a Korean university asking tourists not to step into the grass to take photos. The sign is not written in Korean or English; it is written in Chinese. These signs, and signs in other countries warning Chinese tourists about their behavior, have shamed many Chinese who worry about the image of the country. Over 70 million Chinese tourists made overseas trips last year and spent $102 billion, more than the $84 billion spent by American and German tourists. For many Chinese tourists, it was their first trip abroad and they didn't know about foreign ways. And some of these tourists took their bad habits from China with them. Wang Yang, a Chinese deputy prime minister , said, "They(the tourists) speak loudly in public, carve words or numbers on tourist attractions, cross the road when the traffic lights are still red and spit anywhere. It damages the image of the Chinese people and has a very bad influence." Before you travel to a foreign country, it's important to learn some things about the country and its culture. You are guests in the country and it's important to respect your hosts. As more and more Chinese visit foreign countries, their behavior will certainly change and those shameful signs will, hopefully, disappear. What would be the best title for the passage?
<extra_id_0>Signs Shame Overseas Chinese Tourists
<extra_id_1>Foreign Culture Makes Bad Influence
<extra_id_2>Foreign Countries Attract Chinese Tourists
<extra_id_3>Chinese Tourists Like Foreign Culture
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Alibaba started taking the lead in China, simply enough, by connecting big Chinese manufacturers with big buyers across the world. Its business-to-business site, Alibaba.com allowed business to buy almost everything. Alibaba's advantage wasn't hard to identify: size. Alibaba is just big, even by Chinese standards. Its marketplaces attract 231 million active buyers, 8 million sellers, 11.3 billion orders a year--and _ It encourages people to use its markets--not charging small sellers a percentage of the sale. If you want a quick look into the influence of Alibaba on daily Chinese life, take my experience. I moved to Beijing almost a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded, polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics, bathroom furnishings, and anything else my wife wanted. "You're looking for what exactly? Why not try _ ? " my Chinese teacher asked me one day. With that, my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began. Alibaba's original business-to-business model now is secondary to consumer buying. Chinese retail buying makes up 80% of Alibaba's profit, and leading that group is Taobao, with 800 million items for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you'll ever find. TMall.com is Alibaba's other big site, where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices. What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the U.S. is how China has gone beyond traditional shopping--big-box retailers especially --in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites. In smaller towns than Beijing, where big retailers have not yet traveled, shopping online is shopping, and shopping is Taobao. I have a list of some of my recent purchases on Taobao for a sense of how extensive the marketplace is. Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping. I'm not even a big buyer, because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site. When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher's iPad, which helps me buy goods, I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine. What is the passage mainly about?
<extra_id_0>Shopping online is TaoBao.
<extra_id_1>The influence of shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping.
<extra_id_2>Alibaba greatly influences people's daily purchase in China.
<extra_id_3>How the author purchases online in China.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The quality of water supply in southern Beijing has been improving in recent years, an official said. In addition to improvements in the network of pipes, the government has been upgrading three recycled water plants in the south of the capital, said Zhao Lei, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform. "The transformation of the three plants has increased the recycled water processing capacity by 160,000 cubic meters per day," he said. In addition, the city is also speeding up the construction of sewage treatment plants to further recycle the sewage, Zhao said. Zhang Xiang, a researcher from Nature University, an environmental protection NGO in Beijing, said recycled water use should be promoted, especially in water-scarce cities such as Beijing. Setting up more recycled water plants in the capital will not only promote efficient water use, but also reduce costs because recycling water is much cheaper than transferring it over long distances, he said. According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital will set up 46 more recycled water plants citywide in the next three years while upgrading 20 sewage treatment plants. The treatment rate of domestic sewage in downtown Beijing will reach 98 percent by the end of 2015, it said. The capital's recycled water is mainly used for industry, landscaping and cleaning, Zhang said. Many new communities in southern Beijing are equipped with a network to recycle water. In the past, people were not enthusiastic about using recycled water. However, as the government has boosted the quality of recycled water and set up more recycled water plants, more residents are gradually accepting it. Residents in southern Beijing will also enjoy more clean energy, as the government will replace traditional coal-burning stoves with electric radiators as part of a three-year plan to develop southern Beijing from 2013 to 2015. Since 2010, Beijing has taken measures to develop its southern areas. Earlier efforts have seen the region, which used to rely heavily on low-end industries such as cement factories and small coal mines, being turned into a bustling commercial center and home to many educational institutions. which statement is true according to the passage
<extra_id_0>Recycled water will be mainly used for drink.
<extra_id_1>As usual, recycled water is accepted by people.
<extra_id_2>Traditionally people in southern Beijing use coal-burning stove for cooking.
<extra_id_3>The water Transferred over long distance is cheaper than recycled water.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5> Rimm and Hill were fooling around with a pistol in Hill's den. Rimm aimed the pistol in Hill's direction and fired three shots slightly to Hill's right. One shot ricocheted off the wall and struck Hill in the back, killing him instantly. The most serious crime of which Rimm can be convicted is
<extra_id_0>murder.
<extra_id_1>voluntary manslaughter.
<extra_id_2>involuntary manslaughter.
<extra_id_3>assault with a dangerous weapon
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Before summer ends, you might want to consider reading The Shaping of A Christian Home by Elizabeth Elliot. She writes beautifully of her family summer cottage in Franconia, Maine. She mentions that every family should have a place to get away together. The summer of my fourteenth year, Dad and Mom planned a wonderful family vacation that I'll never forget. We took a road trip in our 1969 Chrysler. We camped through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and back home by way of Washington D.C. To save money, we stayed in a tent and cooked our own meals on a camp stove. It was a wonderful vacation. Whenever we could, we talked Dad into staying at a campground with a swimming pool. We camped in a large tent big enough to sleep eight average-sized people who didn't mind sleeping close enough to hear one another breathe. It wasn't a cottage in Franconia, but served a similar purpose for our family. Most nights I slept in my own small tent. Each night I went to sleep listening to the music or sleep to the sound of frogs. In Maine, we didn't have a cottage in the mountains or a house on the lake. I doubt if we ever will. But I have happy memories of a family vacation, looking into a campfire, swimming with my brothers and my sister and walking under the stars. We can learn from the passage that the author _ .
<extra_id_0>spent much money on the holiday
<extra_id_1>preferred to live close to the nature
<extra_id_2>enjoyed watching the stars in the sky
<extra_id_3>hated staying with too many people
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Spring is an inviting season for outdoor activities. But be careful--the warm weather is also a hotbed for viruses and disease. This March, the influenza A(H7N9) virus hit Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It was reported that by April 11 at least 35 people had been infected with the H7N9 virus, and nine of them had died. The influenza A (H7N9) virus is one type of influenza A H7 viruses. Influenza A H7 viruses normally spread among birds. This is the first time human infections with H7N9 viruses have been reported in China. Earlier reports were about H5N1 and H1N1. All the three viruses are influenza A viruses but they are not the same. H7N9 and H5N1 are animal influenza viruses that could infect people. However, H1N1 viruses can be divided into two groups. One group can normally infect people and the other normally infects animals. Also, H1N1 can spread from human to human, but H7N9 probably can't, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most people infected with H7N9 looked like they had the common flu. Some people had bad pneumonia . They suffered from a fever, a cough and shortness of breath. But don't be afraid - it is not easy to be infected with the virus. One of the possible reasons is close contact with sick poultry waste. People may also be infected through breath, according to National Health and Family Planning Commission. Here are some tips from the WHO that can protect you from being infected. Wash your hands with soap and running water before you eat, after you use the toilet, and after touching animals or animal waste. When coughing or sneezing cover your mouth and nose with a mask ,tissue or a sleeve. Get a good rest and do exercises, which will help make your body strong enough to stand up to the virus. Which is NOT true about protecting us from being infected by animal influenza viruses?
<extra_id_0>Wash our hands with soap and running water before we eat, after we use the toilet, and after touching animals or animal waste.
<extra_id_1>When we cough or sneeze we should cover our mouths and noses with a mask,tissue or a sleeve.
<extra_id_2>We should get a good rest and do exercises to make our bodies strong enough.
<extra_id_3>We should try to eat much and sleep much as possible as we can.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There are more than 100 million cars in the United States. An ordinary car gets less than 15 miles from each gallon of gas. It travels about 10,000 miles each year. In that time, it uses about 650 gallons of gas. In all , automobiles use up some 70 billion gallons of gas a year. That comes out to be four-and-a-half million barrels a day. The importance of saving gas, then, cannot be stressed too much. Let's say, the fuel used by each car could be cut back just 15 percent. This could be done by making fewer trips each day. It could be done by keeping the automobiles in good shape. It could be done through better driving habits. If these were done, the nation's use of fuel would fall by close to two-thirds of a million barrels per day. Everyone can help to save gas. One way is to ride buses. Some could walk to work. Others could ride their bikes. Another way is to share a ride. People could share cars. About one-third of all cars are used for going to and from work. You can go shopping with a friend from time to time. If two people use a car instead of two, they all save. Driving stress would be less, too, with fewer cars on the road. The savings on gas around the nation would come to more than one-half million barrels a day. Still another way to save is by cutting out trips one does not need to take. Can you find one car trip per week that could be done by telephone? Can you combine trips? If each car travelled 10 miles less each week, they could save three-and-a-half billion gallons of gas a year. This comes to nearly 5 percent of the total passenger cars demand for gas. The way people drive decides how much fuel they save. Careful drivers may get 20 percent more miles per gallon than ordinary drivers. They obey the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit. If just one gallon of gas were saved each week for each car in the country, a total of five-and-a-half billion gallons could be saved a year. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the text?
<extra_id_0>Drivers should change their driving habits and keep their cars in good shape.
<extra_id_1>The importance of saving fuel is seldom ignored.
<extra_id_2>Saving gas is important and could be done in several ways.
<extra_id_3>People should use fewer automobiles and make good use of telephones.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>FORBES CHINA's annual celebrity list is based on income and appearances in magazines, newspapers, TV shows and online. Stars from the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong are included. And here are some of the winners: Jay Chou Taiwan singer, actor and director unveiled his 12th studio album, Opus 12, last December (Another "12''). New flick in the works: The Rooftop, being filmed in Taiwan and the mainland, which he stars in and also directs. 3. Andy Lau Now in his 50s, the evergreen Hong Kong star of song and film stayed popular last year with the movie Blind Detective. Lau's sixth film with Hong Kong actress Sammi Cheng is in the works. Jackie Chan Hong Kong movie industry icon last year released what may be his last action film CZ12, or Chinese Zodiac, which he wrote and directed. 5. Zhang Ziyi Popular actress had hit romantic comedy last year with My Lucky Star, which she also produced. Appears in this year's star-laden The Grandmaster kung fu movie, directed by Hong Kong's Wong Kar-Wai and also starring Tony Leung. 7. Yang Mi Actress was named most popular female singer in mainland China last year in a joint CCTV-MTV event. Last year's flicks included Love in the Buff, Beijing Love Story and Wu Dang. Has endorsement deals with Pepsi and cosmetics brand Wetcode. 8. Huang Xiaoming Actor turned up in several successful films last year, including Love in the Buff, An Inaccurate Memoir and White-Haired Witch. Promotes Baleno, Tissot, Olay. 10. Lin Chi-ling Taiwan TV hostess, model and actress. Most recent success: romantic comedy Say Yes, which took in more than $30 million in China. Who is the director of the Grandmaster ?
<extra_id_0>Tony Leung
<extra_id_1>Wong Kar-Wai
<extra_id_2>Zhang Ziyi
<extra_id_3>Jackie Chan
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>on which of these days would it be least convenient to take fast drive?
<extra_id_0>a really sleety day
<extra_id_1>a really hot day
<extra_id_2>a really clear day
<extra_id_3>a really cloudy day
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Dear Editor; Why do newspapers carry so many advertisements for electronic equipment? Last Sunday I counted ads for seven kinds of televisions and thirteen kinds of radios in the Atlanta Journal. Besides that, there were pages and pages of ads for Citizens' Band radios and tape recorders. Don't you realize what electronic equipment is doing to our daily life? Everywhere you go you may hear loud musician advertisements over radios; this continual noise is ruining our ears. Husbands don't talk to wives any more; they are always watching the news or a ball game. Children ruin their eyes (not to mention their minds) with endless hours of watching not only the programs for children but those for grown-ups as well. And worse, hidden microphones find out about our private lives, and computers keep records of personal information about us. Enough is enough! I think you should limit the amount of advertising of electronic equipment in the Atlanta journal. Otherwise it will make life unbearable for us all. Electronic equipment causes all the following problems except that _ .
<extra_id_0>personal information is given to strangers.
<extra_id_1>Children ruin their eyes.
<extra_id_2>News of the world is given to all citizens
<extra_id_3>Family members don't talk to each other
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The legal age for drinking alcohol in the Unite States is twenty-one. Underage drinking is a crime but also a common part of college social life. This week in our Foreign Student Series, we look at alcohol rules at American colleges and universities. These rules differ from school to school, but many schools have been moving to strengthen their rules. The United States has more than 17,000,000 students in higher education. Each year, 1700 of them die from alcohol-related road crashes and other injuries. 600,000 more are injured while under the influence of alcohol. And almost 700,000 are attacked by another drunken. One behavior that college officials are trying to prevent is too much drink. Some researchers have found that students who think binge drinking is normal often think extremely how much other students really drink. A person can die of alcohol poisoning. At Oklahoma University, a nineteen-year-old student died from drinking heavily at a party in 2005. Now alcohol is banned from all sorority houses and university housing. Student organizations can serve alcohol at events but only on Friday and Saturday nights. Other new requirements include an alcohol education program that first-year students take online. The rules govern behavior on campus and off. With a first violation ,students pay seventy-five dollars and their parents are told. They must also take an alcohol education class. For a second "strike", they have to pay one hundred fifty dollars. A third strike means that they have to be suspended school for at least one semester. Since 2005,363 students have had a first strike. 30 have had a second strike-and only one hasn't allowed to go to school for one semester. The president at Oklahoma tells us the aim is not just to punish but to change the behavior and culture at the university. Every year the number of the students who die or are injured because of alcohol in the USA adds up to about _ .
<extra_id_0>17,000,000
<extra_id_1>1,301,700
<extra_id_2>601,700
<extra_id_3>1300,000
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>You're jogging at a steady pace, enjoying your favorite music through your headphones. Your breath is short and your heart is pumping. Your legs feel like they couldn't carry you any faster. And then you hear the groan of a zombie over your right shoulder. You must run or be eaten. The zombie apocalypse isn't upon you. You're just taking part in the latest fitness craze--Smartphone apps that make a fun and interactive game out of your daily workout. Software developers are taking advantage of Smartphone's advanced technology--GPS, accelerometers , MP3 players--to create "immersive" fitness games that appeal to both desperate and reluctant exercises. It's part of an overall trend in the fitness industry toward making your daily workout "a fun experience rather than something you have to do," said Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. "We are attempting more "play" opportunities as opposed to working out, basically getting people to move and having fun while they are doing it," Matthews said. One popular fitness game app, Zombies, Run!, places you in the role of a supplies runner for a walled community trying to survive against the walking dead. During your run, the game's surprising complex story unfolds through your headphones. You "pick up" supplies for the community as you jog along. At certain intervals, you're warned that zombies are nearby, and if you don't pick up the pace, you'll have to pitch some supplies to keep from being caught. The game doesn't end once your jog is over. After your workout, you can use the supplies you picked up during your running to fortify your community. The GPS statistics from your run are uploaded automatically to the game's website, so you can review your average speed and the estimated calories you burned. Teemo, Nexercise and Fitocracy all allow you to post your latest workout to share with friends. Some games have you work with friends to reach a common goal--completing a relay race, for example--while others encourage competition. "That's another big area, having that social component," Matthews said, "Having social support of some kind is a critical factor in adhering to an exercise program. For some people, having that friendly competition or the feeling of being on a team can help them stay motivated." The general tendency in the fitness industry is to _ .
<extra_id_0>exercise while listening to music
<extra_id_1>do sports and play games at the same time
<extra_id_2>make your daily exercises funny and interesting
<extra_id_3>show the average speed and the calories immediately
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>June and I were both poor when we were young. At that time, June always said, " If I got rich, I would buy a bigger apartment and a new wardrobe ." Of course, she said this just for fun and she never imagined that she would really become rich. A few years ago, June was surprised and excited when she came into a fortune from her uncle, who had been single. After receiving it, she made a shopping list. On it she wrote down all the ways she could use to spend the money. Every time I told her not to spend all of the money and to save some, she would always say impatiently , " I know, I know!" One day, when I was in June's home, she passed a piece of paper to me. "I thought over your suggestion for several nights. I've decided how to use the money. I hope my money will be helpful to those who need help," she said. I was pleased to hear what she said. Then I took the paper and only saw the two words written by her: Charity and Family. I smiled and played a joke on her, "Don't you want to move to a new apartment? That is what you have been dreaming of." "Actually, I have been looking forward to it, but now it doesn't seem so important to me anymore," she answered with a smile. When I was about to put the paper on the table, I found there were still a few words. June had written: and a new wardrobe. From the passage we can know that _ .
<extra_id_0>the writer told June to give the money to the poor
<extra_id_1>the writer helped June buy a new apartment
<extra_id_2>June's parents didn't have any brothers at all
<extra_id_3>June was poor when she was young
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There's a "culture of walking and texting" on the Utah Valley University campus, according to conversations with students, but that's not the main reason Matt Bambrough, the creative director at UVU, came up with an idea to paint a "texting lane" on a staircase leading up to the Wellness Center. According to Bambrough, it's first and foremost a design project--the texting lane was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the college-wide epidemic of kids walking around with their faces buried in their iPhones. "You have 18-24-year-olds walking down the hall with smart phones. You're almost bound to run into someone somewhere; it's something we're dealing with in this day and age," Bambrough said. "But preventing collisions isn't the reason we did it--we did it to arouse the students' attention. It's meant to be there for people to look at and enjoy." Still, when talking to Utah Valley students, it sounds like texting and walking can be quite the annoyance. Robbie Poffenberger, an assistant news editor at the UVU Review, said that most collisions he witnesses aren't human-on-human; rather, it's generally human-on-inanimate-object. "They walk into barriers--chairs on the side of the hallway, or railings," Poffenberger said, "I'm sure they're fairly embarrassed." What do we learn about the "texting lane" from the text?
<extra_id_0>It is a special campus culture in Utah Valley University.
<extra_id_1>It is used to encourage the campus culture.
<extra_id_2>It is painted on a staircase leading to everywhere.
<extra_id_3>It is popular with students in universities.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>My goddaughter, Shari, owns The Berry Factory in Sacramento, California, and her mother, Joan, and I were helping with the Valentine's Day rush of 2011. We'd been preparing hundreds of berries, arranged gift baskets and packaged orders to be shipped around the country. By the end of the day and I were exhausted. Shari didn't seem tired. That was what Shari liked doing especially when she gave someone else something. I'd seen her give away berries to everybody--parking attendants, mail carriers, hairdressers. "For me?" they'd say, breaking into a smile. As a "thank you", Shari took us out for dinner. But there was a 45-munite wait at her favorite restaurant. "No big deal. There's another place just up the road," she said, driving us there. This time we walked right in. While the waitress took our drink orders Shari reached into her handbag, pulling something out. "I want you to have these," she said, handing the waitress a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries. "Will she love those berries!"I said to myself. But the waitress seemed extremely surprised. She hardly let out a "Thank you" before grabbing the box and rushing into the kitchen. A few minutes later, the waitress returned with our iced tea. " I apologize," she said. " It's just ...my best friend and I made an agreement to send each other something every Valentine's Day. But she passed last year. I didn't know how I'd get through this day without her. Then you handed me that box." "I'm so sorry to hear that," said Shari. " It's not much, but I hope you can enjoy them." "Oh, I will," the waitress said. " See, every year we always sent each other the same thing: a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries bought from our favorite store, The Berry Factory." Why did the waitress apologize to Shari?
<extra_id_0>Because she had a bad service to Shari
<extra_id_1>Because she didn't express her thanks to Shari
<extra_id_2>Because she didn't pay for the strawberries
<extra_id_3>Because she didn't take Shari's drink order
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>On Friday, June 20th, 29 dogs along with their owners came to Santa Rosa, California. They came there to take part in an unusual competition--one that seeks out and honors the World's Ugliest Dog. Now in its 26th year, the competition is one of the biggest attractions at the annual Sonoma County Fair. Among the leading competitors were Cupcake, who was adopted from a local dog rescue center in January and Shorty, who would have been put to sleep if its owner, Jason, wasn't kind enough to pick it up. Also competing was 11-year-old veteran Grovie. Described by his owner as short and funny, the Chinese pug is a local resident who has taken part in this contest several times. Then there was 2002 "World's Ugliest Dog" and "Ring of Champions" winner, Rascal. The 7lbs naturally hairless dog with very few teeth comes from an impressive background . His grandfather, Chi Chi, holds the Guinness World Record for winning the title "World's Ugliest Dog" seven times! But all these impressively "ugly" dogs had no chance against Peanut. The two-year-old dog was badly burnt in a fire which caused him to lose his lips, most of his body hair and eyelids. Besides winning the title, $1,500 USD in cash and a large trophy , the first time winner also enjoyed an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City where he made scheduled appearances on the Today Show and the Jimmy Kimmel Show. The competition is a great way to honor these dogs, many of whom get their unusual looks because of human abuse . But most importantly, it raises awareness about their adoption by showing the world that ugliness does not prevent dogs from becoming very loving pets. Who play the biggest role in the competition mentioned in Para. 1?
<extra_id_0>The dog owners who are good at keeping dogs.
<extra_id_1>The people who have adopted dogs.
<extra_id_2>The dogs that have unusual skills.
<extra_id_3>The dogs that look very ugly.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Generations of children who sat through endless lessons of "chalk and talk" in front of a bossy teacher can take some relief. But the "chalk and talk" method helped them achieve better exam results. Modern classroom techniques may make school days a good deal happier, but contentment is not the road to success in examinations, according to university researchers. Their three-year study, monitoring the progress of 2000 teenagers, tried to measure the influence of the "boredom factor" in 17 selected schools in the north of England. The researchers also found that the old-fashioned approach of teachers ordering pupils about is still alive and producing results. Their conclusions were welcomed yesterday by educationists who were worried by the shift to less formal lessons. The pupils in the latest study were asked to award teachers marks to measure how frequently they followed or ignored today's fashion for "child-centred" education. A five-point scale was given to spot the teachers who always told them what they should know and what to write down. "It was significant and not anything you would get by chance or accident. Certainly, when you compare the pupil's interest and attitude to school, there is a quite definite and highly significant difference," one of the researchers said. But the rankings were turned upside down when the team of four researchers looked at how the children did in examination. The sort of methods now frowned upon actually improve the final grades. The researchers said,"There is nothing wrong with old-fashioned, didactic teaching in the fight place, even if it isn't the flavor at the moment." However, he insisted the best teachers had always mixed the two techniques to match the needs of pupils, although certain examinations forced some to concentrate more on dictation and learning by rote . University researchers have discovered that _ .
<extra_id_0>modern teaching methods provide students with entertainment
<extra_id_1>students taught by modern techniques are happy and successful
<extra_id_2>traditional teaching methods help students score higher
<extra_id_3>students like old teaching better than modern teaching at school
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>No one should be forced to wear a uniform under any circumstance. Uniforms are controlling the human spirit and totally unnecessary in a democratic society. Uniforms tell the world that the person who wears one has no value as an individual but only lives to function as a part of the whole. The individual in a uniform loses all self-worth. There are those who say that wearing a uniform gives a person a sense of identification with a larger, more important concept. What could be more important than the individual himself? If an organization is so weak that it must rely on cloth and buttons to inspire its members, that organization has no right to continue its existence. Others say that the practice of making persons wear uniforms, say in school, gets rid of all envy and competition in a matter of dress, such that a poor person who cannot afford good-quality clothing is not to be looked down upon by a wealthy person who wears expensive clothing. Those persons ignore the concepts as freedom of choice, motivation, and individuality. If all persons were to wear the same clothing, why would anyone struggle to be better? It is only a short step from forcing everyone to drive the same car, have the same type of food. When this happens, all motivation to improve one's life is removed. Why would parents bother to work hard so that their children could have a better life than they had when they know that their children are going to be forced to have exactly the same life as they had? Uniforms also hurt the economy . Right now, billions of dollars are spent on the fashion industry yearly. Thousands of people are employed in designing, creating, and marketing different types of clothing. If everyone were forced to wear uniforms, artistic personnel would be unnecessary. Salesmen would be extra as well. Why bother to sell the only items that are available? The wearing of uniforms would destroy the fashion industry which in turn would have a wave effect on such industries as advertising and sales promotion. Without advertising, newspapers, magazines, and television would not be able to remain in business. Our entire information and entertainment industries would collapse. The last word of the passage "collapse" probably means _ .
<extra_id_0>fail
<extra_id_1>rise
<extra_id_2>disappear
<extra_id_3>struggle
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>There's a time to get angry, and it's best for your child if you do. Let's say your child hits a playmate with a toy hard enough to make the other child cry. How can you teach your child to feel sorry so he or she won't do it again? Researchers say the best way for parents to react is to show their anger and to let the child know exactly why they are mad. Many parents believe that it is best to control their feelings and to wait until they're calm before scolding their children. But the mother or father who explains reasonably to a child , "Peter was crying because you hit him," is not likely to attract much attention. Young children need to be scolded immediately, and strongly, before they'll take criticism to heart. When your young child does something wrong, scold him or her seriously at once. At the same time be sure to tell the child clearly what he or she has done wrong. An angry reaction without an immediate explanation does little good. Forbidding a child to play outside or not allowing him to watch TV as a punishment works well-but only when taken together with an explanation. Make sure your child understands that although his or her wrongdoing has made you angry, you still love him or her. Use simple, direct words such as, "You hurt peter. How would you feel if he hit you? You must never, never hurt people." If your voice expresses strong feeling clearly, your message will carry enough weight. What do many parents think they should do with the wrongdoer?
<extra_id_0>Calm themselves down before scolding him.
<extra_id_1>Hide their feelings when talking to him.
<extra_id_2>Explain immediately why he was wrong.
<extra_id_3>Speak strongly and angrily to him.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Life is like a train ride. We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more. There are accidents and there are delays .At certain stops, there are surprises. Some of these will change into great moments of joy; some will result in bad results. When we are born and we first get on the train, we meet people who we think will be with us for the whole journey. Those people are our parents. Sadly, this is far from the truth. Our parents are with us when we completely need them. They, too, have journeys they must complete. We live on with the memories of their love, support and so on. There are others who get on the train and who finally become very important to us. These people are our brothers, sisters and friends, whom we will learn to love and take care of. Some people regard their journey as a pleasant tour. They will just go happily along. Others will _ many upsets, tears and losses on their journey. Some others will stay on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need. Some people on the train will leave a deep impression when they get off. Some will get on and get off the train so quickly that they will hardly leave a sign. We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on our own. Then again, there's nothing that says we can't look for them anyway. But when we find them, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken. That's okay... everyone's journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, difficulties and goodbyes. Which of the following is NOT true?
<extra_id_0>Some people will just go on their journey happily all the way.
<extra_id_1>Parents are the people who will be with us for the whole journey.
<extra_id_2>Some surprises will become great moments of happiness in life.
<extra_id_3>Anyone that we love is very important to us on the journey of life.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>If your child has mobile internet access, it will be more difficult to monitor and control his or her internet use. Kids are turning to the internet for everything from hanging out with friends to shopping, which makes it harder for parents to keep track of their online activities. Fortunately, there are many choices for controlling what your kids see on their computers, laptops, and mobile devices. Content blockers and filters are great tools to use for younger kids. They allow you more control over where they go and what they do online. A content blocker can block some unhealthy websites or limit a child's search to the kind of sites. A content filter can scan sites and pictures and block those sites that contain certain words, key phrases, or content. Consider tracking software for older teenagers. This software enables you to see which sites your children have visited, tracking their path online. This tool gives young people more freedom to explore the Internet, but it also allows you to check that they are using the internet responsibly. Let your teenagers know that you trust them, but that you will be regularly checking that they are visiting appropriate sites online. Even if you use content blockers, filters, and trackers, you know that a lot of kids figure out ways to get around these, so it's important to remain alert . Remember that not all adult sites can be identified by blocker, filter, or tracker software. That's why it's important to talk to your kids about what to do when something inappropriate or scary comes up. Nothing can replace involvement and supervision by adults. Keep monitoring how your kids use the internet on a regular basis without getting into the role of internet traffic police. How should parents monitor and control younger kids' internet use?
<extra_id_0>With tracking software
<extra_id_1>With tracking software and content blockers and filters
<extra_id_2>With content blockers and filters
<extra_id_3>With filters and trackers
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Most young architects--particularly those in big cities--can only dream about working in a building of their own. And making that dream come true often means finding a building no one else seems to want, which is exactly what happened to David Yocum and his partner, Brain Bell. Their building is a former automobile electrical--parts firm in Atlanta. From the outside, it looks too old, even something horrible, but open the door and you are in a wide, open courtyard, lined on three sides with rusting walls. In 2000, Yocum and Bell found this building in the city's West End. Built in 1947, the structure had been abandoned years earlier and the roof of the main building had fallen down. But the price was right, so Yocum bought it. He spent eight months of his off-hours on demolition , pulling rubbish out through the roof, because it was too dangerous to go inside the building, The demolition was hard work, but it gave him time to think about what he wanted to do, and "to treasure what was there--the walls, the rust, the light," Yocum said. "Every season, more paint falls off the walls and more rust develops. It's like an art installation in there--a slow-motion show." Since the back building had been constructed without windows, an all-glass front was added to the building to give it a view of the courtyard, and skylights were installed in the roof. The back of the building is a working area and a living room for Yocum and his wife. A sort of buffer zone between the front and the back contains a bathroom, a kitchen and a mechanical room, and the walls that separate these zones have openings that allow views through to the front of the studio and the courtyard beyond. Yocum and Bell, who have just completed an art gallery for the city, feel that the experience from the decoration of their building, focusing on the inside rather than the outside, has influenced their work. It has also given these architects a chance to show how they can make more out of less. The main idea of the passage is that _ .
<extra_id_0>people can learn a lot from their failures
<extra_id_1>it is worthwhile to spend money on an old building
<extra_id_2>people should not judge things by their appearance
<extra_id_3>creative people can make the best of what they have
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Need for closure is a psychological term that describes a person's desire for a firm answer to a question. Our need for closure is our natural preference for definite answers over confusion and uncertainty. Every person has their own baseline level of need for closure. It likely evolved via natural selection. What I find really fascinating is how our need for closure is affected by the situation we're in. Our need for closure rises when we have to act rather than just observe, and it matters much more when we're rushed, or bored, or tired. Any stress can make our discomfort with uncertainty increase, and a high need for closure negatively influences some of our most important decisions: who we decide to trust, whether we admit we're wrong and even how creative we are. In hiring, for instance, a high need for closure leads people to put far too much weight on their first impression. It's called the Urgency Effect. In one experiment, psychologists tried to lower people's need for closure by telling them, right before participants are about to make various judgments of a job candidate, that they'll be responsible in some way for them, or that their judgments have serious consequences. In making any big decision, it's not enough just to know that we should take our time. We all know that important decisions shouldn't be rushed. The problem is that we don't keep that advice in mind when it matters. So, one of the best solutions is to formalize the reminders. Before making important decisions, write down not just advantages and disadvantages but what the consequences could be. Also, think about how much pressure you're under. If your need for closure is particularly high that day, it's even more important to think twice. How does "need for closure" probably come into being?
<extra_id_0>By accident.
<extra_id_1>By nature.
<extra_id_2>By acquiring.
<extra_id_3>By imitating.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>When the TV viewer turns on his set, what sort of programs does he have to choose from? You might think there would be more programs devoted to entertainment than to anything else, but that's not the case. In most countries, fewer than 20% of broadcasting hours are devoted to entertainment. U.S. figures are high----34.8% , and the unloving Canadians are even higher with 44%. Except Canada and Italy, all countries give more broadcasting time to education than to either information (news , documentaries and so on) or entertainment programs. Of course, few educational broadcasts take place during peak viewing times. In Japan though , more than 60%of broadcasting time is taken up with education of one kind of anther----just another example of the businesslike Japanese philosophy. In the U.K., the figure is 56.4% . the Italians have fewer educational programs than anyone else. They don't go in for entertainment either. Only about ten percent of viewing time is devoted to dramas and serials, quiz shows, music, sports etc. You will find more news information programs on Italian TV than anything else. That's understandable in a country experiencing social and political changes. Italians rely on TV to tell them what's going on---and events are happening almost too fast to follow. The percentage of time the U.S. devoted to news and documentary programs is much smaller. After education, most TV time is given to entertainment. Many of these programs are shown around the world. In the United States, _ .
<extra_id_0>TV programs are shown for world audience to watch
<extra_id_1>Most of TV broadcasting hours are give to entertainment
<extra_id_2>Educational programs are shown during peak viewing times
<extra_id_3>TV broadcasting hours devoted to education are more than those devoted to entertainment
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>KFC , one of the most famous fast-food chains, saw its reputation in China shaken because of "quick chicken". Recent years, KFC has ever shocked us more than once because of its food safety, which made itself in severe trust crisis. Now it greatly surprised us again owing to the poultry incident. We could never believe it should have cheated us again and again. In fact, as a well-known restaurant chain, KFC's business records at China's is not very good. There's no doubt that the very incident has made things worse and worse. However, what surprised us is that although a series of misdeeds had reduced KFC's reputation, its business is increasing. What's more, KFC just made a so-called apology after what had happened, the content of which is not responsible at all for the public. As a matter of fact, this is not an ordinary chance incident. Recent years have seen so many food-safety problems in China, such as wasted oil, lean meat powder , melamine , which has done great damage to people's life. We don't know what can be eaten and how much harmful food we have eaten. Now it is not wars and natural disasters but everyday food safety that has been a great risk to human health. So what can be done to prevent our health from being damaged? To begin with, the related departments should strengthen laws to stop such illegal products from being produced. In addition, it would be a good idea to call on the media to perform its further function to monitor the businesses, factories and traders. Besides, everybody should be made aware of the risks of harmful food and only in this way can people improve their self-protection. In a word, everyone should play a role in making our food safer and better in quality. Meanwhile, the government and the related departments should take their responsibilities for people's health. From the passage, we learn that after the "quick chicken" incident _ .
<extra_id_0>KFC was closed
<extra_id_1>KFC apologized to the public though it was not sincere
<extra_id_2>no people went to KFC
<extra_id_3>there is no longer chicken in KFC
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>A new report says promising children money to pass exams does not help exam grades. The report says parents could be wasting their money by using cash to get their kids to study more. However, the promise of a trip somewhere nice could encourage students to try harder and do better at school. Researchers from the University of Bristol (in England) and the University of Chicago (in the USA) looked at how promises of cash and tickets to events affected students' studying and learning. Over 10,000 pupils took part in the research throughout the year 2012. There was an improvement in classwork and homework, but this did not result in better test scores. Lead researcher Dr Simon Burgess suggested the research looked at the wrong areas. He said it had not looked at the things that really got students to increase their effort. He added that: "Clearly, some pupils have a lot of goals and believe that education is a way of getting what they want out of life, but there are kids who think that working hard doesn't make a difference." He said these children think exam success is "all in your genes" because of their family background. Education expert Dr Kevan Collins said good teachers were better than promises of rewards to get children to study, especially for children from low-income families. He wrote: "What really makes the difference is how students are taught." What do some students think is because of "your genes"?
<extra_id_0>genetics
<extra_id_1>money
<extra_id_2>exam success
<extra_id_3>ability at English
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The pull of gravity on Earth is a direct result of the
<extra_id_0>mass of Earth.
<extra_id_1>magnetic field of Earth.
<extra_id_2>rotation of Earth on its axis.
<extra_id_3>weight of Earth's atmosphere.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>We all think that we see things as they really are. But according to a new report in Psychological Science, if we really want something, that strong wish may influence how we view our surroundings . Psychological scientists Emily Balcetis from New York University and David Dunning from Cornell University did a set of studies to see how our strong wish affects perception. In the first experiment, people who voluntarily took part in the study had to estimate how far a water bottle was from where it was sitting. Half of the volunteers were allowed to drink water before the experiment, while the others ate salty cookies, thus becoming very thirsty. The results showed that the thirsty volunteers estimated that the water was closer to them than volunteers who drank water earlier. Our strong wish for certain objects may also lead to behavioral changes. In a separate experiment, the volunteers threw beanbags towards the gift cards (worth either $25 or $0) on the floor, winning the card if the beanbag landed on it. Interestingly, the volunteers threw the beanbag much farther if the gift card was worth $0 than if it was worth $25 -- that is, they underthrew the beanbag when attempting to win the $25 gift cards, because they viewed that the gift cards as being closer to them. These findings show that when we want something, we actually view it as being physically close to us. When we see a goal as being close to us, it encourages us to keep on going to successfully gain it. The findings from the study seem to suggest the importance of _ .
<extra_id_0>doing separate experiments
<extra_id_1>having clear goals
<extra_id_2>developing normal senses
<extra_id_3>building self-confidence
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Steven drives a school bus, but his bus isn't the same as other school buses because there aren't any children on it. There are only dogs. Steven's bus takes dogs to school at 8:00 in the morning and brings them back home at 5:30 in the afternoon. Steven takes the dogs to a dog school. There he teaches the dogs to do many things: sit down, stand up, bring the shoes to the master, keep the master from danger . Many dogs go to Steven's school--big dogs, small dogs, old dogs, young dogs. Steven says that young dogs can learn more quickly. Which kind of dogs is easy to teach?
<extra_id_0>Young dogs.
<extra_id_1>Old dogs.
<extra_id_2>Strong dogs .
<extra_id_3>Big dogs.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Mr and Mrs Green had different ideas about where to go that weekend.Mrs Green wanted to go to Florida to see her sister,but Mr Green didn't want to go there.He wanted to go to Maine."Maine is a little cold,"said Mrs Green."I like swimming,but the water in Maine is usually not warm enough." "Florida's too far,"said Mr Green."We don't have enough time to drive there.It'll take us more than two days." Just then,the phone rang.Mr Green answered the phone.It was Mr Green's mother."Is that Jim?Please come in the shortest time.I need help.I'm calling from the hospital in Boston." They stopped their talking and in no time they both went there. What does Mrs Green like to do on weekend?
<extra_id_0>Go swimming.
<extra_id_1>Drive to Maine.
<extra_id_2>See her parents.
<extra_id_3>Visit her friends.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>The effects of air pollution on natural conditions have been a disturbing problem for many years. Some scientists hold the view that the air inside houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may even be one hundred times worse. Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution, which can cause a person to feel tired, to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems. Believe it or not, some pollutants can cause breathing diseases of blood and even cancer. What made us feel relieved is that there's growing concern about the problem now. It is true that when builders began constructing houses and offices they did not want to waste energy. they built buildings that prevented or limited the flow of air between inside and outside. For the same purpose, man-made building materials were employed to build houses, which are now known to let out some harmful gases. Facing the serious challenge, scientists have been searching for a way to handle the problem. To everyone's delight, they discovered a natural pollution control system for building--green plants, though they do not really know how plants control air pollution. Scientists suppose that a plant's leaves absorb or take in the pollutants and in exchange gives out oxygen through its leaves and tiny organizations on its roots. Therefore they recommend that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square meters of space. Because studies indicate that different plants absorb different chemicals, the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants. In conclusion, having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and healthier place. Why not try? Which of the following statements is TRUR?
<extra_id_0>Outside air pollution is more harmful than the air inside.
<extra_id_1>Scientists have discovered how plants control air pollution
<extra_id_2>Indoor air pollution may cause diseases including cancer.
<extra_id_3>Only large plants can absorb harmful gases indoors.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Deep into the night, the bus pulled in to a Howard Johnson's restaurant and everybody got off the bus except Vingo. The young people began to wonder about him , trying to imagine his life. One of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself. After a long time, slowly and painfully, he began to tell his story. He had been in prison in prefix = st1 /New Yorkfor the last four years, and now he was going home. "Well, when I was in prison I wrote to my wife. I said, 'Martha, I understand if you can not stay married to me'. I said I was going to be away for a long time, and that if she couldn't stand it , if the kids kept asking questions, if it hurt her too much, well, she could just forget me . Get a new young man---she's a wonderful woman---and forget all about me. I told her she didn't have to write to me and she didn't. Not for the three and a half years." "Last week, when I was sure freedom was coming through, I wrote to her. I told her that if she had a new young man, I would understand. But if she didn't, if she would take me back, she should let me know. We used to live in the town,Brunswick, and there's a great big oak tree just as you come into the town. I told her if she would take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and if she didn't want me, forgot me, no handkerchief and I'd keep going on through." Soon all the others were in it. When they were 20 miles fromBrunswick, the young men took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask. Then it was 10 miles, and then 5, and the bus became very quiet. Then suddenly all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying, doing small dances. All except Vingo. Vingo stopped "looking, tightening his face into the ex-con's mask..., " because_.
<extra_id_0>he was excited to think of his wife.
<extra_id_1>he was ashamed for what he had done.
<extra_id_2>he was afraid to see the handkerchief and his wife.
<extra_id_3>he was afraid that he might not see the yellow handkerchief on the oak tree.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>On the first day of school I brought my camera to school. I gave the students a piece of 8 x11 cardboard , and asked them to write their names on both sides. As they finished, I asked them to get into groups of three to four students and took photographs of them holding their name cards. After school, I developed the film and printed two sets of photos. That evening, I started to match the names with the faces. I kept one set of pictures at home for about a week so that I could review their names each night. On the second day of school, I put up the other set of photos as a bulletin board , with a title such as "Presenting Room 108, ..." The kids loved it! After I had learned all of their names I brought the second set back to school and stuck them onto an 8 x11 sheet of paper. I placed it in the classroom for other teachers. The cardboard name cards that were made on the first day were collected and put on a shelf. From time to time, they were given back to the students and placed on their desks so that guests or supply teachers could identify all of the students. I've been doing this with my grade 7 students for the last nine years and they liked it. It's fun to bring the photos out again at the end of the school year to see how much they have all changed in ten months. The writer of the passage might be a _ .
<extra_id_0>head teacher
<extra_id_1>monitor
<extra_id_2>photographer
<extra_id_3>supply teacher
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>London, April 28---The Man Group, a British hedge fund, is betting that investors will want to read more than the latest how-to- get -rich-quick business book. In a five-year deal worth roughly $3.6 million announced last week, Man has agreed to sponsor the Booker Prize for Fiction, which will be renamed the Man Booker Prize. Since creating the award in 1969, Booker P.L.G., a British food group, in June 2000, executives began considering attracting outside sponsors. Man will be the first of these. Bill Grimsey, the chief of the Big Food Group, saw little business sense in a link between a food supplier and a literary prize, explained Dotti Irving, a spokeswoman for the Booker Prize foundation. Such dissimilarities have not reduced Man's enthusiasm for the prize which is expected to be open for the first time to American authors. David Browne, a spokesman for Man, said most of the firm's investors are high-net-worth individuals who appreciate literature. "The people who buy hedge funds," Mr. Browne said, "also read." Under the new agreement, authors will get more money. The winner of the annual prize, to be awarded in October, will receive $73,000 , up from $30,000 the Australian writer Peter Carey won last year for his novel "True History of the Kelley Gang." The six short-listed authors will each receive $3,600, up from $1,500. Having a hedge fund as a backer apparently has its perks. . The article is mainly about _ .
<extra_id_0>the disagreement between two groups
<extra_id_1>the Booker Prize Foundation
<extra_id_2>the Big Food Group
<extra_id_3>The new development of Booker Prize
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>The Best Shopping In Sydney Sydney is one of the world's biggest cities and has something for everyone when it comes to shopping. You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer. At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney's favorite stores including 16 jewelry stores and many gift and fashion shops. It's all at Westfield Centerpoint. Tel: 9231-9300 SOVEREIGN HILL This prize-winning living museum is where Australia's history comes alive! Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Fold Rush days. A wonderful nightly sound and light show, Blood on the Southern Cross, tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising. Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment. 4-star hotel and breakfast. Tel: 5331-1944 ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water's edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city center across Port Phillip Bay. Open 7 days a week. Lunch: Sunday to Friday11:00am--2:00pm Dinner: Monday to Saturday 5:00am--10:30pm Tel: 9397-6270 or 9397-7799 COOK'S COTTAGE Built by James and Grace Cook, parents of Captain James Cook, Cook's Cottage stands proud in the Fitzroy Gradens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century, and as a celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook. Open 9:00am--5:00pm daily, and until 5:30 pm during the summer. Information: 9419-4677 Where can you spend the night in a tour?
<extra_id_0>Cook's cottage.
<extra_id_1>Westfield Centerpoint
<extra_id_2>Sydney Tower
<extra_id_3>Sovereign Hill
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>"Love your neighbor as yourself"is a saying familiar to most of us. It means that you must have he ability to love and accept yourself in order to form and keep satisfying relationship with others self-esteem means accepting yourself for who you really are, and believing that you are indeed a worthwhile person who is deserving of love and respect from others. Self-esteem is our sense of how good we feel about ourselves. It is based on our judgment of ourselves, not on other people's assessment, but simply on our own. Our self-esteem is not dependant on our talent. Some very ordinary people feel very good about themselves, while other extraordinarily high achievers hold low opinions of themselves. Self-esteem is the primary key to long-term stress management. Why? The first three sources of stress are: predictable life event, unexpected changes and build-up of daily stresses, These are much easier to handle when we believe in ourselves, A positive, healthy self-esteem gives us the "hardiness" to deal with the difficulties of life, and to see them as challenges to be met, rather than threats to be feared. The forth category of stress is entirely the result of a low self-esteem. It is the category of stress that is most common and tiring over the long run. This kind of stress cannot be overcome, or even changed, until the self-esteem problems that cause it are corrected. Learning to love yourself for who you are is the key to overcoming stress. Self-esteem comes form the self, and cannot be promoted by others. A person who feels that his self-esteem comes from the approval of those around him or her is bound to self-destruct , One cannot keep the level of "performance" required to please everyone else, especially if that performance disagrees with who you are and is simply a _ that makes you popular with the world. When the applause is gone, there is nothing left. Only those who can feel the strength of knowing who they are and those who can feel good about that will survive the stresses of life. Self-esteem is the basis of contentment and positive living. What is self-esteem?
<extra_id_0>A kind of positive lifestyle.
<extra_id_1>The impression we have on other people.
<extra_id_2>Our sense of how good we feel about ourselves.
<extra_id_3>Our understanding of how we are seen by others.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my English teacher assigned to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult month in front of me. You might think that I don't want to spend my summer reading, but that's not the problem: I love reading. On the first day of my summer holidays this year, I went to the library and got "A Gathering of Old Men" by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines that my parents subscribe to and spend about 30 minutes every day with the morning paper. So why do I hate summer reading for school? Because the books on summer reading lists are often slow-going and just uninviting. Teachers and librarians don't understand that summer reading can be entertaining as well as educational. They choose books that a friend of my mother's calls "spinach books": good for you, but not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience. This bitterness started three years ago when I was about to begin high school. As preparation, my English teacher told me to read "The Age of Innocence" by American author Edith Wharton. I'm sure there are many people who enjoyed "The Age of Innocence"--some might even say it's their favorite book. But I don't think any of these people read it as a 14-year-old boy on his summer vacation. "The Age of Innocence" is the story of a forbidden romance in prefix = st1 /New York100 years ago. At 14, my only experience with romance was my love for baseball. I couldn't imagine being in love, much less being in love in 1900. "The Age of Innocence" was totally different to my life. Most of my required summer reading has been like that--books written in a style that plays up the adjectives and plays down the verbs. I guess teachers don't think exciting plots make for "good literature". To me, though, a good writer describes events and characters in a way that makes the reader want to know what happens next. If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" by George V. Higgins, "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe, and "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. These are all books that have literary value but, just as important, can also entertain kids on vacation. If the teachers could stand a little fun in the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable. The author listed such books as "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" because he thinks _ .
<extra_id_0>they can change his opinion
<extra_id_1>he can learn a lot more from them
<extra_id_2>they are of literary value, and enjoyable
<extra_id_3>he has to do as teachers tell him to
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. This is an old English saying. Do you know it before? It says that we must go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Then we should be healthy. We should also be rich (wealthy) and clever (wise). This is true. The body must have enough sleep to be healthy. Children of a young age should have ten hours' sleep every night. Children who don't have enough sleep can't do their work very well. They will not be wise and they may not become wealthy! The body also needs exercise. Walking, running, jumping, swimming and playing games are all exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong. Exercise also keeps the blood moving around inside the body. This is very important. Our blood takes food to all parts of our body. The head also needs blood. Exercise helps us to think better! Which of the following is not true?
<extra_id_0>Exercise is good for a person's head
<extra_id_1>A student should have 10 hour's sleep.
<extra_id_2>It's good for you to get up early and go to bed early.
<extra_id_3>If you have enough blood, you'll be wise
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>The smell of fresh air is becoming something of a distant memory, thanks to our increasing use of fragrance . From air fresheners to scented candles, we live in a world of scent. Recent figures show seven in ten people use air fresheners or scented candles to keep our homes smelling sweet. Yet recent records suggest that perfumed products could affect our health, causing problems including allergies , headaches and asthma . One leading expert believes nearly a third of people suffer health effects from being exposed to scents. A major problem is so-called "contact" allergy--where perfumes and scented products cause eczema when they come into contact with the skin. About one in 20 is thought to be affected by fragrance allergy. "Often it may not be immediately obvious that you have developed a fragrance allergy," says Dr. Baron. "You don't react immediately. Gradually, as you are exposed more and more, the body increases its reaction, until it becomes noticeable to you." People with pre-existing eczema are particularly vulnerable . "The eczema worsens in areas in contact with perfumes," says Dr. Baron. "But even those without allergies can be at risk of fragrance allergy." You can become suddenly allergic to perfumes and personal care products that you have been using for years. "Even if you know which fragrance causes a problem, it can be difficult to avoid, as most personal care products -soap, shampoo, sun cream and washing powder--contain fragrances," says Dr. Baron. And strong scents can also cause headaches. Fragrances activate the nose's nerve cells, stimulating the nerve system associated with head pain. To minimize risk, sufferers are advised to minimize the contact. "Fragrance suggest cleanliness - yet people are smelling a potentially dangerous chemical mixture," says Anne Steinemann, professor of the University of Washington. "We often use them to mask one problem - as with air fresheners - but create a greater one - adding poisonous chemicals to the air." Which of the following questions does the text NOT answer?
<extra_id_0>Which products contain fragrance?
<extra_id_1>What's the influence of fragrance in the air?
<extra_id_2>What are the air fresheners made up of?
<extra_id_3>How are headaches caused by fragrance?
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>I'm an English girl. My name is Rose White. I'm short but my hair is long. I have a round face and my mouth is small. Now I'm a student in No. 5 High School. I have a good friend. Her name is Liu Xing. We are in the same class. She is from China. She has big eyes. But her mouth is small. ,. Liu Xing has a _ mouth.
<extra_id_0>small
<extra_id_1>long
<extra_id_2>short
<extra_id_3>wide
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A teenager who is preparing to go to high school has probably heard all kinds of different things about high school freshmen from his parents , fiends , or old brothers and sisters. The change from middle school to high school can seem like a frightening experience for teens going into high school , but it is not always so hard as it may seem. Usually , middle school students can get used to high school life within a few months of their freshman year. A few tips for high school freshmen are as follows. Grades are important . While it is important for a student to try to do his best in school , the grades that he gets in high school are even more important , since they are what colleges will look like when considering his application for their school . Classes . The classes a freshman takes throughout his whole high school can help them a lot when he gets ready to go to college or look for a job . Some special classes allow students to get college credits while they are still in high school in some countries . Most high school classes will have more homework than middle school classes and this can be a hard adjustment at first . Being prepared . Middle school classes might not request students to prepare very much before they attend them . But high school teachers will expect students to get everything ready before the class begins .It is also important for students to study for tests and do all homework that is required during class. Making good choices. Most high school students have more freedom than middle school students, but what a student does with this freedom is very important to his future life for many years after high school is over. Peer pressure , while it can be good sometimes, is often a problem with younger teens .It is important for a teen to make good choices throughout his high school career so that he can be successful later on in his life . High school is a memorable experience for teenagers .They should not be afraid of becoming a freshmen . After studying for a period of time , they will surely enjoy it. The passage suggests that _ .
<extra_id_0>The teens don't always have a problem with peer pressure
<extra_id_1>If a teen makes good choices in his high school , he will surely succeed in later life
<extra_id_2>The life in high school is less difficult than it looks
<extra_id_3>A teen needn't be worried about his high school life because everything will be exactly the same as before.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Plants need green leaves to make food. A plant needs sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air for making food and it also needs water and salts from the soil to make food too. There are certain cells in the leaves which change carbon dioxide and water into sugar. To do this the cells needs energy, which they get from the sunlight. Green leaves make food for the whole plant. A red leaf can make food too because under the red color1ing of the leaf there are food----making cells. There are no leaves which are completely yellow, for they can't make food. The plant makes sugar for its food. In sunlight green leaves make a lot of sugar. The veins can't carry all this sugar away, so the leaves change the sugar into starch , which is kept and so stored in the leaves. At night, the starch changes back to sugar. It is then carried away from the leaves. Some of the sugar is used as food by the plant while the rest is stored as starch. In some plants, food is stored in the roots, in others it is stored in the stem and in leaves, fruits and seeds. To make food, plants need a lot except _ .
<extra_id_0>the air
<extra_id_1>the soil
<extra_id_2>the green leaves
<extra_id_3>dead leaves
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>It was a hot summer day. My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat with my friend Katie and the dog when the phone call came, the call that made that bright, beautiful day a cold, dark, gloomy one. I had just put on my suit, shorts, and tank top, and packed my bag with sunscreen and everything else I would need for the day. I ran into my parents' room to find Dad. When I saw him on the phone, he was crying. I'd never seen my dad cry before. My heart sank. What possibly could have happened? "Max, I'm so sorry," I heard him say. That's when it hit me. I knew that Suzie had died. Max has been my dad's best friend for years. Suzie, his daughter, had a rare disease that mainly affected her body. Her brain was OK. She knew what was going on; she knew that she had problems and was different from other kids. Once she told her dad that she wished she could die and be born in a different body. Yet although she couldn't live a normal life ,she was still happy. When Suzie and I were little, we spent quite a bit of time together. As we grew up, we grew apart. She lived in New York, and I lived in the Midwest. When Suzie was ten she had to live in a hospital in Virginia. About eight months before she died, Max gave us her number at the hospital and we talked at least twice a week until the end. Suzie was always so excited to talk to us and wanted to know every detail about my life. She wanted to know everything I did and every thing I ate. _ After we found out about her death, we made our plans to go to New York for the funeral. When she was alive, I sent her a Beanie Baby and she sent one back to me. I had bought her another one but never had the chance to send it to her, so I took it to put in her casket . Her funeral was very different from any funeral I'd ever been to. After they lowered her casket, each one of us put a shovelful of dirt over her. I remember crying so hard, I felt weak. My cheeks burned from the tears. My whole body was shaking as I picked up the shovel, but I'm glad I did it. When Suzie and I first started calling one another, I thought it would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong. I learned so much from her. She gave me more than I could ever give to her. I will never forget her or the talks we had. I now know that I must never take anything for granted especially my health and the gift of life. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
<extra_id_0>Suzie was the only person helping the author with difficulties.
<extra_id_1>The author feared that she might also get the same disease as Suzie.
<extra_id_2>The author benefited a lot from talking on the phone with Suzie.
<extra_id_3>The author didn't understand Suzie was her true friend until Suzie's death.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>There was a king who gave his daughter a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. So the king asked to search for it and put a reward for$50,000 for anyone who found it. One day, a clerk was walking home along a river when he saw something shinning in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it to get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the river and tried to catch the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn't catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling sad. Just then, an old man walking by saw him, and asked him what was the matter. The clerk didn't want to share the secret with him, thinking he might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell him anything. The old man could see this man was troubled. He again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk told him about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The old man then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was hanging on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to take a reflection of the real necklace all this time. The clerk tried to get the diamond necklace to _ .
<extra_id_0>make the king happy.
<extra_id_1>keep it for himself.
<extra_id_2>get the big reward.
<extra_id_3>sell it at a high price.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>In the last few years the Internet has become a widespread phenomenon around the world. People have started to use the computers just like they used to watch TV. Whenever we get hungry, we simply order a pizza through the Internet and while we are waiting for the food, we can send an important business e-mail concerning some sales for tomorrow. It is, in fact, very comfortable to just simply sit down and have a chat with somebody from South Africa about fishing and get some important advice. Sometimes when you are sad and are feeling lonely, if you go on the Internet, you can find good entertainment that will keep you busy. To make a long story short, we just don't have the time to communicate with people in person anymore. Besides, there is so much information easy to get on the Internet that when we start surfing, we find it hard for us to get away from the computer. There are a lot of people who are addicted to TV and watch it 5 to 7 hours a day, while recently addiction to the Internet has become a very serious problem. You might think that these kinds of things could never happen to you, but it is not really true. To prevent yourself from getting addicted, the most important thing is to make sure that you are not spending too much time in front of the screen. Although it might seem to be easy to pull yourself away from the Web, it is simply not the case. You might have to make an effort to place some limits on yourself. From the passage, we can infer that the writer _ .
<extra_id_0>has once been addicted to the Net
<extra_id_1>is completely against surfing the Net
<extra_id_2>knows how to surf the Net efficiently
<extra_id_3>thinks the Net brings bads and goods
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>England is the largest country in Britain. Its capital is London, which is on the Thames. The port of London is one of the greatest ports in the world. Ships from all countries go up and down the Thames. They bring food to the people of Britain. Then they take British machines and other things back to the ports from which they come. There are many scenic spots in the West of England. The lakes here are the most beautiful in England. There are trees, flowers and green grass round them. The water is almost always very still,and you can see the green hills ,the brown mountains and everything else round the lake upside-down in the water. There are boats on all the larger lakes, which take people from one side to the other. There are always a lot of boats on the lakes in summer. Travelers from many countries of the world go to the west of England in summer. There are boat races on the largest lakes, and people from many places in Great Britain and Europe come to see them. Young people travel from one place to another on their bicycles, or walk from one lake to another. The port of London _ .
<extra_id_0>only takes business within the country
<extra_id_1>is greater than the others in the world
<extra_id_2>is the busiest in the world
<extra_id_3>plays an important part in transportation
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Stephen used to work in a company. Unfortunately , he got serious heart disease . He couldn't work for a long time. Thinking he could still do something for others, he decided to be a volunteer at a Children's Hospital. Stephen loved children very much. With his love, he did his job well. Sometimes he lost his children. They died. At that time, he would tell these sad parents that he would soon be with their children in heaven and he would take care of them. His words seemed to help those parents. There was a girl who could not walk because of a disease. She couldn't do anything and she was very sad. What was worse, the doctors said that they could do little for her. Stephen decided to try to help her. He started visiting her, bringing paints, brushes and paper. He put the brush in his mouth and began to draw. He didn't use his hands at all. Only his head would move. He always told her that she could do anything she wanted. At last she began to draw with her mouth. She and Stephen became friends. By and by, the little girl was getting better and better. She was allowed to leave the hospital. One day. to Stephen's great surprise, she walked to see him on her own feet! She gave him a picture she had drawn. At the top, it read: "Thank you for helping me walk. It's all because of your love." Love can sometimes be more powerful than doctors and medicines. Love makes our world more beautiful and colorful. Stephen died a few days after the girl gave him the picture. How did Stephen help the little girl in the hospital?
<extra_id_0>By visiting her.
<extra_id_1>By bringing her a lot of presents.
<extra_id_2>By offering his love.
<extra_id_3>By drawing a lot of pictures for her.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Parents should stop blaming themselves because there's not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal. I've seen friends deal with _ in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. "I don't know what to do with him these days," she said. "He's forgotten all the manners we taught him." He hasn't forgotten them. He's just decided that he's not going to use them. She confessed that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor. Another good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say, "I don't like your dress; it's ugly." One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home. "Where did we go wrong?" her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents. What is the author's opinion about the sudden change in teenage children?
<extra_id_0>Parents should work more closely with school teachers.
<extra_id_1>Parents should pay still sore attention to the change.
<extra_id_2>Parents have no choice but to try to accept it.
<extra_id_3>Parents are at fault for the change in their children.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>In America, after middle school comes high school, which includes grades 9 through 12. Students are required to take compulsory subjects like English, social studies, math, science, and physical education. In addition, they choose among elective subjects to complete their high school education. Electives include subjects in technology, music, art, and foreign languages. Each student in the school has their own locker for books and personal items. This convenience saves students from carrying textbooks, and allows students a small space they can decorate with(......)posters and favorite objects. Cheating in any form is strictly prohibited in American schools. And in fact, high school students usually don't cheat. If they are caught cheating, they will have to face severe punishment. Each school holds certain yearly activities for all school students, such as homecoming , prom night , holiday celebrations, etc. Most high schools have at least one sports team that competes in local games, and all students are encouraged to take part in athletics. Schools often offer football, baseball and softball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and soccer. Some may even have sports like golf, swimming, gymnastics and cross-country skiing. Many high school students have part-time jobs by the age of 15 or 16, some even earlier. Their first jobs are often babysitting or cutting lawns , but later they will likely get a job at a fast-food restaurant, video store, or clothing shop. Sixteen years old is legal driving age in most states, and students usually want to own a car as soon as they can. Some parents allow their children to drive a family car, and may even buy a car as a graduation present. Others prefer that their sons and daughters earn enough to buy a used car. Many teenagers feel it's necessary to own a car, and will do whatever it takes to be able to drive. Which statement is right according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>Cheating is strictly banned(. only in American high schools.
<extra_id_1>Teenagers in America can be allowed to drive after sixteen years old.
<extra_id_2>Schools encourage all students to take part in sports.
<extra_id_3>English, social studies, math, science, and physical education are elective subjects.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>If a day has passed, so has
<extra_id_0>most of a month
<extra_id_1>most of thirty hours
<extra_id_2>most of a week
<extra_id_3>most of a year
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Little Peter is a boy of nine. He began to go to school when he was six, and now he is in Grade Three. He lives not far from the school, but he is often late for class. He likes watching TV in the evening and goes to bed late, so he can't get up on time in the morning. This term, Mrs. Black, Peter's aunt, teaches music in Peter's school. She is strict with Peter and often tells the boy to obey the school rules and come to school on time. Yesterday morning, Peter got up late. When he hurried to school, it was a quarter past eight. His aunt was waiting for him at the school gate. "You are ten minutes late for the first class, Peter," Mrs. Black said angrily. "Why are you often late for class?" "Every time, when I get to the street corner , I always see a guidepost . It says SCHOOL--GO SLOWLY!" Peter is in school for _ years.
<extra_id_0>one and a half
<extra_id_1>two
<extra_id_2>three
<extra_id_3>six
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Win a trip to the OREGON COAST----- Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean. Build the biggest sand castle on the beach. Search tide pools for sea life. Watch the bright orange sunset over the ocean. Whether you've been to the Pacific Ocean before or have only closed your eyes and imagined it, we want to know how you would explore the Oregon Coast if you had the chance to go this summer. JUDGING 1. Clear relationship between the Essay and the Drawing 40%. 2. Creativity and skill in design and form of the Drawing 40%. 3. Expression of the passion to draw and explore 10%. 4. Journalistic quality, uncluttered nature and overall quality of the Essay 10%. PRIZE By entering, you will have the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the OREGON COAST. Activities will include: Kite flying, studying beautiful sea creatures, searching for sea life on a boat, science exploration at a science center and roasting over a beach campfire. Who may enter: The competition is open to kids aged 6-14. TEAM: Entries must be postmarked no later than July 31, 2010. How to enter Surf traveloregon.com/kids to download and print out an entry form. Be sure to mark whether you have to or have not been to the Pacific Ocean in the form. Create a drawing of the Pacific Ocean on a piece of paper using a pen or paints. Write an article of 100 words or less to explain why you want to go, what you think you would see, and what you would explore if you have never been to the Pacific Ocean, or describe your favorite memories from your last visit. Send to Dare to Explore the Pacific Ocean, NG1145 17th street NW, WashingtonD.C.20036. What information can you get from the passage?
<extra_id_0>Your article should be at least 100 words.
<extra_id_1>Every kid can take part in the competition.
<extra_id_2>You should mark the drawing with your name.
<extra_id_3>You must send the drawing before July 31, 2010.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>On May 23rd the United States Department of Agriculture will meet to discuss the pressing topic of wild pigs. These beasts, which number 6 million or so, are an increasing bother. At their worst, they can damage crops, spread diseases, attack humans and kill farm animals. And things are getting worse: a study show that they are likely to double in number over the next 3 years. Why is it so hard to control wild pigs? Introduced to America in the 16th century, and related to the wild pigs found in Europe, wild pigs can be found in 75% of all states. No single law exists to control them and regulations differ between states: while in Missouri they can only be shot if met by chance, in Texas hunting is actively encouraged. A "pork chopper" law allows Texan hunters to shoot wild pigs from helicopters, and some people in Louisiana have even built their own pighunting drone . As well as being popular with hunters, wild pigs are cheaper for game raisers to breed than deer. In Michigan and Pennsylvania suggested bans on the private breeding of pigs for hunting have caused quarrels between game raisers and wildlife officials. Wild pigs' double nature----considered pests by farmers, but valued by hunters----makes it hard to pass laws to control them. Two other factors also contribute. Nearly 70% of land in America is privately owned. And it is difficult for lawmakers to impose breeding and hunting laws on private landowners. Secondly, it is hard to define a wild pig. In some states, laws are being introduced to redefine the term "wild animal" to keep out wild pigs. This is good news for those raising pigs for hunting, but less are to those who consider them pests whose number should be limited. Meanwhile, discussions continue over how to deal with this problem. Why do the game raisers prefer raising wild pigs to deer?
<extra_id_0>It's difficult to raise deer.
<extra_id_1>Wild pigs are in large numbers.
<extra_id_2>Deer are not popular with hunters.
<extra_id_3>They can benefit more from wild pigs.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Spider webs are one of the most fascinating examples of animal architecture. The most beautiful and structurally ordered are the round webs. The main function of the web is to stop and hold flying insects,long enough for the spider to catch them. In order to do so,the threads of the web have to stand the forces from large and heavy insects as well as environmental forces from wind and rain for at least a day in most cases. The round web is found to have two main characteristics. The first is its geometry,which consists of an outer frame and a central part from which threads radiate outward. Enclosed in the frame are capture spirals winding round and round from the web center out to the frame. The whole web is in tension and held in place by anchor threads,which connect the frame to the surrounding plants or objects. The second and perhaps most important characteristic is the material with which it is built. Spider silk is a kind of natural material that gives this lightweight fiber a strength comparable to that of steel, while at the same time making it very elastic . Two types of silk threads are used in the web. One is highly elastic and can stretch to almost twice its original length before breaking and, for most types of spiders, is covered in glue. This type is used in the capture spiral for catching and holding insects. The other is stiffer and stronger,and is used for the radius,frames and anchor threads,which allows the web to stand forces and to keep its structural strength through a wide range of environmental conditions. Which of the following best describes the threads used in the capture spiral?
<extra_id_0>Natural and lightweight.
<extra_id_1>Strong and stiff.
<extra_id_2>Smooth and elastic.
<extra_id_3>Strong,sticky and elastic.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There once was an old man aged 50,who had a lazy son aged 30. The son couldn't earn his own living , and still lived on his old father for food and clothing. The old man was very worried about him. So he took him to the fortune teller to have his fortune told.The father and son both believed what the fortune teller said --the father would live to 80 and the son to 62. After they found out how long they were going to live, the son was very sad. His father comforted him, "Don't be so sad! You are only 30 now, and still have 32 years of good days _ you." "I'm not worrying about my own age. It's your age which causes me great worry," the son said. The father was greatly moved and said, "Don't worry about me so much. I've got 30 years _ me too." "I'm not worried about your age either," said the son. "I have found out that you will die two years earlier than I. So who will I depend on in the two years after your death?" The son was worried about his father because _ .
<extra_id_0>he liked his father very much
<extra_id_1>he would have no money to buy food and clothing if his father died
<extra_id_2>his father was getting older and older
<extra_id_3>His father would get less and less money
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Greenpeace is a global group that tries to change people's ideas and behaviour to protect the environment. Now it is inviting people to take part in the"Kids for Forests" project. This project tries to help to save ancient forests. Small children, teenagers, teachers and schools from all over the world are joining the project. Everyone can do a little to help the forests, and every little bit of help is important! Over 80% of the ancient forests have already been destroyed. There are only seven big ancient forests that are still intact today. Thousand - year - old trees are cut down just to make everyday goods. Children and young people all over the world are saying"No" to the devastation of ancient forests. They together with Greenpeace have set up"Kids for Forests".The project is working in more than 15 different countries in Europe, Asia, North America and South America. And by the way, this is not the first time that"Kids for Forests" has stood up for the protection of ancient forests. In 2001 and 2002, more than 35,000 children and young people fought to save ancient forests all over the world. Young people all over the world are standing up to protect our ancient forests,and you can,too. Go and join them now! What does Greenpeace try to do?
<extra_id_0>To help poor children.
<extra_id_1>To protect the environment.
<extra_id_2>To change people's ideas.
<extra_id_3>To change people's behaviour.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Most of us would like to have glowing skin, especially as we get older. The good news is that you don't have to wait until summer to catch some sun rays. Scientists have found eating plenty of fruit and vegetables is by far the best way to achieve a healthy, golden glow. Dr. Ian Stephen said, "Most people think that the best way to improve their skin color is to get a suntan . But our research shows that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is actually more effective." The team first assessed the skin color of people in relation to their diet. Those who ate more fruit and vegetables a day were found to have a more golden, yellow skin color. Those with a healthy glow had a higher presence of carotenoids , which play a role in the immune system. Carotenoids are commonly found in fruit and vegetables such an yellow and red peppers, spinach, apricots and melons. The team then studied the relation between skin tone and attractiveness. They used specialist software to operate the skin color on the images of 51 faces to simulate more or less carotenoids and suntans. Participants were then asked to adjust the skin color to make the faces look as healthy as possible. Given the choice between skin color enhanced by suntans and skin color enhanced by carotenoids, people preferred the carotenoids skin color. The study shows that not only do people use skin color to judge how healthy other individuals are, but they are accurate when they make those judgments. While this study focus on Caucasian faces, it suggests this phenomenon may exist across cultures, since similar preferences for skin yellowness are found in an African population. Which statement is TRUE according to the text?
<extra_id_0>Carotenoids are only found in the fruit.
<extra_id_1>Carotenoids are important in the immune system
<extra_id_2>Carotenoids can be improved by catching sun rays.
<extra_id_3>Carotenoids are the only factor that affects the skin color.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>SYDNEY 2005-01-01 08:30--Mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life--or--death decision. Swept up by mountainous tsunami waves at a Thai resort, she could not hold on to both her young sons and survive. Fighting to stay above the waters, she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent. "I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I'd better let go of the one that's the older," she told Sky News television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two, Lachie, 5, and two--year--old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck." And I was screaming, trying to find _ , and we thought he was dead."she told reporters on arrival back in Australia. Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging to a door and looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters. British surfer Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave--but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare. He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave. "It was really terrible because I was surfing, I was really surfing on a wave I wasn't supposed to be on,"he said. "As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realized something was wrong, but I couldn't escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle." His wife, Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily, he stayed atop his board until he reached the hotel, jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way. The family regrouped and ran to safety just minute before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high. When the waves struck ,the father Brad _ .
<extra_id_0>reported the disaster to Sky News television
<extra_id_1>was watching a drama on TV in the hotel
<extra_id_2>tried to find his son lost in the waters
<extra_id_3>watched things going on, unable to do anything
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Say Yes to Reading Write a one-page report titled "The Best Book I Read This Year" and enter it in the Boy's Life 2012 "Say Yes to Reading!" contest. The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words-- 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories : * 8 years old and younger * 9 and 10 years old * 11 years old and older First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift certificate good for any product in the Boy Scouts official retail catalog . Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift certificate and third-place winners a $50 gift certificate. Everyone who enters will get a free patch . In coming years, you'll have the chance to earn different patches. The contest is open to all Boys' Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry. Send your report to: Boys' Life Reading Contest S306 P.O. Box 152079 Irving, TX 75015-2079 Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2012 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Winners of the 2011 reading contest will be announced in the July 2012 issue of Boys' Life magazine. And the 2010 first-place winners are: 8 YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER Tyler Bergmann chose "Can You Keep a Secret?" by PJ Petersen as his favorite book. "It talks about honesty and the importance of being trust-worthy, which really matter between friends," Tyler writes. 9 AND 10 YREARS OLD Nathaniel Griffis read "The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones" by Rick Riordan. Writes Nathaniel: "As I read, I learned about places I have never been and things I have only imagined." 11 YEARS OLD AND OLDER Devin MacGoy, 12 chose "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Grane. "A reader can take away many lessons," Devin writes. Who learns something about friendship from reading a book?
<extra_id_0>Tyler Bergmann
<extra_id_1>Nathaniel Griffis
<extra_id_2>Devin MacGoy
<extra_id_3>PJ Petersen
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>South Africa hosted the fifth BRICS Summit in March 2013,which completed the first cycle of BRICS summits,BRICS is an acronym for the powerful grouping of the world's leading up-and-coming economies,namely Brazil,Russia,India,China and South Africa.The BRICS aims to achieve peace,security,development and cooperation.It also seeks to contribute to the development of humanity and build a more stable and fairer world. The industry leaders from the business communities of the five countries agreed that the BRICS countries will actively support industrialization on the African continent in order to contribute significantly to its development and to expand trade links between Africa and BRICS.The global economic situation,though improving,continues to remain uncertain with the Euro-crisis a major concern.The task ahead is to build on these developments and BRICS countries remain committed to the cause of promoting sustainable growth.Greater economic cooperation among BRICS countries can be significantly important,which will prove beneficial for global economic growth. According to Dr.Rob Davies,South African Minister of Trade and Industry,the African continent is recognized as the second fastest growing continent after Asia.There are four drivers of the economic growth in African continent.These are the boom in mineral products in the African continent,the development of the service industries,the benefit of not having the financial crisis,and infrastructure development.Davies also adds that other BRICS countries have advantage of large populations providing big home markets for their products.The South African population is small compared to other BRICS countries,but if you add up numbers on continent then you have a critical mass that can support the new industrial wave in Africa:That is why the South African needs to create large trading blocks across large parts of African continent. Which of the following is the driver of the economic growth in Africa? _ .
<extra_id_0>The development of business industry
<extra_id_1>Protective exploration in mineral products
<extra_id_2>The recovery of the infrastructure
<extra_id_3>The benefits of having no financial crisis
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>A person wanting to continue to use a man-made box will
<extra_id_0>throw it in the trash
<extra_id_1>put it in the garbage
<extra_id_2>burn it in a fire
<extra_id_3>find new uses for it
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Carnival does not take place only in Louisiana. There are many celebrations around the world. In Brazil, the celebration is supposed to go on from the Saturday before Mardi Gras to Mardi Gras Day, but in some Brazilian cities the celebration can last seven or eight days. Just like New Orleans, not many important things are decided in Brazil from New Year's Day to Mardi Gras Day because everyone is preparing for or celebrating carnival. Most Brazilian parades have a subject, which could be political or historical. The parades had to have a subject related to Brazil until 1996. Some cities in Brazil do not have a street carnival, but they might have an indoor party. Bolivia has carnival parades for children and then more parades for adults. The children dress up in costumes and march in the streets. The adults make traditional dance groups and dance in the streets. But the main part of Bolivia's carnival is getting wet. Almost everyone gets wet from water balloons and water buckets. In Oruru, Bolivia, their carnival is held in the last ten days of the carnival season. People there join in dancing, but their main carnival event is a ceremonial parade that lasts for twenty hours and parades for four kilometers. Over 20,000 dancers are involved as well as 10,000 musicians. This parade attracts at least 400,000 people. The carnival in Venice, Italy is often regarded as the most carefully prepared carnival and lasts ten days before Lent . Many events are held in the canals including shows, concerts, dances and water processions . The official ending to the celebration is the party held in St. Mark's Square. What's the best title for the passage?
<extra_id_0>Ways of Carnival
<extra_id_1>Carnival Parades
<extra_id_2>Carnivals around the World
<extra_id_3>History of Carnival
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>We've all experienced a "good cry". Shedding some tears can often make us feel better and help us put things in perspective. But why is crying beneficial? And is there such a thing as a "bad cry"? The researchers analyzed the detailed accounts of more than 3,000 recent crying experiences and found that the benefits of crying depend entirely on the what, where and when of a particular crying episode . The majority of persons reported improvements in their mood following a short period of crying. However, one third reported no improvement in mood and a tenth felt worse after crying. Criers who received social support during their crying episode were the most likely to report improvements in mood. Research to date has not always produced a clear picture of the benefits of crying, in part because the results often seem to depend on how crying is studied. The researchers note several challenges in accurately studying crying behavior in a laboratory setting. Volunteers who cry in a laboratory setting often do not describe their experiences as making them feel better. Rather, crying in a laboratory setting often results in the study participants feeling worse; this may be due to the stressful conditions of the study itself, such as being videotaped or watched by researchers. This may produce negative emotions, which neutralize the positive benefits usually connected with crying. However, these laboratory studies have provided interesting findings about the physical effects of crying. Criers do show calming effects such as slower breathing, but they also experience a lot of unpleasant stress, including increased heart rate and sweating. What is interesting is that bodily calming usually lasts longer than the unpleasant. The calming effects may occur later and overcome the stress reaction, which would account for why people tend to remember mostly the pleasant side of crying. Research has shown that the effects of crying also depend on who is shedding the tears. For example, individuals with anxiety or mood disorders are least likely to experience the positive effects of crying. In addition, the researchers report that people who lack insight into their emotional lives actually feel worse after crying. The passage is mainly about _ .
<extra_id_0>the types of crying
<extra_id_1>the way of crying
<extra_id_2>the psychology of crying
<extra_id_3>the causes of crying
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Grant Wood's American Gothic caused a stir in 1930 when it was exhibited for the first time at the Art Institute of Chicago and awarded a prize of 300 dollars. Newspapers across the country carried the story, and the painting of a farmer and a younger woman posed before a white house brought the artist instant fame. In 1930, Grant Wood, an American painter with European training, noticed a small white house built in the small southern Iowa town of Eldon. Wood was so fascinated by it that he decided to paint the house along with the kind of people he thought should live in that house. In the painting, the farmer is modeled on his dentist. Dr. Byron McKeeby. His younger sister Nan served as a model for the woman (imagined to be the farmer's wife or daughter). Wood wanted to give a description of the traditional roles of men and women as the man is holding a pitchfork symbolizing hard labor. Each element was painted separately; the models sat separately and never stood in front of the house. The Gothic style of the house inspired the painting's title. American Gothic remains one of the most famous paintings in the history of American art. The painting has become part of American popular culture. Some believe that Wood used it to satirize the narrow-mindedness that has been said to characterize Midwestern culture. The painting may also be read as a praise of the moral virtue or rural America or even as a mixture of praise and satire. American Gothic is one of the few images to reach the status of cultural symbol, along with Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. From the passage we can infer Iowa is in _ .
<extra_id_0>the southern town of Eldon
<extra_id_1>the Midwest of the United States
<extra_id_2>a European country
<extra_id_3>the city of Chicago
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Even a child knows that nodding the head means "Yes". But some people will probably be puzzled when they first come to India. When they talk to an Indian, he often shakes his head. They might think that the Indian does not like what he said, but _ he is expressing agreement. The Indians have a habit of shaking their heads slightly when they talk to somebody. It doesn't mean "No", but "Yes". If a person doesn't know this, it might cause misunderstanding. At one time a foreigner in Indian told his driver who was an Indian to take him to his office. The driver shook his head. The foreigner repeated his request and the driver shook his head again. At last, the foreigner shouted angrily, "Drive me to my office at once!" The driver said in a low voice, "Yes, sir," smiling and shaking his head again at the same time. Generally speaking, nodding the head means _ , and shaking the head means _ .
<extra_id_0>Yes; No
<extra_id_1>No; Yes
<extra_id_2>Yes; Yes
<extra_id_3>No; No
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>I was eleven years old, waiting for my exam at Saraswati Vidyalaya, my school in Nagpur. "No. 12, please come forward." Kirti, a very fat girl from my class, stepped ahead. I heard my classmates laughing and so I tried to stop them with my eyes. But my good intentions were mistaken. The next morning, my teacher, Mrs. Kamble, told me, "Ashwini, I've received a complaint about you." I was shocked. The girl I was protecting thought I'd been laughing at her. I tried to explain but the teacher refused to hear me out. She punished me by making me stand by the door. I knew I was right. Such punishment to a class topper was simply unheard of. But, slowly, my pride disappeared. Instead of being angry, I understood the other students who have been punished at times. For the first time, I felt humbled . Three years later, I was in the math class. Mr. Prabhuraman, wrote an equation -- one he'd taught us the day before -- on the blackboard. "Anyone who doesn't know how to solve this," he said, "please leave the class at once." I knew I could solve only the first two steps. But my pride made me stay there. Unfortunately, the one who was asked to solve it was me. I just stood there, chalk in hand, trying not to look foolish. I prepared myself for a good talking-to , but Mr. Prabhuraman told me kindly, "Go back to your seat." Today, two decades later, those incidents have made me think. One teacher punished me for something I didn't do; the other forgave me for something I did wrong. Both experiences had an effect on me. They remind me that no matter what you accomplish , you must always be humble. Why did Ashwini refuse to leave the class?
<extra_id_0>He felt it would make him lose face.
<extra_id_1>He could work out the equation.
<extra_id_2>His teacher believed in his ability.
<extra_id_3>His teacher never asked him any questions.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, or fear which may occur in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience. It is most commonly seen in school situations, like stand-up projects and class speeches. It has numerous forms: heart beating fast, trembling hands and legs, sweaty hands, dry mouth etc. In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Thus, it is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. It heightens your energy, adds color to your cheeks. With these good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive. Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or decrease, but it usually does not disappear permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out and present what you have prepared calmly. Remember "Nobody" ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, and you are an unlucky guy who is with stage fright the whole time, try out some of the strategies as follows to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage. Strategies are as follows when the program begins: 1) If legs are trembling, lean on table or shift legs or move. 2) Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead. 3) Use eye contact. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience. Remember nervousness doesn't show one-tenth as much as it feels. Before each presentation, make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn't control you. Once you are used to stage fright, you will find you on the road to a great speech-maker. Which of the following is true?
<extra_id_0>Top performers usually suffer from stage fright.
<extra_id_1>Stage fright may stay with a person for a life time.
<extra_id_2>Nobody would rather die than give a speech.
<extra_id_3>No one can overcome or control stage fright.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Every day when Cora Castle, 14, from Indiana, US goes back home, she opens her computer and logs into a website called Fuel Up to Play 60. She puts on what she has eaten and what kind of activities she has played that day. Then the site decides whether Castle has eaten healthily and done enough exercise. All the seventh graders in Castle's school have done the same thing since the year started. It's part of their health class. If the site finds her habits are unhealthy, it will give her advice. If she does something good, the website will give her a star. Her health teacher set up a competition to see which student could get the most stars from the website. Castle has got 30 stars so far. Cameron Bartlett said she liked tracking the food and activities. "This is the first year we've done it," she said. "It's really interesting to see all of the different choices that we have." The seventh grade health class is coming to an end. They won't be in health class, but the students all said that they would go on to take part in the Fuel Up to Play 60. "There's lots of bad food out there that we've all been eating," Bartlett said "This really helps all of us eat healthier food." The passage is mainly about a website for helping people _ .
<extra_id_0>win in competitions
<extra_id_1>eat more healthy food
<extra_id_2>do enough exercises
<extra_id_3>have good living habits
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>I am an American boy. My name is Jerry Black. You can call me Jerry. I have a sister, Ginny. We are twins. But we are very different( ). I have a long face with a high nose, and she has a round face with a small nose. I like football. But she likes basketball. I like loud music. She likes light music. My father is a doctor in a hospital. My mother runs a clothing shop. We have another family member, Beibei. She is a lovely dog. She will have a puppy soon. There are _ people in Jerry's family.
<extra_id_0>four
<extra_id_1>five
<extra_id_2>three
<extra_id_3>six
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Beijing Restaurant _ SOUPS :Tofu soupY=10. 00 Bone soupY=15. 00 Chicken soupY=20. 00 STAPLES:Fried riceY=8. 00 Fried noodlesY=10. 00 Hot dogY=4. 00 Meat pieY=10. 00 SandwichY=10. 00 HamburgerY=10. 00 MAIN COURSES:Roast chickenY=30. 00 Italian pizzaY=9. 00 Indian curriesY=15. 00 Pork and cabbageY=15. 00 Cheese pieY=10. 00 BeefY=15. 00 Beijing Roast DuckY=50. 00 SausageY=15. 00 DESSERTS :Fruit saladY=8. 00 Pear pancakeY=6. 00 Apple pieY=6. 00 Ice creamY=4. 00 DRINKS :CokeY=5. 00 CoffeeY=5. 00 TeaY=3. 00 Apple juiceY=3. 00 BeerY=10. 00 WineY=30. 00 MilkY=3. 00 LemonadeY=4. 00 If you have twelve yuan, what can you buy in this restaurant?
<extra_id_0>Four ice creams.
<extra_id_1>A bottle of wine.
<extra_id_2>An apple pie and a pear pancake.
<extra_id_3>A sandwich and a hot dog.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Australia, the last continent, was discovered by ships belonging to some European nations in the seventeenth century. These nations were less interested in changing it into a colony than in exploring it. As in the early history of the United States, it was the English who set up the settlements in Australia. This history and the geography of these two British colonies have some other things in common as well. Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil. It was the eastern coast of Australia and American that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west. However, this westward movement took place more because the English were searching for better land than because the population was increasing. Settlements of the western part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later. Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well. The United States gained its independence from England by revolution while Australis won its independence without having to go to war. Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly truned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising. By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people, or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States. Yet, in spite of these and other main differences, Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world. In the early 1920s, _ .
<extra_id_0>Australia had one fifteenth as many people as sheep
<extra_id_1>there were more sheep in Australia than in the United States
<extra_id_2>the population in Australia was greater than that of the Untied States
<extra_id_3>the Untied States had twice as many sheep as people
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |