instruction
stringlengths 104
6.76k
| output
stringclasses 4
values |
|---|---|
<extra_id_5>We often find that weekends and holidays feel so short while classes and work feel so long. In reality, though, we know that this is not true. But we still wonder where that strange feeling comes from. In fact, this is one of the ways that we're tricked by time, according to the website All That Is Interesting. The website lists several wrong impressions we often have about time. Let's have a look. First of all, emotions affect our time-keeping abilities: Negative emotions, especially anxiety and boredom, make time seem longer because they make us concentrate more on the passage of time. However, when we are enjoying ourselves, we pay more attention to what we are doing and are likely to lose track of(...) time. Here is another example. In 2007, a group of scientists carried out a test. In the test, people fell 50 meters into a safety net and were then asked about their experience. Although the experience took shorter than 3 seconds, the people thought it was much longer than it actually was. This is because of the way our bodies reply to danger, according to the scientists. Our bodies produce a chemical called adrenaline when we are faced with danger. It allows us to concentrate better so that we can stay alive. As a result, we are able to remember far more details over a short period of time, which makes it seem like time is going more slowly. Another occasion when we make mistakes about time is when we take afternoon naps . Have you ever had trouble telling what time it is after a long nap? That's because the best amount of time for a nap is 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you enter a new stage of sleep called slow-wave sleep. If you wake up mid-way in this stage, it will take a while before you can correctly perceive time again. Yes, time can be mysterious and there is no way to control it So, perhaps the best thing to do is to make good use of every minute. According to the passage, in which situation do we make mistakes about time?
<extra_id_0>We have a math test when we fall down from a high place.
<extra_id_1>We have trouble telling what time it is after a 20 minutes' nap.
<extra_id_2>We have many problems left in the test paper, but the time is up.
<extra_id_3>We go to school on the school bus as usual on weekdays.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Sports, drama, and all kinds of organizations keep students busy during high school. Where do they get the money to do these things? Not everyone gets it from parents. Most have to work for at least some of the money to pay for these activities. Some adults question if high school students should have jobs. I say yes, they undoubtedly should. Some people worry that teens with after-school jobs will have difficulty finding time for schoolwork. Actually, having a job helps teens make better use of their time. Many jobs take only a couple of hours on weeknights. According to an article, 86 percent of high school students have an after-school, weekend or summer job and students who work between 10 and 20 hours per week during the school year get higher grades than those who do not work at all. Instead of considering working after school a , it should be looked at as real-world education. Other people think that work adds too much stress , which may be somewhat true, but whether having a job or not, there is always stress. Better to learn how to deal with busy schedules in a controlled environment like high school than to be out on your own and alone in the future, experiencing stress for the first time. I personally would be worried about the teenager who has to become independent without having any experience of working. The biggest reason teens should work is that it is a healthy way of making money. There are many things teens need to pay for and they cannot do it if they don't have a job. Not all parents can pay for these activities. My dad told me, "Having a job is a good way to save up for things you are going to need or want to do. You get a lot more out of things if you pay for them yourself." The sooner kids make money, the sooner they can learn how to use money wisely. If they are not allowed to work in high school, they may have a hard time in the future. Teens should, without a doubt, be allowed to work on school nights. What does the passage mainly talk about?
<extra_id_0>What money means to teens.
<extra_id_1>Why teens should work after school.
<extra_id_2>Whether parents should help teens find jobs.
<extra_id_3>How teens get money for after-school activities.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>During the past Spring Festival, many children may have received red packets from their families. But Xing Pu, a 40-year-old economist, is asking the government to give red packets to every Chinese citizen. Xing suggested the government give out 1,000 Yuan to each Chinese since the government income has increased rapidly in recent years. He said his suggestion would allow everyone to directly enjoy the fruits of the country's economic success, help the lower-income groups deal with rising prices and increase consumption around the country. Recent years have seen the government carry out a series of pro-poor and pro-rural policies, including increasing spending on public healthcare and calling off the agricultural tax. But the lower-income group still needs more help while being hit hard by an 11-year high in prices and recent snowstorms. Xing said while making the draft, he has borrowed many ideas from practices in countries like the United States and Singapore. Earlier this year, the governments of the two nations offered cash handouts to their citizens as the result of a surplus in government income. As for in China, "We can even encourage the rich to donate their 1,000 Yuan red packet to the poor," said Xing. Although Xing's suggestion has gained wide support among ordinary Chinese on the Internet, many other economists criticized it as unpractical. Even Xing himself admitted he made the suggestion without any careful calculation. But they agreed with Xing's point that the growing economic pie should be shared among the people. "To better use the increase of money, handing out money is not a solution that holds good for all time. It could be better to improve the public service or cut the price of energy use in daily life," said Qiao Xinsheng, an economic professor. Xing Pu suggested that the government give out 1,000 Yuan to each Chinese because _ .
<extra_id_0>the poor should get help from the rich
<extra_id_1>the government should help the rich
<extra_id_2>the growing economic pie should be shared among the people
<extra_id_3>the government doesn't know how to use the money
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Trying to recover from a devastating economic crisis, Spain is considering moving the country's clock back by one hour. Many people regard long afternoon naps and late dinners as perfect aspects of the Spanish way of life. Until the 1940s, Spain was on the same time as Britain and Portugal. In World War II, Spain and Portugal moved the clocks forward to align them with Nazi Germany. The same happened in Portugal. After the defeat of Hitler, Portugal returned to Greenwich Mean Time, but Spain did not. "The fact that for more than 71 years Spain has not been in its proper time zone means we sleep almost an hour less than the World Health Organization recommends," lawmakers in the Spanish Parliament wrote in a proposal."This has a negative effect on productivity, absenteeism, stress, accidents and school drop-out rates." Last September, a parliamentary commission recommended that the government turn back the clocks by one hour and introduce a regular eight-hour workday. For the time being, the Spanish government is treating the campaign seriously but it hasn't taken any action yet. Spain's time zone issue explains why everything in Spain happens later, from meal times to broadcast entertainment (primetime doesn't start until 10 pm). Many urban Spaniards complain of a never-ending workday that begins in the morning but is interrupted by a traditional late-morning break and then again by the midday siesta--a two-hour long lunch and nap that usually start at 2 pm. If workers return to their desks at 4 pm, they end up working late into the evening. Under the proposed new schedule, the lunchtime break would be cut to an hour or less. The interruption-filled Spanish workday would be replaced by something closer to a 9-to-5 schedule. Ignacio Buqueras, president of the Association for the Rationalization of Spanish Working Hours, told The New York Times that changing the Spanish schedule would be good news for working mothers. It would also allow families more free time together and boost Spain's economic recovery. Maria Angles Duran, a sociologist with the Spanish National Research Council, is skeptical that changing the time zone will reverse low productivity, which she attributes more to the structure of the service-oriented economy. But she agreed that a more normal work schedule would help women, who often complain that their husbands deliberately schedule meetings in the early evening. "For men, this is perfect," Duran said, "They arrive home and the children have already had their baths! Timetables can be used as a sort of weapon." We can learn from the passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>an eight-hour workday is soon to be put into practice in Spain
<extra_id_1>people are used to working late into the evening in Spain
<extra_id_2>heavy workloads require a two-hour nap for working people
<extra_id_3>the current workday pattern does not win much favor among city workers
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>President Barack Obama speaks as he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping over international security issues during the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, March 31, 2016. While they report slow progress over major disagreements, what do average citizens in those countries think about each other? A study by the Pew Research Center offers some answers. Only 38 percent of Americans said they have a positive view of China, according to a 2015 Pew survey. And in China, only 44 percent of people surveyed gave the United States a positive rating. Americans expressed concern about the large amount of U.S. debt held by China and the loss of jobs to China. Last year, the U.S. Treasury Department said China held $1.2 trillion in U.S. government debts. People polled in China said they believe the United States is trying to prevent China from becoming as powerful as the U.S. The views reflect some of the tensions between the nations' leaders. The United States has been strongly against China's construction of artificial islands and military facilities along the disputed South China Sea. And there have been disagreements over how to respond to recent North Korean nuclear and missile tests. A joint statement from U.S. and China after Thursday's Obama-Xi meeting said both countries agreed to work together on nuclear security. The Obama administration said China has agreed to sanctions to protest recent North Korean nuclear tests. But Xi expressed opposition to a new missile defense system for South Korea, according to Chinese media reports. Such a system is being considered by U.S. and South Korean leaders to protect South Korea from a North Korean attack. At the start of his meeting with Xi, Obama said, "Of great importance to both of us is North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons, which threatens the security and stability of the region." Xi said China and the United States "have a responsibility to work together." As for issues dividing the two nations, Xi said both sides could "seek active solutions through dialogue and consultation." The two leaders met during a 53-nation conference on nuclear security in Washington, D.C. Both American and Chinese governments agree on _ .
<extra_id_0>a new missile defense system for South Korea
<extra_id_1>what to do with recent North Korean nuclear and missile tests
<extra_id_2>the cooperation on nuclear security
<extra_id_3>territorial disputes in the South China Sea
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Little Mike's grandmother died weeks ago. He missed her very much. One afternoon Mike went to the city park where his grandmother used to go. There he saw an old lady. She looked very kind. She was sitting there, watching pigeons . Little Mike went up and sat next to her. He took out his food and drinks and gave some to her. She smiled at him. Her smile was very sweet and Mike wanted to see it again. She seemed to understand him, so once again she smiled. Mike was very happy. They sat there all the afternoon, eating and talking. As it was dark, Mike got up to leave. Before he left, he hugged the old lady and she gave him her sweetest smile. When Mike got home, his mother was surprised by the happy look on his face. " I met an old lady in the park. Her smile was like the smile I used to see on Grandmother's face." The old lady also returned to her home happily. She told her son she had food and drinks with a little boy. " He was as lovely as Bill." She said. Her son was surprised, because he had never been so happy since Bill, her grandson, died weeks ago. The old lady's smile showed _ .
<extra_id_0>she hated to meet the boy
<extra_id_1>she wanted to get some drinks
<extra_id_2>she missed her son
<extra_id_3>she liked the little boy
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Bob was a homeless boy who lived in a house for homeless children. He always felt lonely and sad. He felt he was a nobody in this world. One day, he said to Mr. White, head of the house, "Why did my parents bring me to this world? What value do I have now?" Mr. White gave Bob a stone and said to him, "Take it to the market, but don't sell it no matter how much money they pay you. Bob took the stone to a market called Green Market. A man wanted to buy it for 100 pounds, and Bob wouldn't sell it. Later, another buyer would pay more for the stone, but Bob still wouldn't sell it. The next day in Center Market, the people would buy it at a much higher price. But Bob wouldn't sell it. The third day, Bob took the stone to Street Market. This time, the people there offered a price which was ten times higher than that in Green Market. But Bob wouldn't sell it. Bob couldn't understand. He asked Mr. White, " Why did they pay me so much money for just a stone?" " Even for a stone, if you think it valuable, it will be valuable, " said Mr. White. ,. How many times did Bob go to the market?.
<extra_id_0>Only once.
<extra_id_1>Only twice.
<extra_id_2>Three times.
<extra_id_3>Four times.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>I grew up knowing I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft lip, and when I started to go to school, my classmates were constantly laughing at me. I couldn't even blow up a balloon. When my classmates asked, "What happened to your lip?" I'd tell them that I'd fallen as a baby and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than to have been born different. Then I entered the second grade, and Mrs. Leonard's class. She was round and pretty. Everyone loves her. But no one came to love her more than I did. And for a special reason. The time came for the yearly "hearing tests". I was nearly unable to hear anything out of one ear. So I cheated. I had learned to watch other children and raised my hand when they did during group testing. The "whisper test" required a different trick: each child would go to the door of the classroom, turn sideways and cover one ear with a finger. And the teacher would say something very quietly from her desk, which the child would repeat. Then the same thing was done for the other ear. Nobody checked to see how tightly the untested ear was being covered, so I pretended to cover mine. My turn came. I turned my bad ear to her, covering the other ear with my finger, and then gently backed my finger out enough to be able to hear. I waited, and then heard the words that God had surely put into her mouth; seven words that changed my life forever. Mrs. Leonard, the pretty teacher I loved, said softly, "I wish you were my little girl." The author's classmates were always laughing at her because she _ .
<extra_id_0>was born different
<extra_id_1>went to school at an old age
<extra_id_2>could not blow up a balloon
<extra_id_3>failed to win her teacher's love
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>An elderly woman died and several other passengers were critically injured when a crowded Virgin express train crashed in Cumbria last night. A huge rescue operation involving RAF helicopters and dozens of ambulances arrive. After passengers were trapped in the train for more than four hours because fallen power line poles made access for emergency workers difficult. Authorities reported up to 80 injuries. Thirteen people were taken to hospital in a" _ or serious condition." Between 180 and 200 passengers were on the 5:15pm Virgin service from London Euston to Glasgow Central when all nine carriages left the rails between Oxenholme and Tebay. Witnesses said that the train shook violently before toppling over into an embankment with at least four carriages overturning. Early this morning, authorities confirmed an elderly woman had died and some other passengers had suffered injuries including back strains, head wounds and broken bones. Ruth Colton, a passenger on the train, said she was reading a book when the journey became uncomfortable. It seemed that the train was being beaten by heavy winds,"as if we were on a plane". The accident brought concerns that Britain's busiest rail route would be crippled for some time. The line between Preston and Carlisle was postponed as Virgin Trains promised a rapid investigation into the "serious incident"--the company's first big crash. It is understood that the investigation will examine whether there was an obstacle on the track and the possibility of speeding or mechanical breakdown. The driver, who was injured, will be interviewed and a black-box recorder installed in the train will be examined. What made the rescue come so late?
<extra_id_0>It's not accessible to reach the accident spot.
<extra_id_1>No enough helicopters and ambulances could be found at that time.
<extra_id_2>It was too far from hospital to Cumbria.
<extra_id_3>No one called the emergency center.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Some birds build nests in the spring. This nest building is a seasonal adaptation that occurs to help the birds
<extra_id_0>fly south
<extra_id_1>find food
<extra_id_2>protect their young
<extra_id_3>survive the winter
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Sixty-year-old grandmother, Fiona McFee, is going to stop working next year and she decided to realize a childhood dream and sail around the coast of Scotland in a small boat. Although the inside of the boat is very _ it has no running water or electricity. Fiona says she can live without these things but she plans to take her small CD player, her hot water bottle and a bag of books to make sure life isn't too uncomfortable. We asked her if she was afraid of being at sea for so long. She said, "Well, I'm going to take a good compass . Anyway I'm not afraid of death because I love the sea---I just hope it loves me." Fiona certainly has plenty of energy; in her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano, rock-climbing, canoeing and dancing. Although she is sixty, she doesn't want to have a quiet and peaceful life. "I'm looking forward to having fun in the rest of my life and that's exactly why I'd like to be a sailor for a while." The best title for this passage is _ .
<extra_id_0>Life Begins at Sixty
<extra_id_1>A Round Coast Sail
<extra_id_2>An Old Woman Sailor
<extra_id_3>An Unusual Hobby
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Mr and Mrs Smith had always spent their summer holidays in New Jersey in the past, staying in a small inn at the foot of a hill. One year, however, Mr. Smith made a lot of money in his business, so they decided to go to London and stay at a really good hotel while they went touring around that famous city. They flew to London and arrived at their hotel late one evening. They expected that they would have to go to bed hungry, because in that small inn in New Jersey, no meals were served after seven. They were therefore surprised when the man who received them in the hall asked whether they would take dinner there that night. "Are you still serving dinner?" asked Mr Smith. "Yes, certainly, sir," answered the man. "We serve it until half past nine." "What are the times of meals then?" asked Mr Smith. "Well, sir," answered the man, "We serve breakfast from seven to half past eleven in the morning, lunch from twelve to three in the afternoon, tea from four to five, and dinner from six to half past nine." "But that hardly leaves any time for us to see the sights of London!" said Mrs Smith. They decided to go to a really good hotel because _ .
<extra_id_0>it was famous
<extra_id_1>it was difficult to find a cheap hotel
<extra_id_2>it was near many interesting places
<extra_id_3>they now had enough money
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Sure,you've watched extreme pet sports on Animal Planet. But did you know that there's a whole world of athletic activities for dogs right in our area? There are some reasons for considering taking part in such activities. Such sports strengthen the close feelings between dog and owner,and also benefit your pup's body and mind." Dogs that are tied with chains often have behavioral problems," says Lee Morgan. "They love to go out and play as much as we do." Of course,many of these sports require some amount of practice,and some breeds are simply better at certain activities than others .But all dogs can participate in the following games. Frisbee Dogs This sport requires you to throw as many Frisbees as your dog can catch in a 60second time period. The further out your dog catches the Frisbee,the more points you rack up. Extra points are awarded if your pet catches the Frisbee while it's still in the air. Mid Atlantic Disc Dogs (MADDogs) hosts local competitions and offers informal instruction in local parks or even in people's backyards. Flyball Dogs The sport has been around since 1970s.Flyball is a relay race with four dogs in a team. Each must jump four hurdles spaced with 10 feet apart and then land on a springloaded box that shoots out a tennis ball. The dog must then catch the ball and run back over the four hurdles. Once that's done,the next dog can go. The first team that successfully completes the course wins the competition. There are a number of local teams,including 4 Dog Night,which holds classes for beginners and intermediate players and is always looking for new team members. The Beltway Bandits is another team,based in Leesburg,that hosts private classes and competitions. Dogs that are always tied with chains often have behavioral problems because _ .
<extra_id_0>there are no close feelings between dog and owner
<extra_id_1>many of them lack enough sports or exercises
<extra_id_2>there are no local athletic activities or sports for dogs
<extra_id_3>dogs love to go out and play as much as human beings
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Today, due to numerous medical and scientific advances, people are living longer than ever before. But you have to be good to your body, mind, and soul. The following tips are a good start for getting you on your way to living a long and healthy life. Eat a balanced diet -- one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fiber and low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. A well-balanced diet can provide your body with the essential nutrients needed to achieve and maintain optimum health. Be physically active -- try to incorporate 30 minutes of activity into your day, every day. The options are endless; start walking on the beach in the mornings, try jogging with a friend, or go for a bike ride in the afternoons. Make sure you choose activities that you enjoy, that way you'll be more likely to make them a habit. Get regular preventive check-ups --see your doctor regularly; remember your doctor is your partner in health care. By having regular check-ups, you may be able to catch small problems before they become big ones. Be safe -- use common sense and be streetsmart . Don't put yourself in situations that are questionable. Always wear your seatbelt and bike helmet. Don't go for a run, walk, or jog at night by yourself. Keep your home well lit and free of things that could make you fall. Stay in touch with family and friends -- get to know your neighbors. Take the time to be involved with your community. By creating a strong social network, you will not only have friends to celebrate with when good things happen, but also a support system in difficult times. Keep a positive attitude -- studies have shown that people who have a positive attitude tend to live longer, and lead healthier and happier lives. Try to find the humor in life. And remember to laugh. In this passage, the writer wants to tell us _ .
<extra_id_0>the importance of living a long and healthy life.
<extra_id_1>the tips of living a long and healthy life.
<extra_id_2>the reasons of living a long and healthy life.
<extra_id_3>the meaning of living a long and healthy life
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>One of the most popular ways to explore Boston is on a Boston Duck Tour or a Super Duck Tour. Every spring, these vehicles take visitors to the streets and waterways of downtown and have proven to be a popular way to visit many of this city's historical sights. What Each of the two tours provides history and information about some of the city's most popular attractions, including the Prudential Tower, Faneuil Hall, the Museum of Science, the Charles River, and Boston Harbor. Where Boston Duck Tour leaves at two locations in Boston. Eighty-minute tours depart from the Prudential Center and the Museum of Science, while evening tours, lasting 50 minutes, depart from the New England Aquarium. Super Duck Tour leaves a Gate 1, the main entrance to the Charlestown Navy Yard. When Boston Duck Tour operates from late March to late November and tours depart every 30-60 minutes depending upon the season. Tours begin at 9 a.m. daily. The last tour from the Museum of Science and the Prudential Center leaves an hour before sunset. Super Duck Tour operates from late March to late December. Boston Duck Tour Adults:$32 Students/Seniors:$27 Children ages3-11:$22 Children under 3:$10 Super Duck Tour Adults:$35 Students/Seniors:$31 Children ages3-11:$23 Children under 3:$12 Super Duck Tour also offers a pair of combination packages that include next-day trolley rides and a Charles River Beat Cruise. See our web site for details. More information: To contact Boston Duck Tour,call 617-267DUCK(3825),email Info@bostonducktours.com, or visit www.bostonducktours,com. To contact Super Duck Tour, call 877-34 DUCK (343-8257), email info@ superducktours.com, or visit www.superducktours,com. We can learn form this passage that _ .
<extra_id_0>Boston Duck Tour in not in business in April
<extra_id_1>in summer tours usually begin at 8 a.m.
<extra_id_2>the last tour leaves an hour after sunset
<extra_id_3>you can get some trolley rides on a Super Duck Tour
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There is much discussion today about whether economic growth is desirable. At an earlier period, our desire for material wealth may have been justified. Now, however, this desire for more than we need is causing serious problems. Even though we have good intentions, we may be producing too much, too fast. Those who criticize economic growth argue that we must slow down. They believe that society is approaching certain limits on growth. These include the fixed supply of natural resources, the possible negative effects of industry on the natural environment, and the continuing increase in the world's population. As society reaches these limits, economic growth can no longer continue, and the quality of life will decrease. People who want more economic growth, on the other hand, argue that even at the present growth rate there are still many poor people in the world. These proponents of economic growth believe that only more growth can create the capital needed to improve the quality of life in the world. Furthermore, they argue that only continued growth can provide the financial resources required to protect our natural surroundings from industrialization. This debate over the desirability of continued economic growth is of vital importance to business and industry. If those who argue against economic growth are correct, the problems they mention cannot be ignored. To find a solution, economists and business community must pay attention to these problems and discuss them with one another. Those who want more economic growth believe that continued economic growth _ .
<extra_id_0>is essential to the well-being of society as a whole
<extra_id_1>can provide the solution to many of our social problems today
<extra_id_2>can protect our environment from being polluted by industry
<extra_id_3>can provide us with more natural resources for industrialization
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>When spring comes, some wildflowe come out in the ditches along the highway where I travel daily to work., I've noticed one special blue flower. It blooms only in the morning hours. For the afternoon sun is too hot for it. Every day for nearly two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers. This spring, I started a wildflower garden in our yard,. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. Every day I drove past the flowers thinking "I'll stop on my way home and dig them." "See. I don't want to get my good clothes dirty." Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. One day on my way home from work. I was sad to see the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself. "You wanted too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring." A week ago we were shocked and sad to learn that my oldest sister-in-law was badly ill. She is 20 years older than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven't been as close as we all would have been. I couldn't help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband's sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us. And yes, if I see the blue flowers again. You can bet I'll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden. The writer didn't stop to dig the wildflowers because _ .
<extra_id_0>The flowers were not beautiful enough
<extra_id_1>She was always too busy
<extra_id_2>She wanted her sister to dig them
<extra_id_3>She didn't pay enough attention to them
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>My grandfather was a teacher. He was the headmaster of a school for boys between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. I know that he was a kind and gentle man at heart, because when I was young (and he was old), he gave me presents and seated me on his knees, and told me stories. But I believe the boys at his school were afraid of him. At school, when he walked into a classroom full of noisy boys, those boys went red in the faces, and looked down at their shoes. If a boy brought him poor, careless work, which was not the best that boys could do, my grandfather picked up the boy's work and threw it across the classroom, shouting, "Do it all again, and bring it back early in the morning!" If the boy was late, or if he forgot to bring the work, he had to do it again. My grandfather never forgot. He was a very different man at school, from the man I saw day by day in his own home. He was a different man at home because _ .
<extra_id_0>he didn't get angry at home
<extra_id_1>he was not as gentle as at home
<extra_id_2>he didn't throw work at school like he did at home
<extra_id_3>he didn't get angry at school like he did at home
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>The opening of the Sherlock Holmes Museum to the public on March 27, 1990, was an event that should have happened several decades ago. Baker Street is, after all, one of the world's most famous streets because of its long association with the great detective. Thousands of people all over the world write to Sherlock Holmes, they form clubs and societies in his honor, and they celebrate his anniversaries. Now it is also possible to see where and how he lived in Victorian times! Here visitors will recognize familiar objects mentioned in the stories. You can take as many photographs as you want (the maid will be pleased to assist) and when you are ready to leave, a ride home in a horse-drawn carriage will complete your 19th century experience! Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson lived at 221b Baker Street from about 1881 to 1904. Apartment 221b was on the first floor of a lodging house, which they rented from a Mrs Hudson. The famous study that Holmes and his friend Dr Watson shared for almost 25 years is on the first floor overlooking Baker Street. We know from Doctor Watson's descriptions that their sitting room overlooking Baker Street was "illuminated(, ) by two broad windows" and that it was quite small. Doctor Watson's bedroom was on the second floor next to Mrs Hudson's room and it overlooked an open yard at the back of the house. These rooms are used today for exhibits, where center stage is taken by a magnificant bronze bust of Mr Holmes. Visitors can browse through literature, paintings, photographs and newspapers of the period. Memorabilia from the adventures and a selection of letters written to and from Mr Holmes are also on display. The museum's large and attractive souvenir shop is located on the ground floor. Here you will find a unique collection of gifts, objects of art, figures, busts, prints, books, playing cards, T-shirts, -novelties of every description available exclusively to museum visitors. According to the article, we can conclude that Sherlock Holmes' admirers _ .
<extra_id_0>expect replies from him
<extra_id_1>made the opening of the museum possible
<extra_id_2>treat him as if he were a real person
<extra_id_3>often adapt his books into films or plays
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Dear God, I am a boy. I live in a poor village. My Parents used to be farmer but now they are working in a big city. They want to build a new house. Our old house is _ It becomes wet after a heavy rain. I think our new house must look clean and smart. I don't mind if it is big or small. It is not in the centre of the city or near the sea. _ lies in a peaceful valley. There are flowers and grasses around the house. My father can ride his horse to look after his sheep; my mother can milk her cows. My brother's cat is lying in the sun while I am reading under the tree. How beautiful! Our new house has three bedrooms. There is a bedroom for my mother and father , one for me and one for my brother. There is a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. There is a small balcony in front of the house, and a armchair stands there quietly. There are some plants on the balcony, too. My family will be very happy in the new house. God, tell me, can my dream come true? What should I do for that? Sincerely yours, Amos Which of the following is NOT ture?
<extra_id_0>Amos lives in a poor village.
<extra_id_1>Amos want to have a big house.
<extra_id_2>Amos' parents are working in a big city.
<extra_id_3>There is a balcony in front of Amos' dream home
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>You are what you eat Keeping better eating habits can help you reduce disease. A healthy eating plan means choosing the right foods to eat and preparing foods in a healthy way. _ Do you often change your toothbrush? Maybe you think it is not necessary. A study shows old toothbrushes bring disease. You should often change your toothbrush. Exercise Swimming, running, skating, skiing, dancing, walking and some other activities can help you stay healthy. You should exercise at least three times a week and for twenty minutes or more each time. Do it. Plan out your life You should have breakfast before you go to school. Have a proper meal for lunch. Follow a healthy diet. ,. At least how long should you exercise each time?
<extra_id_0>Twenty minutes.
<extra_id_1>Fifteen minutes.
<extra_id_2>Ten minutes.
<extra_id_3>Five minutes.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Whenever we turn on the TV or radio, read the newspapers, surf the Internet, we'll be surrounded by the word "diet" everywhere. We have so easily been attracted by the promise of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically. It's obvious that diet products weaken us psychologically. They allow us to jump over the thinking stage that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fat. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word "diet" in food labels. What's more, diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink, we are telling ourselves that we don't have to work to get results.Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain, and that life can be without resistance and struggle. As a matter of fact, the danger that diet products bring not only lies in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm they cause. Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie. oaly because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products, And they can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are stopping our bodies having basic nutrients. Diet products may not be nutritional, and the chemicals that go into diet products are potentially dangerous. Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals. Think twice before buying diet products. Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, 3rd therefore, prevent the psychological and physical harm that comes from using them. Diet products indirectly harm people physically because such products
<extra_id_0>are over-consumed
<extra_id_1>are short of basic nutrients
<extra_id_2>lack chemicals
<extra_id_3>provide too much energy
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Central Sports Centre. City Road. All Stars vs Rockets, Saturday 8: 30 p.m. $12 Northerners vs Tigers, Sunday noon $14 BUSHWALKING : Meet at Wanda Station, Saturday 9:00 a.m. sharp for 3-hour walk to Canary Mountains. $7, ph 341-5432 Meet at Westley Station, Sunday 9:00 a.m. sharp for a full day walk to Wombak Valley. $5, ph 341-8643. Bring your own lunch. FOOTBALL: St Martins Sports Centre St Martins vs Doonsberg, Saturday 2:00 p.m. $8 Eastside Central vs Light Hill, Sunday 2:00 p.m. $8 Neill Park Recreation Centre Neill Park vs Robinson, Saturday 2:00 p.m. $11 Essen vs Springwood, Sunday 2:00 p.m. $11 LAWN BOWLS : Tans Town B.C Tans Town vs White Vale, Saturday 9:00 p.m. $10 Wake Hill B.C. Wake Hill vs Colls, Saturday 2: 00 p.m. $9 The purpose of the passage is to let people _ .
<extra_id_0>compare the prices of the matches
<extra_id_1>find the nearest place to watch a match
<extra_id_2>know the sport matches and come to watch them
<extra_id_3>spend their money on these matches wisely
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Football is America's most popular sport, and by football I don't mean soccer. American football is a unique sport with its own rules, regulations, and fans. Being a football fan means something different than being a fan in other sports; football fans have their own culture and customs. Since football is a violent, contact sport, its games are played infrequently. Usually fans have to wait an entire week before they can see their favorite team play again. This means that football fans take advantage of the days they can cheer for their teams. One custom that football fans have is called tailgating. Tailgating describes when a big group of people gets together before a game and has a small party. Tailgating usually lasts a few hours and involves lots of good food and beverages. It is most common to grill food at a tailgate, especially hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, and any other type of meat. It is not unusual to see people drinking lots of beer, throwing footballs around, talking to (or arguing with) other fans, etc. Tailgating happens for other sports too, but it is much more important to football fans. Sports fans in every country have unique and strange ways to celebrate their favorite teams and players. Football in America is no different. What is tailgating?
<extra_id_0>When a group of people celebrates because their favorite team won a game.
<extra_id_1>A party that only some fans are invited to.
<extra_id_2>A pre-game activity where people gather together and enjoy themselves.
<extra_id_3>A custom where people eat, drink, and party during a game.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>All rocks are composed of
<extra_id_0>fossils
<extra_id_1>cells
<extra_id_2>metals
<extra_id_3>minerals
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>In the ancient Arabic story called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the young hero Ali Baba said "Open Sesame" and a door to hidden treasures was opened to him.The old story had a special meaning for Ma Yun.He drew inspiration from _ for Alibaba.com - Chinese largest e-commerce website. In 1995, Ma Yun was working for a US trading company when he was introduced to the Internet."I know nothing about computers and has never touched a keyboard," he said.He searched the word "beer" and nothing came up about Chinese products. Ma Yun had an idea.Why not build a large Internet market to connect customers with companies from all over the world? They could do business online in that way.That was how Alibaba began.His company grew quickly.But that didn't mean everything went smoothly.In 2000, many Internet companies failed including Alibaba.But later, he was successful because he managed to attract investment into his company."You should stick to your dream," he said."Everyone thought I was daydreaming when I started.But the most important thing is that we believe in our dream from past to today and tomorrow.Of course we made many mistakes, but we never give up." Ma Yun is also smart.For him, success in business is like trying to catch a rabbit.If there are nine rabbits, focus on catching one - don't try to catch them all," he said."Change your ways if you need to, but don't change the rabbit.Get one first, put it in your pocket and then catch the others." What happened to Ma Yun in 2000?
<extra_id_0>He founded his own company.
<extra_id_1>His company grew quickly and smoothly.
<extra_id_2>His company failed like many others.
<extra_id_3>He was successful though he had no investment.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Jeff Green has a bad habit. He can not look after his things well. Look, this is his room. His things are _ . Look at his desk. Some things are on it. They are notebook, CDs, video tapes, rulers and erasers. He doesn't put his rulers and erasers in his pencil box. Look, some of his sports collections are on the desk and chair. It's eight in the morning, and Jeff is in bed. It's Sunday. He doesn't go to school. Oh, what's under the bed? A soccer ball. He likes playing soccer. He can not play volleyball well. His schoolbag is under the bed. Why is his bag under the bed? We don't know. What's that under the sofa? It is one of his socks. Where is the other one? We can't see it. Jeff needs to ask his parents to find it, I think. Why is Jeff in bed at 8 a.m.?
<extra_id_0>Because he wants to play soccer.
<extra_id_1>Because it is Sunday.
<extra_id_2>Because he doesn't like school.
<extra_id_3>Because this is his habit.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>While drunken driving may be on the decline, traffic safety experts remain puzzled over how to deal with another alcohol related danger: drunken pedestrains. Pedestrians struck and killed by cars often are extremely drunk. In fact, they are intoxicated more frequently and with higher blood alcohol levels than drunken drivers who are killed in accidents, various studies have shown. Forty percent of adult pedestrians involved in fatal crashes have a blood alcohol level of at least 0.10 which by law in most states signifies intoxication compared to only 25 percent of drivers in deadly accidents, according to recent federal data. Some types of pedestrain accidents have been declining nationally, especially those involving children, but the number of adult pedestrians who are drunk when killed in traffic has remained ly steady at 2500 a year. The total number of pedestrians killed annually in U.S. traffic accidents is at least 7000, or one of every seven highway accidents resulting in death. "We're dealing here, we think, with a very severe drinking problem that leads to a severe highway safety problem," said Richard Blomberg, president of Dunlap and Associates Inc, in Norwalk, Coon. w.w.^w.k.&s.5*u.c.#om.... Blomberg, whose consulting company found a very high rate of alcohol involvement in a controlled study of pedestrian accidents in New Orleans, was among several researchers who spoke on the topic at the annual meeting of the Research council's Transportation Research Board(TRB) in Washington in January. Pedestrian accidents have not received enough attention in the past, according to Kay Colpitts, who chairs the board's committee on pedestrians. Few methods exist to monitor walking habits, she said, and researchers have been mystified about how to prevent disasters. According to recent federal data, drunken drivers with an over 0.10 blood alcohol level in deadly accidents . _
<extra_id_0>are 15 percent less than drunken adult walkers with the same level
<extra_id_1>are 2500 a year
<extra_id_2>are at least 7000 in US traffic accidents
<extra_id_3>make up one seventh of highway accidents
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Nobody wants to be called a helicopter parent,who manages to be responsible for whatever a child does, however small a matter is--but parents want to protect their kids.At least no playing with sticks means no risk of lost eyes. Yet as Gever Tulley points out in Fifty Dangerous Things(You Should Let Your Children Do),children who grow up as safe as possible become adults who aren't adventurous,highly adaptable,or confident.Sometimes you have to fall out of a tree to figure out how to climb one the right way,and learning that you can accomplish such a thing on your own teaches you that you can be self--sufficient. With Fifty Dangerous Things,Gever Tulley,has written a handbook of activities that are,yes,dangerous at some level-like playing with fire,breaking glass,and opening batteries.The book is a blueprint to help parents and children explore the world,and ensure the children grow up,with a little common sense and a lot of curiosity. Both the advice and the warnings are down to earth.Yes,there are risks,but Tulley provides good ways to learn to avoid them through your own skill.It takes work to raise a child who can use a table saw or build a campfire.But with this book in hand,it'll be a satisfying adventure. We see a child climbing a tree and the first thing we think of is how they might fall and be disabled for life.We seldom say,"Look at how well Sarah is climbing that tree!" When we protect children from every possible source of danger,we also prevent them from having the kinds of experiences that develop their sense of self--reliance,their ability to deal with risks,and their sense of accomplishment. In Gever Tulley's view,_.
<extra_id_0>children should grow up in a completely safe environment
<extra_id_1>doing dangerous things can be harmful to some degree
<extra_id_2>children should keep away from dangerous environment
<extra_id_3>dangerous activities can make adaptable children
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Mid-IB at a glance The summer vacation is the time to consolidate your learning and prepare for the year ahead. In July and August Oxford Study Courses will once again hold its Mid-IB Summer School for students half way through their IB Diploma . We'll be back giving another generation of IB students a unique opportunity to sample a way of life enjoyed by students at famous universities. Students who have completed the first year of their IB Diploma can join us and we can help them prepare for their important second year. Students can choose how many subjects they study. Each subject is studied for one week. You can attend up to 5 weeks. The Mid-IB Summer School is held at Cambridge University in the UK (between June 20th and August 1 st) and at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)in Boston, USA (between July 6th and July 25th). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Student comments * "The classes have shown me new approaches to learning. I have also learned how to approach exam questions and now feel confident in doing so." * "It was cool creating tight and close relationships with other students from around the world, realizing we all had a connection to each other." * "I really enjoyed the level of independence, although I felt like people were watching out for us. I also felt like an Oxford student!" * "I have enjoyed the learning style and the course work has been extremely beneficial academically." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Enjoy the summer Our Summer School gives you an action-packed social scene with visits to the fun places in the area, organized sports and social events, and advice on how to enjoy your free time in these amazing cities with your new friends. Welcome to contact us at ose@ose-ib.com or on +44(0)1865 521802! Which of the following about the Mid-IB Summer School is true?
<extra_id_0>It begins in July.
<extra_id_1>It provides only academic courses.
<extra_id_2>It is held in three universities.
<extra_id_3>Students attending will study for 5 weeks.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Happy birthday! Do birthday really make people happy? Of course they do. _ Birthdays celebrate the day when we were born. Besides, that extra candle on the cake suggests another year of growth and maturity --or so we hope.We all like to imagine that we are getting wiser and not just older.Most of us enjoy seeing the wonder of growth in others, as well.For instance, seeing our children develop and learn new things makes us feel proud.For Americans, like people in most cultures, growing up is a wonderful process.But growing old? _ That is a different story. Growing old is not exactly for people in youth-oriented American culture.Most Americans like to look young, act young and feel young. As the old saying goes, "You're young as you feel." Older people joke about how many years young they are, rather than how many years old.People in some countries value the aged as a source of experience and wisdom.But Americans seem to favor those who are young, or at least "young at heart". _ Economically, "senior citizens" often try just to get by.Retirement at the age of 65 brings a sharp decrease in personal income.Social security benefits usually cannot make up the difference.Older people may suffer from poor nutrition , medical care, and housing. Some even have the experience of age discrimination . American sociologist Pat Moore once dressed up like an older person and wandered city streets.She was often treated rudely--even cheated and robbed.However, dressed as a young person, she received much more respect. Unfortunately, the elderly population in America is increasing fast.Why? People are living longer.Fewer babies are being born.And middle-aged "baby boomers" are rapidly entering the group of the elderly.America may soon be a place where wrinkles are "in".Marketing experts are already noticing this growing group of consumers. Growing up is a wonderful thing because _ .
<extra_id_0>people can celebrate their birthdays.
<extra_id_1>people can become more and mature and wiser.
<extra_id_2>people can receive many presents.
<extra_id_3>people will feel younger at heart.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>An experienced teacher is offering private lessons in English. Please email me at the address below and tell me: *Your age *Reasons for learning English *Your level of English *Areas that you need to focus on - grammar, listening, speaking, reading, writing, etc. Mrs. Daniels( daniels _ m@mail.com) From: Li _ Hua@gmail.com To: daniels _ m@mail.com CC...: Subject: English Lessons Dear Mrs. Daniels, I recently saw your advertisement on the university website offering private English lessons. I'm very interested in your private lessons and would like some more information. I am a student at Aston College here in Hong Kong studying English, so my language level is already quite good. However, I feel that I need to improve my listening and speaking skills. This is because I'm planning to study at London University in England next year and I think your lessons will help me to live and study abroad. Could you send me some more information about the lessons offered, such as where and when they will be held and how much they cost? Also, I would like to know whether you teach students in groups or one-on-one. I would be glad to supply any further information you might need. Regards, Li Hua Li Hua wants to take the lessons to improve his _ .
<extra_id_0>listening and writing
<extra_id_1>writing and speaking
<extra_id_2>listening and grammar
<extra_id_3>listening and speaking
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Luggage We ask you to keep what you bring with you down to one mediumsized suitcase per person on board the bus. Seat Arrangements Special needs for particular seats can be made on most bus breaks when booking, but since arrangements are made on a firstcomefirstserved basis, early booking is advisable. When bookings are made with us, you will be offered the best seats we have on the bus at that time. Travel Documents When you have paid your deposit , we will send you all the necessary documents, so that you receive them in good time before the bus break departure date. Certain documents, for example, air or boat tickets, may have to be kept and your driver or guide will then give them to you at the proper time. Special Diets If you need a special diet, you must tell us at the time of booking and provide us with a copy of the diet. This will be passed on to the hotel or hotels on your bus break. However, on certain bus breaks, the hotels used are tourist class and they may not be able to prepare special diets. Any extra costs must be paid to the hotel yourself before leaving the hotel. Programs Some of our hotels arrange extra programs which include music, dancing and film shows, etc. They are all offered by the hotel, but not guaranteed . If you need a special diet, you should _ .
<extra_id_0>tell the hotel when you arrive
<extra_id_1>pay extra money
<extra_id_2>tell the bus company when booking
<extra_id_3>book a tourist class hotel
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The Internationa1 Space Station allows astronauts to live in space for extended amounts of time, enabling them to explore the outside universe and conduct many experiments. However, nothing like that exists for our oceans, and thanks to the high water pressure, ocean researchers are able to explore what lies undersea for very short periods of time. They are therefore never able to fully explore the deep inside areas of our oceans. However, if French architect Jacques Rougerie has his way, that will change soon. Jacques has designed a ship that will allow researchers to spend a long period of time observing the sea life and conducting experiments. The huge l67ft. ship, named 'Sea Orbiter', consists of two areas--one above the water where the scientists and crew will live, and a lower pressurized deck , where scientists will be able to spend as much time as they wish. Since it is powered by sea currents and wind, he expects it to drift along the oceans slowly, taking about two years to _ the globe. Jacques will make their life as comfortable as possible in the ship. Besides being equipped with the latest sailing tools and communication equipment, the ship will also have a gym, a television and a DVD player! And these guys will not be eating freeze-dried food like astronauts. Instead, Jacques, an accomplished chef, plans on cooking them delicious meals every day. The biggest problem to this giant ship is the cost, which is expected to be over $500 million--per ship! However, Jacques, who strongly believes that the secrets of our oceans may be the key to solving global warming and a vital supply for food and medicine in the future, is confident he will be able to convince governments all over the world to help out, and expects to start construction on not one, but four or five of these amazing ships soon! Why can't ocean researchers explore the deep oceans for a long time?
<extra_id_0>Because they can't stand the high water pressure.
<extra_id_1>Because it's too cold in deep ocean.
<extra_id_2>Because time for experiments is too limited.
<extra_id_3>Because it's dangerous to observe the sea life.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>What requires nutrients for survival?
<extra_id_0>buildings
<extra_id_1>rocks
<extra_id_2>badgers
<extra_id_3>clouds
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>There are a lot of things that happen to me in China but would certainly never happen in the US. One of those things is being called "strong". The first time was last December. I was walking across the high school campus in Guangzhou where I taught when a student in a gray scarf waved hello. I smiled and waved back, but then she stopped and called my name. "You're so strong!" She smiled and pointed at what appeared to be my arm. I looked down at my arms. Let's get one thing clear: I'm a very skinny guy. Once, while rehearsing for a high school talent show, I was told by the teacher in charge that I couldn't participate in the men's shirtless dance routine because my visible rig cage would frighten the audience. "I'm so what?" "You're so strong!" _ repeated. "Um, thanks!" I didn't know what else to say, so we both waved goodbye. The next morning I stepped into my oral English classroom only to be greeted instantly by a unanimous "Waaa!" of shock and admiration. "What?" I asked. "You're so strong!" shouted a boy from the back of the class. "Okay, will someone tell me what that means?" I was curious as to the real reason for such praise. So I turned to the monitor, gesturing for him to speak. "We just mean, you look very strong today," he offered earnestly. "What?! You mean like this?" I curled my arm like a bodybuilder. "No! But it's so cold, and you're only wearing a shortsleeve shirt." Oh, I got it. My "strength" had less to do with my muscle and more to do with my apparent ignorance of the cold weather. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
<extra_id_0>The Chinese Culture or the Western Culture
<extra_id_1>Am I Strong or Do I Need a Sweater
<extra_id_2>How I Can Get Stronger in Winter
<extra_id_3>How We Can Tell Two Different Cultures Apart
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>BEIJING - China's National Tourism Administration (NTA) said Saturday that 215 Chinese tour groups in Japan were safeandsoundafter a _ 8.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the country's eastern coast Friday. A total of 4,578 Chinese tourists were staying in Japan at the time of the quake. By Saturday noon, all the 215 tour groups that they booked with had contacted domestic travel agencies, with no death or injury reported, said the NTA upon information from local tourism authorities. The NTA has activated the emergency response system and issued a travel alert for Japan and countries along the Pacific Rim, it said in a statement on its website. The NTA has also called for travel agencies to protect the security of Chinese tourists in Japan and keep in touch with the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan, as well as China's tourism authorities. Chinese tour agencies had started to bring back tourists from the quake-hit Japan and many trips had been called off. China CYTS Tours, one of China's major travel agencies, had promised a full refund for trip cancellation and offered to bear the extra expense for tourist protection in disasters and unrest. A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the east coast of Japan's main Honshu Island at 1:46 pm Beijing Time Friday, which had triggered huge tsunami along Japan's Pacific coast and caused hundreds of deaths and catastrophic damage. Where are we likely to find this passage?
<extra_id_0>In a tour guided book.
<extra_id_1>In a geography book.
<extra_id_2>In a book.
<extra_id_3>In a newspaper.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>What do American middle school students like to be in the future? Some students say they want to be doctors or singers. Some want to be bank clerks or office workers. But Kelly Brown, 13, wants to be a *vegetarian chef. It is a new and interesting job. Kelly Brown wants be a chef because she doesn't eat things from animals. Now she has a problem. She can't find any vegetarian chefs on the computer, so she says she will be the first vegetarian chef, and also the best one in the U.S.A.. Kelly Brown has a *website for herself and other people. It is www.theveggiechef.net. She makes cooking *videos. "I don't like to cook with things from animals," she says. "When I want one egg, I just put in water and *arrowroot. It *tastes the same as an egg." Now her website is very popular and it helps many people a lot. Every day about 3,000 people learn to cook a healthy meal there. To thank her for helping animals, the organization PETA calls her a "Kind Kid". Do you want to be a vegetarian chef like Kelly Brown? Kelly Brown is a 13-year-old student from _ .
<extra_id_0>England
<extra_id_1>Australia
<extra_id_2>Canada
<extra_id_3>the USA
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Perhaps the most famous theory, the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell. He believes that physical appearance is often culturally programmed. In other words, we learn our looks ---- we are not born with them. A baby has generally informed face features. A baby, according to Birdwhistell, learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around-family and friends. This helps explain why the people of some areas of the United States look so much alike, new Englanders or Southerners have certain common face features that cannot be explained by genetics . The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth, it is learned after. In fact, the final mouth shape is not formed until well after new teeth are set. For many, this can be well into grown-ups. A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look alike. We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country area people smile more than those in other areas. In the United States, for example, the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently. In New England they smile less, and in the western part of New York State still less. Many southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly, partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia. People in largely populated areas also smile and greet each other in public less than people in small towns do. Ray Birdwhistell can tell what area of the United States a person is from by _ .
<extra_id_0>how much he or she laughs
<extra_id_1>how he or she raises his or her eyebrows
<extra_id_2>what he or she likes best
<extra_id_3>the way he or she talks
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Not long ago, the only time you could see a robot was when you were reading a novel or watching a movie such asStar Wars . Today, however, a lot of things in science stories have been science facts. Robots are starting to appear in our everyday lives. These robots have different sizes, shapes, and colors. But they all have the same type of man-made "brain". Leading the robot revolution are industrial robots that work in factories. Industrial robots can do different kinds of jobs that are often boring and sometimes dangerous. Robots are also coming to American homes, though not as quickly as they are entering factories. These robots aren't as friendly and bright as those you saw in Star Wars.But, their makers say, today's home robots "walk", sense objects in their way (and sometimes knock into them), and even carry objects (which they sometimes drop). Well, nobody is perfect. We may laugh at home robot today, but some day they may see and hear better than humans do. We humans can only see certain wavelengths of light, and hear certain sounds. That's because the abilities of our eyes and ears are limited. Robots, however, need not have the same limits as we have. Robot may also be equipped with devices that pick up information humans can't. To understand what their sensing devices pick up is a hard job. Remember, man--made brains handle information, including all kinds of data, as zeroes and ones. Imagine the difficulty in trying to explain to a robot what a football looks like--using only zeroes and ones. Robots may deal with information that humans can't. Which of the following is not one of the reasons?
<extra_id_0>They do not have so many limits as humans do.
<extra_id_1>They have man-made brains.
<extra_id_2>They may be equipped with a special kind of sensing device.
<extra_id_3>They handle information by using zeroes and ones.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There are some highlights in April in Shanghai. Live Music - Late Night Jazz Enjoy real American jazz from Herbie Davis, the famous trumpet player. He's coming with his new 7 - piece band, Herbie's Heroes. Herbie is known to play well into the early hours, so don't expect to get much sleep. This is Herbie's third visit to Shanghai. The first two were sold out, so get your tickets quickly. Place: The Jazz Club Dates:15 - 23 April Price:Y=80 Time: 10:00 p.m. till late! TEL:6466 - 8736 Scottish dancing Take your partners and get ready to dance till you drop. Scottish dancing is fun and easy to learn. Instructors will demonstrate the dances. The live band, Gordon Stroppie and the Weefrees, are also excellent. Place: Jack Stein's Dates: every Monday Price:Y=60 including one drink Time: 7:00 - 00:00 p.m. TEL:6402 - 1877 Exhibitions - Shanghai Museum There are 120,000 pieces on show here. You can see the whole of Chinese history under one roof. It's always interesting to visit, but doubly so at the moment with the Egyptian Tombs exhibition. There are lots of mummies and more gold than you've ever seen before. Let us know if you see a mummy move! Place: Shanghai Museum Price:Y=30(Y=15 for students) TEL:6888 - 6888 Dates: daily Time: Monday - Friday 9:00 a. m. - 5:00 p. m., Weekends 9:00 a. m. - 9:00p.m. Dining - Sushi chef in town Sushi is getting really big in Shanghai. In Japan, it's become an art form. The most famous Sushi 'artist' is Yuki Kamura. She's also one of the few female chefs in Japan. She'll be at Sushi Scene all of this month. Place: Sushi Scene in the Shanghai Hotel Dates: all month Price: Y=200 Time: lunchtime TEL: 6690 - 3211 For a full listing of events, see our website. Which is not true about the ads?
<extra_id_0>Yuki Kamura will stay in Shanghai in April for a whole month.
<extra_id_1>A family of parents with 15 - year - old twins should pay 75 yuan for the Shanghai museum admission.
<extra_id_2>You will probably be taught to dance if you go to Jack Stein's.
<extra_id_3>American jazz from Herbie Davis is popular in Shanghai.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Mr Brown and Mr Green are in the garden. They are neighbours. Mr Green asks, "What's the matter?". Mr Brown says, "My house is too small! I want a big house!". Mr Green is very clever. He has a good idea. "Buy a dog!" says Mr Green. "A dog?" says Mr Brown. "That's a funny idea! Well, OK." So Mr Brown buys a dog. He puts it in the bedroom. "This dog is very big!" says Mr Brown. "And my bedroom is very small." The next day, Mr Brown is still sad. "My house is too small," says Mr Brown. "Buy a horse!" says Mr Green. So Mr Brown buys a horse. He puts it in the bathroom. Mr Brown says, "This horse is very big. And my bathroom is very small." Mr Brown is not happy. He says to the dog and horse, "Now go away!" After that, Mr Brown is very happy. "My house is not too small! My house is wonderful!" Where does Mr Brown put his dog?
<extra_id_0>In the garden.
<extra_id_1>In the bathroom.
<extra_id_2>In the bedroom.
<extra_id_3>In the living room.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>City enacted an ordinance banning from its public sidewalks all machines dispensing publications consisting wholly of commercial advertisements. The ordinance was enacted because of a concern about the adverse aesthetic effects of litter from publications distributed on the public sidewalks and streets. However, City continued to allow machines dispensing other types of publications on the public sidewalks. As a result of the City ordinance, 30 of the 300 sidewalk machines that were dispensing publications in City were removed. Is this City ordinance constitutional?
<extra_id_0>Yes, because regulations of commercial speech are subject only to the requirement that they be rationally related to a legitimate state goal, and that requirement is satisfied here.
<extra_id_1>Yes, because City has a compelling interest in protecting the aesthetics of its sidewalks and streets, and such a ban is necessary to vindicate this interest.
<extra_id_2>No, because it does not constitute the least restrictive means with which to protect the aesthetics of City's sidewalks and streets.
<extra_id_3>No, because there is not a reasonable fit between the legitimate interest of City in preserving the aesthetics of its sidewalks and streets and the means it chose to advance that interest.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Which of the following allows materials to enter and leave a cell?
<extra_id_0>cell wall
<extra_id_1>mitochondria
<extra_id_2>vacuole
<extra_id_3>cell membrane
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>There are some vegetables in the garden and a big tree near the vegetables. They don't like each other, because vegetables drink much water, and the tree can't have enough water to live. He is very angry about that. So he wants to teach vegetables a lesson . On a very hot day, the big tree doesn't share its shadow with vegetables. It makes vegetables very hot. But there is not enough water to drink. So they soon become very dry. At that time, the gardener comes to see these vegetables. He is very sad, because all the vegetables are dry. Then he starts to build a new one. The vegetables and the big tree can't drink water any more. The big tree feels very sad, because he uses a wrong way to teach the lesson. When does the tree teach the vegetables a lesson?
<extra_id_0>On a very cold day.
<extra_id_1>On a very hot day.
<extra_id_2>On a very warm day.
<extra_id_3>On a very windy day.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Elderly women who eat foods higher in potassium are less likely to have strokes and die than women who eat less potassium-rich foods, according to new research in the American Heart Association. "Previous studies have shown that potassium consumption may lower blood pressure. But whether potassium intake could prevent stroke or death wasn't clear," said Smoller, professor of the department of population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Researchers studied 90,137 women, aged from 50 to 79 for an average 11 years. They looked at how much potassium the women consumed, as well as if they had strokes, including ischemic strokes , or died during the study period. Women in the study were stroke-free at the start and their average dietary potassium intake was 2,611 mg/day. Results of this study are based on potassium from food, not supplements. The researchers found: Women who ate the most potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer stroke in general and 16 percent less likely to suffer an ischemic stroke than women who ate the least. Women who ate the most potassium were 10 percent less likely to die than those who ate the least. Among women who did not have high blood pressure, those who ate the most potassium had a 27 percent lower ischemic stroke risk and 21 perc ent reduced risk for all stroke types, compared to women who ate the least potassium in their daily diets. Among women with high blood pressure, those who ate the most potassium had a lower risk of death, but potassium intake did not lower their stroke risk. "Our findings suggest that women need to eat more p otassium-rich foods. You won't find high potassium in junk food. Some foods rich in potassium include white and sweet potatoes, bananas and white beans." The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that women eat at least 4,700 mg of potassium daily. "Only 2.8 percent of women in our study met or went beyond this level. The World Health Organization's daily potassium recommendation for women is lower, at 3,510 mg or more. Still, only 16.6 percent of women we studied met or went beyond that," said Smoller. While increasing potassium intake is probably a good idea for most elderly women, there are some people who have too much potassium in their blood, which can be dangerous to the heart. "People should check with their doctor about how much potassium they should eat," she said. The study was observational and included only elderly women. Researchers also did not take sodium intake into consideration, so the potential importance of a balance between sodium and potassium is not among the findings. Researchers said more studies are needed to determine whether potassium has the same effects on men and younger people. Which of the following figure meets the daily potassium intake recommendation of the World Health Organization?
<extra_id_0>4,000 mg
<extra_id_1>3,500 mg
<extra_id_2>3,000 mg
<extra_id_3>2,500 mg
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Around six weeks ago, Kaileen came running into the house, just getting off the bus from school. She was all excited about a story about homeless pets because of Hurricane Katrina and all that was going on to help them. She said that this information came from her animal newspaper (your KIND News). Kaileen has a great love and compassion for animals, so her excitement did not surprise me. Her next ideas, however, did. She said that we should go around right then to our neighbors and collect all their change to send to the animal shelters . I thought this was a school project, but in fact, it was not. This was what Kaileen wanted to do on her own! Well, it warmed me all over. To see your child so willing to help others just lets you feel that maybe you had done something right in raising her. Anyway, I told her to make a card and send it out to our neighbors first. With the help of her older brother, Kaileen soon made a lovely card that asked our neighbors to help these pets by giving their spare change. She gave them a few days and a date she would come by to pick up any donations . Well, I had to go out and buy a donation box. Kaileen collected $279.50!!! I just thought you would like to know how KIND News had touched a little one's heart and given her the idea to show her compassion for animals. Thank you -- we really enjoy your paper. What was the author's feeling about Kaileen's idea?
<extra_id_0>Pleased and excited.
<extra_id_1>Surprised and moved.
<extra_id_2>Tired and sad.
<extra_id_3>Worried and angry.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>In department stores and closets all over the world, they are waiting. Their outward appearance seems rather appealing because they come in a variety of styles, patterns, materials, and color1s. But they are eventually the biggest deception that exists in the fashion industry today. What are they? They are high heels -- a woman's worst enemy (whether she knows it or not). High heel shoes are the downfall of modern society. Fashion myths have led women to believe that they are more beautiful or stylish for wearing heels, but in reality, heels succeed in creating short as well as long term troubles. Women should fight the high heel industry by refusing to use or purchase them in order to save the world from unnecessary physical and psychological suffering. For the sake of fairness, it must be noted that there is a positive side to high heels. First, heels are excellent for aerating lawns . Anyone who has ever worn heels on grass knows what I am talking about. A simple trip around the yard in a pair of those babiesgets rid of all the need to call for a lawn care specialist, and provides the perfect-sized holes to give any lawn oxygen without all those messy blocks of dirt lying around. Second, heels are quite functional for defending against oncoming enemies, who can easily be scared away by threatening them with a pair of these sharp, deadly fashion items. Regardless of such practical uses for heels, the fact remains that wearing high heels is harmful to one's physical health. Talk to any podiatrist , and you will hear that the majority of their business comes from high-heel-wearing women. High heels are known to cause problems such as misshapen feet and torn toenails. The risk of severe back problems and twisted or broken ankles is three times higher for a high heel wearer than for a flat shoe wearer. Wearing heels also creates the threat of getting a heel caught in a narrow sidewalk gap and being thrown to the ground--possibly breaking a nose, back, or neck. And of course, after wearing heels for a day, any woman knows she can look forward to a night of pain as she tries to comfort her aching feet. It can be inferred from the passage that women should _ .
<extra_id_0>see through the very nature of fashion myths
<extra_id_1>refuse to buy the products of the fashion industry
<extra_id_2>go to a podiatrist regularly for advice
<extra_id_3>avoid following fashion too closely
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Peter is thirteen years old. He is in Grade Two this year. He likes to play football and watch football matches. And he often reads newspapers. He does his best to know when and where there is going to be a football match. Now Peter is having lunch. He is listening to the radio , too. He is very happy because there is going to be a football match this afternoon. But he has to have English and Chinese lessons. He thinks hard and finds a way."Hello, Mrs. Black,"Peter says to his teacher on the telephone. "Peter is ill in bed. He wants to ask for half a day's leave .""Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," says Mrs. Black. "But who is that?""It's my father, Mrs. Black," says Peter. Peter is a _ .
<extra_id_0>middle school student
<extra_id_1>Young Pioneer
<extra_id_2>worker
<extra_id_3>teacher
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A mother in Australia was told by a doctor that her new born son was dead but she helped to bring him back to life by holding the baby against her body. She used a method known as a kangaroo care. The child, named Jamie ,was born after only 27 weeks with his twin sister, Emily, in a hospital in Sydney. Her birth went well ,but his was a different story. The doctor struggled for 20 minutes to save Jamie before announcing him dead. "His little arms and legs were just falling down away from his body." Kate Ogg said ,"I took off my coat and put him on my chest with his head over my arm." She and her husband, David ,said to the child as she continued to hold him for nearly 2 hours. During that time, the two-pound baby showed the sign of life. She said , "I told my mum ,who was there, that he was still alive. Then he held out his hand and grabbed my finger. "Their tiny baby grew stronger and stronger in his mother's arms, and their final goodbye turned into a hello. The doctor at first ignored the baby's movements, but when he put the stethoscope to his chest, his mouth was wide open and he said ,"It's my fault, It's a miracle( ). "The kangaroo care helps the baby keep body warmth" Dr Pinchi Srinivasan said, "It also regulates heartbeat and breathing rates and is believed to help weight gain and improve sleeping habits. Fathers can also use kangaroo care. The key to the method is skin-to-skin contact." The practice began in less developed nations. It has become a recognized pracitce in helping premature babies. The techniques is good for babies, and is used in many baby care centers. According to the paassage, premature babies refer to babies that are born _ .
<extra_id_0>with diseases
<extra_id_1>before their time
<extra_id_2>dead
<extra_id_3>heavy
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Many children use the Internet to get useful knowledge and information, and to relax in their free time. But some of them are not using it in a good way. Here are some rules to make sure you are safe and have fun on the Internet. Make rules for Internet use with your parents. For example, when you can go online, for how long and what activities you can do online. Don't give your password to anyone else, and never give out the following information: your real name ,home address, age, school, phone number or other personal information. Check with your parents before giving out a credit card number. Never send a photo of yourself to someone in e-mail unless your parents say it's OK. Check with your parents before going into a chat room. Different chat rooms have different rules and attract different kinds of people. You and your parents will want to make sure it's a right place for you. Never agree to meet someone you met on the Internet without your parent's permission. Never meet anyone you met online alone. Always remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Treat everyone online as if they were strangers. If something you see or read online makes you uncomfortable, leave the site. Tell a parent or a teacher right away. Treat other people as you'd like to be treated. Never use bad language. Remember that not everything you read on the Internet is true. The writer tells children to _ .
<extra_id_0>send their own photos to him.
<extra_id_1>make rules for Internet use with parents.
<extra_id_2>believe everything they read on the Internet
<extra_id_3>give out their personal information
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>A mother is _ , crying, yelling all she can in that dark corner. There was nobody tohear her yell and not a soul to calm her, because outside her house is a long winding lonely road.The wind was at rest and the leaves didn't rustle, silence filling the air. Loneliness was alreadykilling her, but no one knows what made her cry? Losing something you love with all your heart isn't really the pain you can ever overcome.Radha lost her baby, her only means to live. She saw her child getting killed and the accidentwas terrible. One lonely night, she was walking down the street to get a breath of fresh air withher child hugged tight in her arms. The whole time she walked with her child in her arms, the only thing that worried her wasAryan's future. She was imagining and feeling every day of the child's growthand figuringwhat she would have in store for him. But who knows what's in store for us tomorrow, life canchange in a second. On that deserted road, were a few streetlights barely enough? It was this one light that couldbe seen from a distance,but as it came closer it got brighter and brighter. That light changedRadha's life into darkness forever. A speeding car came down that road. The driver came with a full speed throwing beer bottles out of his half open window. He was definitely drunk,and the speed took, everything in its path. Just then, there was a loud cry, and silence set in again. But the mother wasn't hurt. She opened her eyes, unable to focus her eyes, and didn't seeAryan. After a few minutes when her sight cleared up she looked all over in a panic for her baby,but alas! ... The child hadn't even seen life. Simple, don't drink and drive. _ life, _ Which of the following statements is TRUE of Radha?
<extra_id_0>She had expected much of Aryan.
<extra_id_1>She got her eyes injured in the accident.
<extra_id_2>She was hit by one bottle on the arm.
<extra_id_3>She had everything ready for Aryan's future.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Which of the following is most likely to make a person shiver?
<extra_id_0>being in a gym
<extra_id_1>being in a sauna
<extra_id_2>being in a fridge
<extra_id_3>being in a pool
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>I stood up to speak and my mind went blank .Has this ever happened to you? You may be nervous in front of an audience .You may be worried that you didn't prepare enough, You may have forgotten some of your facts. What can you do? Sometimes people prepare too much and become terrified if they can't remember the words they have practised. It is a good idea to bring some notes to help you organize, but don't memorize your speech. If you "go blank",begin by explaining the purpose of your speech, and the test will probably follow. A good way to make to made a good speech is _
<extra_id_0>to memorize the speech
<extra_id_1>to organize the audience well
<extra_id_2>to have some brief motes at hand
<extra_id_3>to have the audience take notes
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>What's your opinion about gun control in the US? Figures tell a different story: Countries that allow their citizens to carry guns seem to have more killings than those that do not allow them. It's easy to kill with a gun. The media is filled with violence. People, especially young people, watch television. Having a gun does not cause someone to kill. The problem is within that person's mind. Controlling guns will not control killing. Changing the mindset will, however. --- Bobby Walker, U.S. Guns are deadly to all others who are near or know someone who has one. People don't understand the danger it holds, and don't realize what will happen just by cleaning it of if a younger child gets a hold of it. This weapon is dangerous and we don't need teens, kids, anyone to have them. Society can get along without guns. ---Ann Miller, U.S I have a very large farm near Austin, Texas, USA. Because it is far from the city, I need to protect my property and cattle from thieves and wild dogs. The wildlife, such as coyotes and puma , can feed on deer, mice, rabbits--they don't bother me and I don't bother them. I lost 45 animals to thieves that cut a fence. This will never happen again. You ask if I would shoot--of course--that's why I carry a gun. --- Texas Rancher, U.S Some people think guns are very bad because they lead to violence. In my opinion, when people kill themselves or others, they do not have any feelings because they do not know anything about love, sympathy , and promise. The only way those persons can get these feelings is when they keep close to family, friends and people who matter to them. Now, having a gun is not a problem: the problem is what the people feel when they use one. ---Connie Faille, Colombia The relationship between the Texas Rancher and coyotes can be described as _
<extra_id_0>peaceful
<extra_id_1>difficult
<extra_id_2>dangerous
<extra_id_3>changeable
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>I prefer Lynne Truss's phraseology: I am a grammar "sticker". And, like Truss - author of Eats, shoots & Leaves - I have a "zero tolerance" approach to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid. Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have "zero tolerance". She thinks that people who mix up basic grammar "deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave", while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job - even if they are otherwise qualified for the position. Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a compulsory grammar test. If job hopefuls can't distinguish between "to" and "too", their applications go into the bin. Of course, we write for a living. iFixit.com is the world's largest online repair manual , and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sense that we've made a strong strike against grammar errors. But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn't make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the Internet. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can't tell the difference between "their" "there" and "they're". Good grammar makes good business sense - and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isn't in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers. Grammar signifies more than just a person's ability to remember high school English. I've found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing - like stocking shelves or labeling parts. It is the same with programmers. Applicants who don't think writing is important are likely to think lots of other things also aren't important. What's the author's "zero tolerance" approach to these job seekers who mix up basic grammar?
<extra_id_0>They should be left out for a job.
<extra_id_1>They have to correct their mistakes.
<extra_id_2>They aren't qualified for their jobs.
<extra_id_3>They must be severely punished.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>On the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar , which is Wednesday this year, all Chinese celebrate one of their traditional festivals, the Dagon Boat Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival. Their celebrations include eating zongzi, rice wrapped in bamboo leaves in the shape of a pyramid, racing dragon boats and sticking _ on their doors. In 2007, the central government decided to add the Dragon Boat Festival, together with two other traditional festivals - Tomb Sweeping Day and Mid Autumn Festival - to the list of public holidays According to tradition, our ancestors believed the hot weather in midsummer might cause different kinds of diseases . So, to keep off diseases and drive out evil were the main purposes of the Dragon Boat Festival. Parents used colorful threads to make necklaces and bracelets for children, gave them beautiful embroidered bags , painted the Chinese character for "king" (wang) on their foreheads to drive away bad luck. The Dragon Boat Festival was also called "kids festival" in some places. Spending such happy hours with parents, young children began to understand the festival as well as the traditions and culture behind it. Repeating the customs year by year makes it possible for kids to learn the traditions, accept it and pass it on when they become adults. What is the main purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival according to tradition?
<extra_id_0>To keep off diseases and drive out evil and bad luck.
<extra_id_1>To spend happy time with parents.
<extra_id_2>To make necklaces and bracelets for children.
<extra_id_3>To have a long holiday with family members.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Ben was the illegitimate, unacknowledged child of Fred. Fred died intestate, leaving neither spouse nor any children other than Ben. The state's law of intestate succession provides that an unacknowledged illegitimate child may not inherit his father's property. The spouse, all other blood relations, and the state are preferred as heirs over the unacknowledged illegitimate child. Ben filed suit in an appropriate court alleging that the state statute barring an illegitimate child from sharing in a parent's estate is invalid, and that he should be declared lawful heir to his father's estate"In challenging the validity of the state statute, Ben's strongest argument would be that
<extra_id_0>there is no rational basis for preferring as heirs collateral relatives and even the state over unacknowledged children, and therefore the law violates the equal protection clause.
<extra_id_1>he has been deprived of property without due process because his fundamental right to inherit has been compromised without a compelling state need.
<extra_id_2>it violates the privileges and immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
<extra_id_3>it is a denial of procedural due process because it does not give the unacknowledged illegitimate child an opportunity to prove paternity
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Tom grows the nicest vegetables and fruits, and the most beautiful flowers in his village. Plants grow in Tom's garden all through the year.Tom cuts some flowers for his sitting-room table and eats some fruits and vegetables, but he sells most of them in the market. His vegetables, fruits and flowers are so wonderful that they sell much more quickly in the market than those of other villages. How does Tom grow these beautiful plants? He is so lazy that he just sits under his orange tree with his radio. He listens to music all day. That is quite true. Tom plants things in spring, summer, autumn and winter. After that he sits with his radio. And everything grows. It is the music that does work. Tom knows more clearly that music makes the biggest vegetables and fruits and the most beautiful flowers. Plants love music as much as people. Tom _ most of the things in his garden.
<extra_id_0>sells
<extra_id_1>eats
<extra_id_2>keeps
<extra_id_3>gives
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Two little children come to a big city. Their names are Mike and Bob. They live with their father and mother. Their family is very rich. They have a driver and lots of servants. Mike and Bob are going to a new school. Their father says to them, "Mike and Bob, don't say we are rich at school." So they go to school. Their teacher says, "Hi, boys and girls. Today we write a composition about your family. " So all the children write something about their families. This is Mike's composition. "My name is Mike. My family is poor. My father and my mother are poor. Our driver is very poor and all the servants are very poor. " , . Did Mike say they are rich?
<extra_id_0>Yes, he did.
<extra_id_1>No, he didn't.
<extra_id_2>Yes, he was.
<extra_id_3>No, he wasn't.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The term is most commonly used to refer to those eight schools considered as a group. The term is also connected with academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism . The term became official, especially in sports terminology, after the formation of the NCAA Division I athletic conference in 1954, when much of the nation polarized around favorite college teams. "IV" was used because originally the league consisted only of four members. The use of the phrase is no longer limited to athletics, and now represents an educational philosophy inherent to ( ,)the nation's oldest schools. In addition, Ivy League schools are often viewed by the public as some of the most prestigious universities worldwide and are often ranked amongst the best universities in the United States and worldwide. The eight institutions are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. All of the Ivy League's institutions place near the top in theU.S. News & World Reportcollege and university rankings and rank within the top one percent of the world's academic institutions in terms of financial endowment . Seven of the eight schools were founded during America's colonial period; the exception is Cornell, which was founded in 1865. Ivy League institutions, therefore, account for seven of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The Ivies are all in the Northeast geographic region of the United States. All eight schools receive millions of dollars in research grants and other subsidies from federal and state government. Undergraduate enrollments among the Ivy League schools range from about 4,000 to 14,000, making them larger than those of a typical private liberal arts college and smaller than a typical public state university. Ivy League university financial endowments range from Brown's $2.01 billion to Harvard's $26 billion, the largest financial endowment of any academic institution in the world. What is special about Cornell University in the League?
<extra_id_0>It is the oldest one.
<extra_id_1>It was founded by colonists.
<extra_id_2>It has the smallest endowment.
<extra_id_3>It is the youngest one.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Last Saturday on the way to the mall, two children, a boy and a girl, came running towards me with bottles on their hands, asking if I wanted bottled water. It was a surprising gesture. I was wondering if they were doing fund-raising. I knelt and asked them where their parents were and how much a bottle of water cost. Then two adult women came up to me explaining what the children were doing. "We are teaching the children to give without anything in return. We are teaching people to accept without giving in return. " Two mothers had bought bottled water and placed a sticker on all bottles with five different quotes : 1. Smile at everyone. You'll never know when someone may need it. 2. If Plan A does not work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabets. 3. Have a thirst for life. Every day is filled with possibilities. 4. In your thirst for knowledge, be sure you don't drown in all the information. 5. Dig your well before you're thirsty. The bottle I have has quoted No.5. A sudden change of attitude opened up between me, the mothers and the children. We are no longer strangers to each other. We were having such a great time chatting and I ended up helping them give away the rest of the bottled water. One young lady was so thankful that she happily accepted the water and said it was the best thing that happened to her all day since she had a bad day at work. A man refused and walked away saying "no thanks". A couple kept on bowing to us in gratitude. When it was all done, the children and I were giving each other high-five. It was so much fun. I think I had more fun doing this than the mothers and the children. How did the author feel when he was offered bottled water?
<extra_id_0>Embarrassed
<extra_id_1>Surprised
<extra_id_2>Excited
<extra_id_3>Disappointed
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>The average American child spends three to five hours a day watching TV. In 1961, the average child began to watch television at age three; however, today it is nine months. Yet, most parents think that television has bad influence on their children. For example, in the early 1970s, my parents believed that my bad eyesight was the result of sitting too close to the screen, and they therefore made my stay at least six feet from it. Today, most people have no such worry, but many new ridiculous sayings have appeared: *TV makes kids stupid. Many children watch more educational programs when they are pre-schoolers. When they grow up, they can read more books and have much better ideas to solve difficult problems than other children. *TV makes kids violent. The real story is not so simple. Hundreds of studies show that watching violence on TV makes children more aggressive . But a study of over 5,000 children also finds that some positive programs make children kinder. The problem is that kids are increasingly watching shows with violence instead of those suitable for their age. *Sitting around watching TV makes kids overweight. An experiment finds that when children watch less television, they do lose extra weight; however, reducing their television time does not make them more active. The real problem lies in snacking . A widespread habit for kids, and junk-food advertisements. *TV helps kids get to sleep. The opposite is true. The more television children watch, the more likely they are to have irregular sleep and nap patterns. Allowing kids to watch television is part of the problem, not the solution. What is the purpose of this text?
<extra_id_0>To increase people's knowledge of watching TV.
<extra_id_1>To warn parents of the disadvantages of watching TV.
<extra_id_2>To explain the bad influences that watching TV has on children.
<extra_id_3>To correct parents' wrong ideas of television's effect on children.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Your peers are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other's choices and behavior. This is often _ --- it's human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group. Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you're uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, or taking dangerous risks when driving a car. The pressure to conform can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it. Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless--- or something that has more serious consequences. People may feel pressure to conform, so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don't feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues about what is and isn't acceptable. The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else's lead first. Then others may go along, too --- so it can be easy to think, "It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they're doing." Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd --- perhaps on something they might not otherwise do. Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature --- but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. It's not always easy to resist negative peer pressure. But when you do, it is easy to feel good about it afterwards. And you may even be a positive influence on your peers who feel the same way --- often it just takes one person to speak out or take a different action to change a situation. This passage is mainly about _ .
<extra_id_0>thoughts on peer pressure
<extra_id_1>different types of peer pressure
<extra_id_2>ways to deal with peer pressure
<extra_id_3>the influence of peer pressure on people
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Plants need iron to grow. What parts of plants take in iron?
<extra_id_0>roots
<extra_id_1>flowers
<extra_id_2>stems
<extra_id_3>leaves
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>169 junior 1 students at No. 35 Middle School of Shenyang took their first noteacher exam. After the teacher handed out the exam paper, he left the room and never came back. A student collected the papers when the exam ended. "That test was not only a test of knowledge, but also a test of moral . We wanted to show students how important honesty is," said Cai Wenguo, the school's headmaster. The school says no cheating happened in the test. Next year, it wants 80% of its exams to be without teachers. But students have different ideas. "I was happy and excited during the exam because my teachers trusted me," said Lang Yudan, a 13yearold girl in Class 11. "Schools must trust students a lot not to use invigilators . But I think it is too early. Some students will cheat if there are no invigilators. And the students will not be able to ask for help when needed," said Hua Sha. "I don't like having invigilators in exams. When they walk around the classroom, they make me nervous. I would get higher marks without them in the room because I would feel more relaxed," Liu Qingxi said. "I think it's very important to have invigilators in exams. Many students want to check their answers with each other after they have finished papers. And they can also keep the classroom in order when something unusual happens. They may make me nervous, but I still think we need them," Shangguan Yuan said. Not using invigilators may be a good idea. But before using it, schools must tell students the importance of honesty and try to find ways to solve something unusual in exams. No. 35 Middle School of Shenyang held a noteacher exam to _ .
<extra_id_0>let the students have a good test
<extra_id_1>teach the students in a better way
<extra_id_2>help all the students pass the exam
<extra_id_3>find whether the students were honest
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Meet the "Tutor Kings and Queens" "If you want to be a top tutor, it definitely helps if you are young and attractive. Students look at your appearance," said Kelly Mok, 26, a "tutor queen" at King's Glory, one of Hong Kong's largest tutorial establishments. Richard Eng from Beacon College, a former secondary school teacher, is often credited with being the first of Hong Kong's "star tutors". "In school all the teachers look the same, there's no excitement," he said. The celebrity tutor phenomenon is a result of the huge growth in outofschool tutoring in Asia. It is fuelled by highly pressured examination systems and ambitious parents wanting their children to secure places at top universities and highstatus secondary schools. In societies where success _ good exam results, parental anxiety converts into a "steady stream of revenue " for tutoring establishments, according to a study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The tutoring industry, or "shadow education" as the ADB calls it, has become very widespread in Asia, fed by the growth in universities and the rising proportion of school leavers aiming for university. Hong Kong University's professor Mark Bray, one of the authors of the ADB study, said a staggering 72% of finalyear school students in Hong Kong now go to private tutors. It's not just Hong Kong. Tutoring has "spread and intensified in Asia and become more commercialized," said Professor Bray. In South Korea, 90% of primary school children attend such classes. In China, New Oriental Education and Technology has grown to become one of the largest tutoring schools in Asia with around 2.4 million students this year. In South Korea, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, tutorial schools use star tutors to attract even more students. What Professor Bray says in this passage means that _ .
<extra_id_0>the number of school leavers is increasing
<extra_id_1>tutoring may improve achievement for individual students
<extra_id_2>star tutors have attracted 2.4 million students
<extra_id_3>more and more students in Asia go to private tutors
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Do you know about a series of books that say they are "for dummies"? These American selfhelp books have been translated into more than thirty nine languages including Chinese,Arabic,Russian,French,German,Greek and Spanish. "Dummy" is a word for a stupid person.The dummies books are not really for stupid people.They are designed to show people how to do something they may never have tried before,like painting a house or learning a language.The books all say in a funny way that they are for dummies,such as World History for Dummies,Rabbits for Dummies,Chinese Cooking for Dummies,and Wedding Planning for Dummies.The first such book,DOS for Dummies,was published in 1991.It helped people learn how to use the DOS operating system for computers.Since then,more than one hundred fifty million dummies books have been sold. The dummies.com website explains the idea behind the books.It says that they show people can be taught to do anything.First they can make fun of ideas that are difficult to understand.Then they show how the information can be interesting and easy.The publishers say that the books do not provide more information than necessary.They give readers just enough information to do what they want.They say that the dummies books give the best and easiest way to do something.And the books use simple and easy language. There are more than one thousand different dummies books.A report in New York Times says that the top-selling dummies books are those that explain technology and personal finance. The publishers say that the best-selling dummies books are those providing information many people need-like information about diseases,education and cooking.People interested in opera,car repair and wine can also find dummies books to help them.And there are even more dummies books to come.The publishers say that they publish about two hundred new dummies books every year. The dummies books have been popular because _ .
<extra_id_0>they provide just what is needed and are easy to understand
<extra_id_1>they provide abundant information on the concerning subject
<extra_id_2>people can learn to do anything with just one copy
<extra_id_3>people can save lots of money through self-teaching
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Computers are very important to modern life. Many people think that in the future computers will be used a lot in everyday's life. It is thought that we won't have to go shopping because we will be able to get most things which are sold in shops on the Internet. There will be fewer books because we will be able to get all texts from computers. The Internet will be used to play games, see films and buy food. Most telephone calls will be made by computers, too. Some people are glad about these new ways of shopping and communicating . Others do not think that computers will replace our old ways. Let's take books for example. Some people think that one day we won't read books made of paper. Instead, we will buy and read books using computers. We will read texts on small pocket computers. The computers will keep many different books in them at the same time. We won't need to turn lots of pages and paper will be saved. Computerized books will be used more and more. Is Internet shopping such a pleasure as going to the shop? Many people say it is not. It is a pleasure to go into shops and look at things you want to buy. It is also unlikely that many people will want to read large texts on our computers. Because paper books will perhaps be more friendly. Maybe computers won't change these two habits . The title for this passage is " _ "
<extra_id_0>Computers Will Do Everything For Man
<extra_id_1>Computers Are The Future
<extra_id_2>How Computers Change Our Habits
<extra_id_3>Will Computers Replace Shops And Books
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Nowadays people are troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media. Movies, television and video games are full of gunplay and bloodshed, and one might reasonably ask what's wrong with a society that presents videos of violence as entertainment. Viewing large amounts of violent television and video games may well contribute to violent behavior in certain individuals. The trouble comes when researchers downplay uncertainties in their studies or overstate the case for causality . Skeptics were dismayed several years ago when a group of societies including the American Medical Association tried to end the debate by issuing a joint statement: "At this time, well over 1,000 studies... point to a causal connection between media violence and aggressive behavior in some children." Freedom-of-speech advocates accused the societies of catering to politicians, and even disputed the number of studies (most were review articles and essays, they said). When Jonathan Freedman, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, reviewed the literature, he found only 200 or so studies of television-watching and aggression. And when he weeded out "the most doubtful measures of aggression", only 28% supported a connection. The critical point here is causality. The alarmists say they have proved that violent media cause aggression. But the assumptions behind their observations need to be examined. When labeling games as violent or non-violent, should a hero eating a ghost really be counted as a violent event? And when experimenters record the time it takes game players to read "aggressive" or "non-aggressive" words from a list, can we be sure what they are actually measuring? The intention of the new Harvard Center on Media and Child Health to collect and standardize studies of media violence in order to compare their methodologies, assumptions and conclusions is an important step in the right direction. Another appropriate step would be to tone down the criticism until we know more. Several researchers write, speak and testify quite a lot on the threat posed by violence in the media. That is, of course, their privilege. But when doing so, they often come out with statements that the matter has now been settled, drawing criticism from colleagues. In response, the alarmists accuse critics and news reporters of being deceived by the entertainment industry. Such clashes help neither science nor society. What does the writer think of the debate concerning the relationship between the media and violence?
<extra_id_0>He more than agrees with the views held by the alarmists.
<extra_id_1>It should come to an end since the matter has now been settled.
<extra_id_2>The past studies in this field have proved to be misleading.
<extra_id_3>More studies should be conducted before conclusions are drawn.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Simon and Garfunkel once famously sang "I am a rock, I am an island". It's a great song, but is simply isn't true! For whatever reason, we all seem afraid to ask for help, even from those closest to us, regardless of whether we need or deserve it. There's something in our society than seems to dictate that we have to do it all by ourselves ---- either the views that we'll be seen as weak, or just simply pride. This, however, doesn't seem to be true of successful people. They haven't bought into the fallacy that asking for help is wrong. They know the truth that great things are achieved when people cooperate. We all have different skills, knowledge and experiences. Each person you know is a whole new set of untapped reference material and expertise. So if you want to get hold of it and use it, all you have to do is ask them. People are rarely unwilling to assist ---- it's in our nature to be part of communities. A good example I sometimes use in seminars is to pick a delegate at random and ask him how many people he knows in total. The usual answer is somewhere between 200 and 500. For the sake of this illustration, let's select the lower figure and call it 200. Then I ask the person how many people each of those people knows. On the assumption that they have similar-sized circles, they almost certainly know at least 200 people each. On this basis, the people within one degree of separation(1:)for a person who knows 200 people comes to 40,000 ---- can you imagine the size of that experience and knowledge pool? Looking as it this way, giving your friends, family and colleagues the opportunity to help you open your resource bank to thousands of people. That's a whole army of potential volunteers all waiting to be praised! So, next time you need help, don't suffer in silence. Pick up the phone or mention it to a friend. You'll be pleasantly amazed at what you can achieve together. Based on this text successful people often have spirit of _ .
<extra_id_0>self-confidence
<extra_id_1>teamwork
<extra_id_2>making efforts
<extra_id_3>taking risks
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Computer programmer David Jones earned $ 150,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank prepared to let him have a check card . Instead, he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18. He works for a small firm in Liverpool, where most young people of his age are finding jobs. David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Though he has high payment, he cannot drive a car, or get credit cards. David got his job four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-Levels and working for a time in a computer shop. "I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs," he said. "I suppose $150,000 sounds a lot but I hope it will come to more than that this year." He spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother $20 a week as he lives with his parents. But most of his spare time is spent working. "Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school," he said. " But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway. I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear. He left school after taking six O-Levels because _ .
<extra_id_0>he was afraid of getting too old to start computing
<extra_id_1>he didn't enjoy school
<extra_id_2>he wanted to work with computers
<extra_id_3>he wanted to earn a lot of money.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>News One: The first quantum communications satellite developed by China is expected to launch in July of this year. It means that a quantum communications network will be formed, and quantum communication between the satellite and the ground will be achieved for the first time anywhere in the world. News Two: Shanghai Disney Resort opened in a trial run last week to prepare for its official opening on June 16. A one-day visit to the resort for a family of three will cost at least 2,600 yuan, which covers entrance ticket and three meals as well as shopping, while a two-day trip will cost no less than 6,000 yuan in total, which is too expensive for most visitors. News Three: More and more people get interested in running. The number of runners is increasing, and the economics of running is growing with it. Runners are always going to need shoes and they are always going to be looking for races. Both of these markets have just developed during the past 30 years or more. News Four: Overweight students at Nanjing Agricultural University are having a special sports course. The more weight they lose, the higher marks they will get. The course is not for everyone, but just for the students who needs to lose weight to keep healthy. There are 3 or 4 specially designed sports classes every week and each class lasts 90 minutes. From the passage we can learn that _ .
<extra_id_0>there are fewer and fewer people interested in running
<extra_id_1>the economics of running develops fast, because of the growing number of runners
<extra_id_2>every one at Nanjing Agricultural University can enter the special sports course
<extra_id_3>the students having the special sports course will get higher marks if they study harder
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Two more cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in Zhejiang province, including a man who died last week, authorities said on Wednesday. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that a 38-year-old patient surnamed Hong from Hangzhou, the provincial capital, who died in hospital on March 27, had the virus. Hong was infected on March 7 while working in neighboring Jiangsu province. He returned home on March 18, according to the Zhejiang health department. The other patient, surnamed Yang, is a 67-year-old man. He developed a cough and fever on March 25 and was admitted to hospital on Tuesday. None of the people who came into close contact with the patients have developed symptoms of the flu, the health department said. On Sunday, two men in Shanghai died from H7N9. A woman in Anhui province and four men in Jiangsu province remain in _ condition, which makes a large number of people scared to death. All patients had fevers and coughs in the early stages before developing pneumonia and breathing difficulties, China's health authorities said. Experts say genetic analysis shows that the H7N9 virus can be treated with Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that may slow the spread of influenza(,) in the body. Wang Xianjun, head of the Shandong provincial center of disease control, said H7N9 is sensitive to neuraminidase-inhibiting medicine such as Tamiflu, Qilu Evening News reported on Wednesday. There are no effective vaccines for H7N9 as yet, Wang said, but using Tamiflu may be effective in the early stages. According to this passage, the most cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in _ .
<extra_id_0>Zhejiang province
<extra_id_1>Anhui province
<extra_id_2>Shanghai
<extra_id_3>Jiangsu province
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>A concert under the theme of the 28-year-old charity song Let the World Be Filled with Love is set to bring 100 celebrated singers to perform in Quanzhou in southeast China's Fujian Province next month. The concert is set to cover 10 cities including Beijing. Quanzhou is the first stop of the touring schedule. The song Let the World Be Filled with Love was written by famous Chinese singer and songwriter Guo Feng. It was performed by a chorus of 100 singers during a concert for world peace that year. The song also made Guo Feng famous. The concert is organized by China TV Artists Association. It aims to improve local charity programmes. The concert has so far received positive feedback from some of the biggest names from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, including Hollywood actor Jackie Chan. It is well known that Jackie Chan has made great contributions to the music scene for years with songs like A Hero Never Dies and Don't Go Home. He sang the theme song to the film Fairy Tale with Kim Hee Sun. Between shooting films and joining in public activities all over the world, it took Chan about a year to finish an album. By joining in charity activities, Jackie Chan has provided scholarships for needy students and helped injured performers and their families. So far, he has been involved in over 100 public welfare projects in 52 cities in over 30 countries. The charity song Let the World Be Filled with Love was written in _ .
<extra_id_0>1986
<extra_id_1>1988
<extra_id_2>1992
<extra_id_3>1997
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Newspapers in the United States earn most of their money from selling space for advertising. The rates they charge are tied to the number of readers. But the number of people who buy newspapers has been falling for years. And this traditional business model had not worked very well on the Internet, especially in a bad economy. Many newspaper companies have large debts from buying other papers. Some papers have recently closed or declared bankruptcy or reduced their operations. Newspapers are looking for new ways to reinvent themselves and new ways to earn money. That includes giving new consideration to an old idea-charging for at least some of the material that most papers now publish online for free. Internet access to newspapers means that more people may read the news, which is good for society. But good reporting costs money. The question is how much people are willing to pay for news that they have got used to receiving for free. The look of American newspapers changed after USA Today arrived in 1982. Most of the stories were short. There was heavy use of color1 and images. People who compared it to television did not necessarily mean that as praise. But the new design succeeded and influenced many other papers. Now newspapers are looking to redesign themselves for an increasingly online world. Millions of people would rather read papers like USA Today and The New York Times for free on the Web than pay for a printed version. Publishers who chose that business plan might regret it now, but they might not have had much choice. Survival means changing as conditions change. Like any other business, newspapers have to balance their needs with the need of their customers. American newspapers earn most money from _ .
<extra_id_0>advertising products
<extra_id_1>selling newspapers
<extra_id_2>publishing stories
<extra_id_3>reporting news
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>I'm a Chinese girl. My name is Li Ying. I'm twelve. I'm in No. 1 Middle school . Chen Hong is my friend . She is nine. Mr Wu is my Chinese teacher and Miss Zhao is my English teacher. Li Ying is a _ girl.
<extra_id_0>Chinese
<extra_id_1>English
<extra_id_2>Japanese
<extra_id_3>England
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A young lady was driving alone through the street. It was dark and rainy. Suddenly she saw an old woman by the side of the road, holding up her hands as if she wanted a lift . "I can't leave her out in this weather," the young lady said to herself. She stopped her car and opened the door. "Do you want a lift?" she asked. The old woman nodded and got on the car. After a while, she said to the old woman, "Have you been waiting for a long time?" The old woman shook her head, "Strange" the young lady thought. She tried again, "Bad weather, isn't it?" The old woman nodded. Then the young lady noticed the old woman's hands, which were large and hairy. Suddenly she realized the woman was a man! She was frightened at first. Then she stopped the car. "I couldn't see out of the rear screen ,"she said, "Would you mind cleaning it for me?" "The old woman" nodded and opened the door. As soon as "she"got out of the car, the frightened young lady drove off as fast as she could. When she got home, she noticed "the old woman" had left her handbag behind, she picked it up and opened it. Inside there was a gun. The young woman asked the old woman to clean the rear screen in order to _ .
<extra_id_0>see more clearly
<extra_id_1>drive fast and well
<extra_id_2>make her speak
<extra_id_3>make her get out and drive off
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Change Has Come to America November, 04, 2008, Barack Obama Hello, Chicago. If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen. A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain. Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead. I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden. And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House. To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them. And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America. To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way. To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done. But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you. How many people did the writer thank in his speech?
<extra_id_0>5
<extra_id_1>6
<extra_id_2>7
<extra_id_3>8
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they will become weak; when you start using them again, they will slowly become stronger again.Everybody knows that .yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way.When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault.But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, and few of us know that it is just his own fault.Have you ever noticed that some people can't read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write so they have to remember things; they cannot write them down in a little notebook.They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memories are being exercised the whole time.So if you want to have a good memory, learn from these people:Practise remembering. One has a poor memory mainly because _ .
<extra_id_0>his father or mother may have a poor memory
<extra_id_1>he does not use his arms or legs for some time
<extra_id_2>his memory is not often used
<extra_id_3>he can't read or write
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Guangzhou (Xinhua)----12 people were killed and 20 injured early yesterday morning when they jumped from a burning train car into the path of an oncoming goods train in Southern China. When No. 247 Wuchang----Guangzhou passenger train was passing the Dayaoshan Tunnel in Guangdong Province, South China at 00 :17 hours yesterday, a fire caused by passengers' smoking broke out on No. 17 car. They wanted to extinguish fire. As the train stopped some frightened passengers jumped from windows. 12 people were crushed to death and 20 others injured by a northward passing goods train(No. 1766). When did the accident happen?
<extra_id_0>At 00:17 am.
<extra_id_1>At 00:17 pm.
<extra_id_2>At seventeen past one.
<extra_id_3>At seventeen to one.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A person in a cold environment that needs to produce heat could
<extra_id_0>think
<extra_id_1>jog
<extra_id_2>want
<extra_id_3>smell
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Lynn was a young French Canadian girl who grew up in the farming community. At the age of l6, her father thought that she had enough schooling and forced her to drop out of school to contribute to the family income. In l922, with limited education and skills, the future didn't look bright for Lynn. Her father demanded that Lynn find a job as soon as possible, but she didn't have the confidence to ask for a job. One day, Lynn gathered her courage and knocked on her very first door. She was met by Margaret Costello, the office manager. In her broken English, Lynn told her she was interested in the secretarial position. Margaret decided to give her a chance. Margaret sat her down at a typewriter and said, "Lynn, let's see how good you really are." She directed Lynn to type a single letter, and then left. Lynn looked at the clock and saw that it was 11:40 a.m. Everyone would be leaving for lunch at noon. She thought she should at least attempt the letter. On her first try, she got through one line but made four mistakes. She pulled the paper out and threw it away. The clock now read 11:45. "At noon," she said to herself, "I'll move out with the crowd, and they will never see me again." On her second attempt, things didn't get any better. Again she started over and finally completed the letter, full of mistakes, though. She looked at the clock: 11:55--five minutes to freedom. Just then, Margaret walked in. She came directly over to Lynn, and put one hand on the desk and the other on the girl's shoulder. She read the letter and paused. Then she said, "Lynn, you're doing good work!" Lynn was surprised. She looked at the letter, then up at Margaret. With those simple words of encouragement, her desire to escape disappeared and her confidence began to grow. She thought, "Well, if she thinks it's good, then it must be good. I think I'll stay!" Lynn did stay at Carhartt Overall Company...for 51 years, through two world wars and 11 presidents--all because _ had the insight to give a shy and uncertain young girl the gift of self-confidence when she knocked on the door. What can we learn from Lynn's story?
<extra_id_0>Encouragement makes a difference.
<extra_id_1>Honesty is the best policy.
<extra_id_2>Virtue leads to success.
<extra_id_3>Time waits for no man.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Last week I took a journey deep into space, to the end of the solar system, and was pulled into a black hole. Then I took a trip to Brazil and experienced surviving an airplane crash in the jungle. After that, I joined some divers and went to the bottom of the ocean to see strange blind creatures that have never seen sunlight. For a break, I took part in some car racing and then skied down some of the most difficult mountains in the world. I ended my travels by meeting face to face with a dinosaur, the terrible T-Rex, and survived the experience! I did all this in one great day at Futuroscope. Opened in 1987, Futuroscope is one of the largest space age parks in the world. This science and technology-based theme park in France uses the most advanced technology. Its 3-D cinemas and giant movie screens provide brand new experiences of the earth and beyond. Visitors can get close to parts of the world they have never experienced, going to the bottom of the ocean, flying through the jungle or visiting the edges of the solar system. The amazing, up-to-date information together with many opportunities for hands-on learning makes the world come to life in a completely new way for visitors. Learning centers throughout the park let visitors try their own scientific experiments, as well as learn more about space travel, the undersea world and much more. I bought tickets for myself and my friends at the park's entrance, but tickets are also available online. Futuroscope is not only for indiviudals, but is also the perfect mix of fun and learning for class outings. Classes or other large groups that let Futuroscope know their plans in advance can get the group admission rate. For anyone coming from out of town, Futuroscope has many excellent hotels, most of which provide a shuttle service to the park. If driving, Futuroscope is within easy reach of the freeway. Plan your trip well before starting, since Futuroscope has so many shows, activities and great souvenir shops that it is difficult to see them all. Come ready to walk a lot--be sure to wear some comfortable sneakers or other walking shoes! What is Futuroscope?
<extra_id_0>A theme park for children in America.
<extra_id_1>A theme park that provides only fun and excitement.
<extra_id_2>A theme park that provides people with outstanding experience without leaving the earth and the present time.
<extra_id_3>A theme park that uses the most advanced technology to take people out of the earth and the present time.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>In many businesses, computers have largely replaced paperwork, because they are fast, and do not make mistakes. And they are honest. Many banks say that their business is "untouched by human hands" and therefore safe. But they have no thought that the growing number of computer crimes show they can be used to steal. Computer criminals don't use guns. And even if they are caught, it is hard to punish them because there is often no proof. A computer cannot remember who used it. It simply does what it is told. The head teller at a New York City bank used a computer to steal more than one and a half billion dollars in just four years. No one noticed this because he moved the money from one account to another. Each time a customer whose money he had stolen questioned the balance in his account, the teller said it was a computer mistake, then replaced the missing money from someone else's account. This man was caught at last. Some workers use the computer's power to punish their bosses they consider unfair. Recently, a large company fired its computer record assistant for reasons that were connected with her personal life rather than her job. She was given thirty days notice. In those thirty days, she stole all the company's computerized records. Most computer criminals have been common workers. Now police wonder if this is "the tip of iceberg". As one official says, "I have the feeling that there is more crime out there than we are catching. What we are seeing now is all so poorly done. I wonder what the real experts are doing--the ones who really know a computer works." The head teller covered up his crimes _ .
<extra_id_0>because no one had questioned him
<extra_id_1>because he had stolen money carefully
<extra_id_2>by moving money through computers
<extra_id_3>by lying to the police
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Calculus Book for sale! Thomas' Calculus-- Weir, Hass, & Giordano 11thedition Brand new, never been used but I will let it go for used price. Bookstore sold at $150. Call me and let me hear your offer. Tel: 773-885-6604 READING IS GOOD FOR YOU, PEOPLE! Why don't more people read today? I have so many great books for sale. If you are interested in any of these GOOD BOOK DEALS, email me or call me at 650-759-7174 to pick them up. *All the Days Of My Life(So Far), by Alison Sweeney $5 *All Our Yesterdays, by Robert B.Parker $1 *The Meaning of Everything, by Simon Winchester $5 *Exploring Language, by Gary Goshgarian $5 *The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery $1 *Jack at Sea, by Philippe Dupasquier $1 "The Children's Classics" Book Set --$200 This is a book set that I'd love to keep, but just don't have any extra room on my already crowded bookshelf. It is an old, traditional set. The set is in excellent condition. There are nine titles in the set (see list below). I honestly have no idea what this set is worth, but I've been told I should sell the set for well over $200, so make me an offer and we'll see what we can do. Please contact me by email if you are interested: lucia1134@yahoo.com Book Titles *Black Beauty(276 pgs) *Tom Sawyer(272 pgs) *Treasure Island(270 pgs) *Heidi(278 pgs) *Alice in Wonderland(276 pgs) *Andersen's Fairy Tales(278 pgs) *Arabian Nights (276 pgs) *Robin Hood(278 pgs) *King Arthur(274 pgs) The purpose of the text is to _ .
<extra_id_0>introduce some new books on sale
<extra_id_1>advertise some books to the readers
<extra_id_2>explain the benefits of reading books
<extra_id_3>persuade the readers to read more interesting books.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>THERE are natural disasters that humans can predict. There are others whose timing is difficult to know. What happened in Indonesia last month fell into the latter group. On October 25, a tsunami caused by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the Mentawai islands of West Sumatra, Indonesia hit shores and damaged whole villages. By last Friday, it had left about 450 dead and forced around 15,000 people to leave their homes. Tsunami is Japanese for "harbor wave". It is usually caused by a sudden rise or fall of part of the Earth's crust under the ocean. It is most common in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Normally a tsunami is a series of waves. The waves can be very long - as much as 100 kilometers - and be as far as one hour apart. They are able to cross oceans without losing much energy. When the ocean is deep, tsunamis can travel unnoticed at speeds of up to 800 kilometers an hour. They can cross a whole ocean in a day or less. The wave may only be a few meters high but when they are near the shore and reach shallow water, they build up height very quickly. Some witnesses in the Mentawai islands reported seeing up to 6-meter high waves crash onto the shore. Failed alert system Many countries set up early warning systems in their waters in the hope of giving people enough time to escape to higher ground in the event of a tsunami. But Indonesia's warning system, completed with German aid, stopped working about a month ago because of disrepair , according to the country's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency. As a result, not a single siren sounded after the earthquake. However, it was unclear if the sirens could have made a difference because the islands affected were so close to the epicenter that the tsunami would have reached them within minutes. What is the main point of the article?
<extra_id_0>A tsunami that hit Indonesia.
<extra_id_1>The tsunami warning system in Indonesia.
<extra_id_2>A recent tsunami and an earthquake in Indonesia.
<extra_id_3>The reasons why the tsunami affected Indonesia badly.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>By Road Around the World Nickname: Walker Email: ragwani@hotmail.com When to travel: May 2011-Aug 2011 Who am I: I am 55. From my childhood, have this dream to go around the world by hitch hiking. However this is now changed and I want to go by road. My travel plans: Going throughout the world and study various people, culture, habits. Who am I looking for: A female companion, and she must have similar interest as me. Just for fun Nickname: Stream Email: qrutta@yahoo.co.uk When to travel: Jan 2011-Dec 2011 Who am I: Young slim girl, looking to see Asia with anyone who wants to travel. My travel plans: I most prefer a white man in his late30's to have fun with me as he travels either on business or leisure trips Whom am I looking for: Someone who is honest, friendly; good sense of humor, adventurous. 22yr old Australian looking for travel companion Nickname: Angela Email: alyssia _ europe@hotmail.com When to travel: March 2011 Who am I: a lovely girl, with fun, honest, caring. My travel plans: I will be traveling to Europe cities, then the world! Who am I looking for: An extremely fun and entertaining male/female, middle-aged, someone that I can enjoy every travel moment with. Fun and maybe more Nickname: Sunnygirl Email: sunnygirl2008@yahoo.com When to travel: Jun2011-Aug2011 Who am I: Slender African girl in her late 20's. Quite charming, loving, pretty,fun to be with. My travel plans: Nothing in mind for sure, just looking to come with you. Whom am I looking for: Looking for a white male between 40-50 years, someone who is full of energy and lively. Who's to travel for the shortest time with a companion?
<extra_id_0>Sunny girl
<extra_id_1>Angela
<extra_id_2>Stream
<extra_id_3>Walker
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Some scientists have suggested that it might in some cases be ethically acceptable to clone existing people. One possibility is generating replacement for a dying . All such possibilities, however, raise the concern that the clone would be treated as less than a complete individual, because he or she would likely suffer from limitations and expectations based on the family's knowledge of the genetic "twin." Those expectations might be false, because human personality is only partly determined by genes. The clone of an extrovert could have a quite different way of behavior. Clones of athletes, movie stars, or scientists might well choose different careers because of chance events in early life. Some people have also put forward the belief that couples in which one member is infertile might choose to make a copy of one or the other partner. But society ought to be concerned that a couple might not treat naturally a child who is a copy of just one of them. Because other methods are available for the treatment of all known types of infertility, the traditional choice seems more appropriate. None of the suggested uses of cloning for making copies of existing people is ethically acceptable to my way of thinking, because they are not in the interests of the resulting child. It should go without saying that I am strongly opposed to allowing cloned human embryos to develop so that they can be tissue donors. In spite of this, it seems clear that cloning from cultured cells will offer important medical opportunities. Predictions about new technologies are often wrong: societal attitudes change; unexpected developments occur. Time will tell. But biomedical researchers looking into the potential of cloning now have plenty to do. What is the author's attitude towards cloning technology?
<extra_id_0>It should be condemned.
<extra_id_1>It has medical potential for scientists to explore.
<extra_id_2>It should wait till people's views change.
<extra_id_3>It was unethical from the very beginning.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>"If you run for more than five minutes at any time, you might need a pair of running shoes." Advises Stephen Pribut, a US sports expert. Running shoes are highly technical footwear. The provide stability while bearing up to three times the wearer's body weight. But it's not easy to find the right pair. Finding the right running shoes is something of an art, or a science and a feel. The science part begins with the shape of the arch of your foot, which anyone can find out at home with this quick experiment: Put your foot in water and place it on a piece of brown paper. If you see a "C" shape on the paper when you remove your foot, you have a rare high arch. If the shape looks more like a rectangle, that means you have flat feet. See something in between? That's a normal arch. Conveniently for shoppers, shoe companies nowadays divide their shoes in three categories: neutral ( for high arches), stability ( for normal or low arches) and motion control (for flat arches). So you'll know which type suits you. At this point, most people would just grab an appealing shoe and try it on, But professionals would do a few quality-control tests. First, you bend the shoe toe to heel to see where it bends. If it's not at the forefoot---where the foot actually be bends, be afraid. Then you grip both ends and twist in opposite directions. If you can twist it like a tower, it means there's zero support. Finally, you squeeze he heel in both directions. A stable heel won't _ . Now you need to check the mold that shapes the inside of the shoe: whether its wide or narrow in the mid-foot, how it sits on the heel and how roomy the toe box is. It's wise to make the shoe purchase in the late afternoon, to allow for any swelling that your feet do throughout the day. Toes also decide sizing choices. The rule is that you need a finger's width from your longest toe (whether that's your big one or not) to the end of the shoe. What is the main idea of this passage?
<extra_id_0>Advantages of wearing running shoes fitting you.
<extra_id_1>Ways to get to know about the shape of the arch of your foot.
<extra_id_2>Advice on how to choose the right pair of running shoes.
<extra_id_3>Best time to buy a pair of running shoes.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>English is a language spoken all around the world. There are more than 42 countries where the majority of the people speak English. Most native speakers of English are found in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand. In total, for more than 375 million people, English is their mother tongue. An equal number of people learn English as a second language. These people will perhaps speak the language of their own country at home with their family, but the language of the government, schools, newspapers and TV is English. However, the number of people who learn English as a foreign language is more than 750 million. Everywhere in the world children go to school to learn English. In China, students learn English at school as a foreign language, except for those in hong Kong, where many people speak English as a first or a second language. In only fifty years, English has developed into the language most widely spoken and used in the world. English is the working language of most international organizations, international trade and tourism. English is also the language of global culture, such as popular music and the Internet. You can listen to English songs on the radio or use English to communicate with people around the world through the Internet. With so many people communicating in English every day, it will become more and more important to have a good knowledge of English. In China we are learning English as a .
<extra_id_0>first language
<extra_id_1>second language
<extra_id_2>foreign language
<extra_id_3>mother tongue
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Have you ever been afraid to talk back when you were treated unfairly? Have you ever bought something just because the salesman talked you into it? Many people are afraid to assert (,) themselves.Dr.Robert Albert, author of STAND UP, SPEAK OUT and TALK BACK, thinks it is because their self-respect is low."There's always a superior around--a parent, a teacher, a boss who knows better.'' But Albert and other scientists are doing something to help people assert themselves. They offer assertiveness training courses, A.T.for short.In the A.T.course people learn that they have a right to be themselves.They learn to speak out and feel good about doing so.They learn to be confident without hurting other people. In one way, learning to speak out is to get rid of fear.A group taking an A.T.course will help the _ person to lose his fear.But A.T.uses an even stronger motive to share the need.The timid person speaks out in the group because he wants to tell how he feels. Whether or not you speak up for yourself depends on your self-respect.If your face is more important than you, you may feel less of a person.You start to doubt your answers to problems.However, once you get to feel good about yourself, you can learn to speak out. Why don't many people feel good about themselves?
<extra_id_0>Because some people have a low self-respect.
<extra_id_1>Because talented people can be found all the time.
<extra_id_2>Because the advice from salesmen is always persuasive.
<extra_id_3>Because people don't like to exchange ideas with others.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Antarctica is in the most southern part of the world. It is like nowhere else on the earth. It is much larger than Europe, and nearly twice the size of Australia. Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place in the world, even colder and windier than the North Pole. In summer, the sun shines for twenty-four hours a day, but in winter it's completely dark for about three months. Very few plants grow there, but there is some wildlife, including whales, seals and penguins. When Captain James Cook traveled around Antarctica in the 1770s by ship, he found no one living there. Today, a few scientists work in Antarctica, but they only spend a short time there. Many scientists are studying the _ , which is getting thinner and thinner worldwide. The biggest "hole" is above Antarctica, and weather there is getting warmer. Scientists think that this cold and lonely place can teach us a lot about the earth and how to keep the earth safe. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>Antarctica is much bigger than Australia in size.
<extra_id_1>Scientists spend a long time in Antarctica.
<extra_id_2>There is no plant growing in Antarctica.
<extra_id_3>In winter, it's dark for about 70 days in Antarctica.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Chicco Red Bullet Balance Training Bike Price: $32.99 & FREE Shipping($49.99) Soft tires & Help the child gain balance. Recommended for ages 3+years. Seat Pets Car Seat Toy Price: $19.97 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35($19. 99) Seat Pets are seat belt attachments that provide comfort and support to your child's neck and head. Each Seat Pet has three pockets, designed to store all of the things that kids need when they're in the car. Seat Pets are 21'' long and are made of high-quality machine-washable material. Easily attaches to seat belts. Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Swing in Red Price: $19.97 & FREE Shipping on orders over $35($26. 99) The Infant to Toddler Swing is an outdoor swing that spans the development of a child from infant to toddler. The tray holds toys or snacks and lifts up out of the way for easy in and out. This swing is as friendly to parents as it is to kids and now it can be reclined for use with infants as young as six months. Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car Price: $44. 88 & FREE Shipping (You Save:$59. 99) The Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car helps your little ones develop gross motor skills by encouraging babies to crawl around the car. In addition, babies will enjoy busy activities and sing-along songs. Stationary car encourages babies to sit up, crawl, pull up, stand and move all around. Introduce babies to letters, numbers, colors, first words, greetings & more. For ages 6-36 months old. Where can we most probably find the passage?
<extra_id_0>In a parenting magazine.
<extra_id_1>In a fashion guide.
<extra_id_2>In a health report.
<extra_id_3>In a storybook.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>In the early nineteen fifties, researchers found that people scored lower on intelligence tests if they spoke more than one language. Research in the sixties found the opposite. So which is it? Researchers presented their newest studies last month at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The latest evidence shows that being bilingual does not necessarily make people smarter. But researcher Ellen Bialystock says it probably does make you better at certain skills. She says bilingual people are often better at controlling their attention--a function called the executive control system. Ms Bialystock is a psychology professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. She says the best method to measure the executive control system is called the Stroop Test. A person is shown words in different color1s. The person has to ignore the word but say the color1. The problem is that the words are all names of color1s. Her work shows that bilingual people continually practice this function. They have to, because both languages are active in their brain at the same time. They need to limit one to be able to speak in the other. This mental exercise might help in other ways, too. Researchers say bilingual children are better able to separate a word from its meaning, and more likely to have friends from different cultures. Bilingual adults are often four to five years later than others in developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Foreign language study has increased in the United States. But linguist Alison Mackey at Georgetown University points out that English-speaking countries are still far behind the rest of the world. In England, like in the United States, bilingualism is seen as something special and unique and something to be commented on and perhaps work towards, while in many other parts of the world being bilingual is just seen as a natural part of life. Bilingual children are more likely to _ .
<extra_id_0>be healthier than others
<extra_id_1>make more friends from different countries
<extra_id_2>develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease
<extra_id_3>recognize a word from its meaning
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Dave and John were playing catch in the living room. Rose told them that was dumb, but she did not stop them. She kept writing in her notebook. If they wanted to get in trouble, then they could. It was not her responsibility. Dave told John to go long. Dave did not have good aim and missed John's hands when he threw the ball. Instead he hit the lamp and knocked it over. He was glad he did not hit the dishes. Nor did he hit the cat. John was not glad that he hit the lamp, but was glad that the lamp was not broken. When John's dad came home, he was very happy that John came clean about the lamp even when it was not broken. After telling them off for playing inside, John's dad made them all a cake. The cake had lemon frosting, which was Dave's favorite. Rose cannot eat lemon, so she let Dave have her slice. He chose to take Rose's cake home to his Bro. Dave thanked her a lot. Who thought it was dumb to play inside?
<extra_id_0>John
<extra_id_1>Rose
<extra_id_2>Dave's Bro
<extra_id_3>Dave
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>If you come to Beijing, there are many interesting places to go. Lao She Teahouse is one of them. People built Lao She Teahouse in 1988. It is a special place in Beijing to show the life of old Beijing people in old times. It got its name from the famous writer ----Lao She. 'Remembering the past' is the idea of the teahouse and 'showing traditional folk arts' is its style, so here is a nice place in Beijing for foreigners to come as a guest and know about Chinese culture today. Many people like Chinese old cultures and arts. Every day visitors from different places around the world come here to enjoy programs such as traditional opera, cross talk and story-telling in Beijing. By watching these, they can know much about Chinese folk arts. Lao She was famous as _ .
<extra_id_0>a writer
<extra_id_1>a manager
<extra_id_2>a doctor
<extra_id_3>a teacher
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and loved the boy very much. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages . When the child fell down, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was shocked. She was terrified how to face her husband. When the father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. The husband just said 'I am with you, Darling'. The husband's totally unexpected reaction is active behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if he had taken time to keep the bottle away, this would not have happened. No point in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was comfort and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her. If everyone can look at life with this kind of viewpoint, there would be much fewer problems in the world. Take off all your envies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears and you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think. Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. By this way we miss out some warmth in human relationship. What did the writer intend to tell us about life? _ .
<extra_id_0>Think of nothing and life will be easy
<extra_id_1>It is always useless finding who is responsible
<extra_id_2>Let go the negative side and we can enjoy life.
<extra_id_3>Life should give way to responsibility
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>London has a new magazine. But it's not printed on paper. Everyone who has a television can receive it because it is on TV. In order to read this magazine you have to have a _ . Each page of it is numbered, so you only have to dial the number to choose which subject you want to read about. There's a wide choice--- everything is included from cooking to the latest sports news. If you want to read the news, the first thing you have to do is to turn to the index page which has an easy-to-remember page number, 100 for example. Then you start choosing what you want to read. The news is on pages 101 to 109, so you push out the numbers and the news appears written across your screen. Perhaps you want to go out in the afternoon, so you press 181, and a brightly colored weather map appears on the screen. But the weather is terrible so you decide to go shopping and dial 162 for a list of the week's best bargains. But should you drive or take the train ? To answer the question you only have to press 189 for the traffic report. It's very simple to use. But probably the best thing about the service is that it's being updated all the time. Journalists type new material directly onto the screen and whole pages of the magazine can be replaced in minutes. London has already had three services. One, transmitted by ITV, is called ORACLE, while the other two, on BBC, are called CEEFAX, because they let you see facts. Although CEEFAX and ORACLE have been operating for some time, they have not been well publicized. BBC engineers do not think that their idea will ever replace books and newspapers because they can be taken with you everywhere. But many people agree that this is a breakthrough as great as the invention of printing, which could change not just our reading habits but our whole way of life. What is unusual about the mew magazine in London?
<extra_id_0>You can find any subject you want in it.
<extra_id_1>No paper is used to print the magazine.
<extra_id_2>There 1,000 page numbers in the index.
<extra_id_3>The speed of transmitting is astonishing.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Robert Kohout, 39, was working outside his home last October when he heard a frightening noise. He turned round and saw Walter Graham's car sinking into 8 feet of water of the inground swimming pool a little distance away from his yard. Kohout immediately called to Graham's wife, Evelyn, to phone 911. Then he ran back to his house to get Terence Reif and Glenn Fajardo to help, who were at work inside the house. "There was no time for second thoughts," said Reif, a farmer's son. "The only thing to do is to get in the pool." The car doors were locked. Graham, 73, was unconscious, and his was rapidly filling with water. Reif struggled to break the driver's side window with a hammer but had trouble getting it done underwater. Finally, some four minutes after the car had fallen into the pool, the glass was broken. By then, Graham was floating at the top of the flooded passenger compartment. The three men pulled Graham out through the broken glass. He wasn't breathing and his heart stopped beating, so they performed mouth-to-mouth . The rescue team arrived in no time. Doctors supplied him with advanced life support on the way to the hospital. "These people were getting to Graham through the glass," said Dr. Jeff. "All three acted without regard for their own safety." Added Evelyn Graham, "they were truly angels, watching over us". Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
<extra_id_0>Angels around Us
<extra_id_1>The underwater Car
<extra_id_2>Rescue Team in Time
<extra_id_3>Safety First
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |