instruction
stringlengths 104
6.76k
| output
stringclasses 4
values |
|---|---|
<extra_id_5>Neither rain nor snow nor the dark of night can separate Tennessee postal carrier "Mailman Mike" from his 4-and-a-half-year-old friend Carter Lawson - or keep them from their appointments. For the past nine months, the two have teamed up every day in the preschooler's Knoxville neighborhood for a few minutes of delivering mail together and chatting with fellow neighbors. Lawson wants to be a mail carrier when he grows up, and in an inspiring story, his mom told us how mailman Mike Crenshaw has been a role model to her son. "Anyone could just be like 'Go away, kid', but Mike has really gone out of his way to talk with Carter," said Cassie Lawson of the United States Postal Service carrier. Little Carter even got his own uniform to match Mike's. "It's been really cute. I just couldn't believe he got a full mailman's costume," the postal service employee said. "Every letter carrier has stops he looks forward to and this is the one I look forward to every day," said Mike. "He's the end of my day, and the best part of my day. Not because it's the end, but because he's such a cute little guy." The man and the little boy's connection isn't a surprise to Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. "Kids respond to mailmen because letter carriers are a friendly, uniformed part of the neighborhood who bring something to their house every day, and are someone they come to recognize and trust," Rolando said. "It's the same for the elderly, but in addition, letter carriers may be the only person they communicate with all day." What is the best title for the text? _
<extra_id_0>A letter carrier is praised for helping a kid.
<extra_id_1>A mailman makes a little boy's dream come true.
<extra_id_2>Every letter carrier has stops he looks forward to.
<extra_id_3>The importance of letter carriers cannot be ignored.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Scientists around the world have been studying the warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean known as El Nino . The appearance of El Nino is known to affect the weather around the world. Scientists still do not completely understand it. Yet they now find they can use it to tell about the future in different areas of the world. One example is the work of two scientists at Columbia University in New York, Mark Cane and Gordon Eshel. A scientist of Zimbabwe , Roger Buckland worked with them. They have found that when El Nino appears, Zimbabwe has little or no rain. This means corn crops in Zimbabwe are poor. The last El Nino was in 1991 to 1993. That was when southeastern Africa suffered a serious lack of rain. The scientists wrote about their recent work in the publication Nature. Their computer program can tell when an El Nino will develop up to a year before it does. They suggest that this could provide an effective early warning system for southern Africa, and could prevent many people from starving. Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?
<extra_id_0>The computer is used in this research work.
<extra_id_1>Scientists know when an El Nino appears by means of the computer program.
<extra_id_2>The scientists published their results of the research work.
<extra_id_3>Nature is the name of the article written recently by the scientists.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Thousands of cities around the globe turned off their lights for an hour to mark Earth Hour 2014, a symbolic show of support for the environment organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Since the movement began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, it has spread to more than 7,000 cities across more than 160 countries. Singapore continues to hold one of the world's largest lights-off events, drawing around 9,000 people this year to Marina Bay Sands, a commercial center typically awash in electricity. To mark the event actors Andrew Garfield, Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone and a group of other famous stars from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie were in town. Other iconic landmarks that fell dark included the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok's Wat Arun temple, the Empire State Building in New York, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Sydney Opera House, Red Square in Moscow, the Bird's Nest in Beijing and Hong Kong Harbor. As the movement has grown, more organizations and business have committed to switching off their lights in support of efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. In Singapore, at least 600 organizations and companies agreed to either switch off their lights or participate in movements to use fewer plastic bags, take shorter showers, turn up their air-conditioning units or switch to LED lighting. This year the World Wide Fund for Nature, which first launched worldwide Earth Hour, also launched Earth Hour Blue, a crowdfunding platform aimed at raising money for environmental projects around the globe. On Mar. 26 a project to stop the illegal wildlife trade in Asia by providing assistance to wildlife rangers became the first one to reach its target of $20,000 by relying completely on crowdfunding. The hour-long event has little if any impact on electricity consumption, but as an awareness raising event it has registered success. In a statement to mark Saturday's event, Andy Ridley, CEO and Co-Founder of Earth Hour, said Asia's rapidly growing digital presence is an added bonus that has helped power our movement. Based on the report, which of the following statements is NOT correct? _
<extra_id_0>Marina Bay Sands is a commercial town located in Singapore
<extra_id_1>Earth Hour Blue is a platform intended to collect money for environmental projects around the globe
<extra_id_2>Andy Ridley is the chief executive officer of Earth Hour and one of its founders.
<extra_id_3>LED lighting is an energy-saving device which doesn't use electricity
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>If you're someone who is eager to do something beyond the ordinary, you must have figured out by now that there will always be those who are jealous or resentful of your success. It doesn't matter that you've worked long and hard to get where you are, nor that you've made great sacrifices in achieving your goals. The "haters" will always find a reason to speak ill of you and even condemn you. They're spiteful people who envy you the pride you have in yourself and the recognition you're receiving from others. They can't stand it that you're happy, fulfilled and achieving your goals. These hateful individuals are unwilling to do the work that you've done. They hate your success but are too lazy to invest real time or energy in achieving their own goals. The thing you need to know about these haters is that the only reason they behave this way is that you have something they want, but they aren't willing to work for it. The haters are convinced that you've been lucky or that you've had some unfair advantage, but the truth is that your success is born of your untiring efforts, and it's these efforts that have brought about your "luck." The best way to deal with haters is what I call the "one-two punch." First, don't let them hurt you. Be happy about your success and proud of your accomplishments. Company with those who approve you, recognize you and support you, and never doubt that you deserve all the success. The haters are angry, jealous people. What they think or say is meaningless. Next, the more the haters annoy you, the more you should be motivated to succeed. They want to ruin you, but your response should be to work that much harder in order to increase your level of success. When your reaction to their bad behavior has inspired you to achieve further success, you've transformed the haters' negativity into fuel for your creative fires. Not only can they not hurt you but they've inspired you onto even greater heights by chance. Why will the "haters" always find a reason to speak ill of you?
<extra_id_0>They care more about you.
<extra_id_1>You always work too hard.
<extra_id_2>You are lazy but proud.
<extra_id_3>They envy you the success.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Mr. Perkin stands at the bus stop and watches the cars go by. Many of the cars are Beta 400s, and most of them are yellow. Mr. Perkin likes to do what other people do. So the following week he buys a new yellow Beta 400s. He likes it very much and doesn't like the old red one any more. This morning Mr. Perkin parks his car in a big park at half past eight near his office. But when he comes out of his office at five o'clock, there're so many yellow Beta 400s in the park. Mr. Perkin can't find out which car is his because he forgets its number and leaves his licence at home. He tries his key in some of the cars and people looks at him. He has to give up. Poor Mr. Perkin can do nothing. He waits nearly two hours until his car is the only yellow Beta 400s left in the park. Mr. Perkin's new car is _ .
<extra_id_0>red
<extra_id_1>yellow
<extra_id_2>Beta 4000s
<extra_id_3>Beta 40s
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Older women who regularly drink green tea may have slightly lower risks of stomach and throat cancers than women who don't, according to a Canadian study that followed thousands of Chinese women over a decade. For the study, researchers used data from a long-running health study of over 69,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women. The researchers found that those who drank green tea at least three times a week were 14 percent less likely to develop a cancer of the digestive ( ) system. More than 19,000 were considered regular green-tea drinkers, who drank it more than three times a week. Over 11 years, 1,255 women developed a digestive system cancer, In general, the risks were somewhat lower when a woman drank green tea often and for a long time. Green tea contains certain chemicals which may reduce the body-cell damage that can lead to cancer and other diseases. Women who _ a lot of green tea in the study were also younger, ate more fruits and vegetables, exercised more and had higher-income jobs. None of the women smoked or drank alcohol regularly, and the researchers also collected information on their diets, exercise habits, weight and medical history. Yet even with all these things factored in, women's tea habits remained linked to their cancer risks, they noted, even though this type of study cannot prove cause and effect. The study adds to debate over the effect of green tea on cancer risks, Past studies have so far come to conflicting findings on whether green tea drinkers really do have lower cancer risks.Nobody can say whether green tea itself is the reason, since green tea lovers are often more health-conscious in general. may be the reason for lowering the risks of getting a cancer.
<extra_id_0>Taking exercise regularly
<extra_id_1>Weight and medical history
<extra_id_2>Some chemicals in the tea
<extra_id_3>Eating fruits and vegetables
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>A lake is unsafe for swimming because it is a bit below some farmlands that use
<extra_id_0>pesticides
<extra_id_1>water
<extra_id_2>soil
<extra_id_3>solar energy
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>In which scenario below would natural selection most likely occur?
<extra_id_0>centuries of gradual climate change
<extra_id_1>catastrophic destruction of habitat
<extra_id_2>rapid and profound climate change
<extra_id_3>immediate loss of primary food source
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Writing articles about films for The Front Page was my first proper job. Before then I had done bits of reviewing--novels for other newspapers, films for a magazine and anything I was asked to do for the radio. That was how I met Tom Seaton, the first arts editor of The Front Page, who had also written for television. He hired me, but Tom was not primarily a journalist, or he would certainly have been more careful in choosing his staff. At first, his idea was that a team of critics should take care of the art forms that didn't require specialized knowledge: books, TV, theatre, film and radio. There would be a weekly lunch at which we would make our choices from the artistic material that Tom had decided we should cover, though there would also be guests to make the atmosphere sociable. It all felt like a bit of dream at that time: a new newspaper and I was one of the team. It seemed so unlikely that a paper could be introduced into a crowded market. It seemed just as likely that a millionaire wanted to help me personally, and was pretending to employ me. Such was my lack of self-confidence. Tom's original scheme for a team of critics for the arts never took off. It was a good idea, but we didn't get together as planned and so everything was done by phone. It turned out, too, that the general public out there preferred to associate a reviewer with a single subject area, and so I chose film. Without Tom's initial push, though, we would hardly have come up with the present arrangement, by which I write an extended weekly piece, usually on one film. The space I am given allows me to broaden my argument--or forces me, in an uninteresting week, to make something out of nothing. But what is my role in the public arena? I assume that people choose what films to go to on the basis of the stars, the publicity or the director. So if a film review isn't really a consumer guide, what is it? I certainly don't feel I have a responsibility to be 'right' about a movie. Nor do I think there should be a certain number of 'great' and 'bad' films each year. All I have to do is put forward an argument. I'm not a judge, and nor would I want to be. The weekly lunches were planned in order to _ .
<extra_id_0>help the writers get to know each other
<extra_id_1>distribute the work that had to be done
<extra_id_2>provide an informal information session
<extra_id_3>entertain important visitors from the arts
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>The days of Europeans relaxing in the cafe with a newspaper and a seemingly endless cup of coffee appear to be numbered.A new English expression is popular in Europe these days:"coffee to go." "Five or ten years ago it was much more normal to sit in a cafe for several hours than it is nowadays,"says Joann,who works in a central Berlin coffee bar owned by the Canadian coffee and bakery chain Tim's. "There is a trend towards a more fast-paced life.But people still act surprised when you ask if the coffee is'to go'.You mean I can take it with me? they ask.." "Europe is often five or eight years behind trends in America,"says Joann."In the States.'coffee to go'is part of everyday life." Owing in part to Starbucks,it appears to be very much part of everyday life in many other countries too. The Seattle-based group compete with a growing number of global chains in attempting to reshape coffee drinking cultures in regions including Asia and the Middle East. The US is the model for continental Europe's new"coffee to go"culture:Each of the new cafe bars offers bagels,muffins,brownies and cookies to go with the coffee. But then,"coffee to go''might sound a little odd to English ears used to the words "takeaway"or take one. It does sum up the brisker pace of life since the city resumed its status as the German capital following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. As one more sign of the changing times,one of Berlin's most venerable coffee houses,cafe Einstein,has followed the trend by opening a small chain of coffee shops across the city. Taking coffee,slowly and in decorous surroundings,has been a feature of European coffee houses,particularly in German speaking countries,for decades. For the elderly citzens of Vienna it amounts to a ritual when they gather in coffee houses around the city for a cup of their favovrite drink and a piece of rich,creamy cake. More and more Europeans have takeaway coffee because_.
<extra_id_0>Europeans live a more fast-paced life now
<extra_id_1>The coffee is much cheaper
<extra_id_2>Europeans are used to taking away the coffee
<extra_id_3>the coffee is easy to take away
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Florence,Italy Who should go:Art lovers;Renaissance historians;leather handbag shoppers with high credit limits. When to go:Spring or fall.Travellers usually avoid summer in Florence. Paris,France Who should go:Starving artists;Henry Miler fans;traditional food lovers. When to go:Spring is the best time.That's what they all say,anyway.Autumn isn't bad,either,and I'd rather be rooting around the south of France in search of truffles in autumn.Summer in Paris isn't bad,really. Amsterdam,Holland Who should go:Lovers of Dutch Masters(artists I mean,like Rembrandt,not cigars);bicyclists--it's a bike city in a flat land. When to go:It can rain at any time in Amsterdam,but that's not a reason for not visiting this fascinating city.Off season tourists will be rewarded with good enough weather to stick around.Summer is good for sun lovers. Madrid,Spain Who should go: _ --Madrid never sleeps;art lovers--the Prado is second only to the Louvre in presenting serious art;partygoers. When to go:Spring,when days are warm and the nights are pleasantly cool.Demand for outside eating and drinking starts becoming stronger in March or April.Street life peaks in June,then slows in July and August as the temperature peaks.Autumn is also good,although you'll risk some rain. Venice,Italy Who should go:Romantic dreamers who like walking through automobile-free streets;your mother(she'll want you to take her there,trust me);almost anyone who wants to see something really different and romantic. When to go:February is the time when the famous Venice Carnival is held and the weather is usually cold and foggy--perfect weather for Venice.Summer?A large number of tourists in shorts and whiny children ruin the atmosphere.You'll greatly enjoy yourself there in spring and early fall. If you are interested in looking for truffles in the south of France,you should go there in _ .
<extra_id_0>early spring
<extra_id_1>autumn
<extra_id_2>summer
<extra_id_3>late spring
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>When parents talk about school safety these days, they're usually referring to the increase in violence at schools. But research shows that school-age children are actually nine times more likely to suffer an injury while doing sports than to be the victim of violence while at school. Accidents can be prevented if parents are on the lookout for potential dangers. To help you keep your kids free from harm, here are some safety tips: a. Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. Remember, a stranger is anyone you or your child doesn't know well or trust. b. Be sure that your child walks to and from school with a _ , friend or neighbor. c. Teach your kid, whether walking, biking or riding a bus to school, to obey all traffic signals, signs and traffic officers. Remind him to be extra careful in bad weather. d. When driving your kid, deliver and pick them up as close to the school as possible. Don't leave until they are in the schoolyard or building. e. If your child rides a bike to school, make sure he wears a standard helmet . Research shows that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%. f. Teach your kid to arrive at the bus stop earlier, stay off the street, and wait for the bus to come to a complete stop. g. Be sure that your kid knows his or her home phone number and address, your work number, the number of another trusted adult and how to call 911 for emergencies . If your kid walks to school, tell him or her to _ .
<extra_id_0>wear a helmet
<extra_id_1>go alone every day
<extra_id_2>walk as fast as possible
<extra_id_3>be more careful in bad weather
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>In far northern prefix = st1 /Mongolia, the living of the smallest ethnic group in the country--the Tsaatan community depends on a kind of animal reindeer. An American named Morgan Keay visited the Tsaatan community when she was studying in Mongoliain 2002. Local leaders told her that the animals were not healthy and the number of reindeer was. getting too small to support the community. Back in the United States, Morgan Keay and a friend who had also studied inMongoliastarted an organization. They named it Itgel the Mongolian word for "hope". The Itgel Foundation has helped bring foreign scientists to Mongoliato research and treat reindeer diseases. They also helped Tsaatan workers build a community and visitor center. The building includes guest rooms for tourists. The Tsaatan not only work as guides, they now provide services for travelers. The community works in partnership with international tour operators, who had formerly been in control of the services. People in the community designed the center, which they also own and manage. Before the visitor center was built, families earned an average of 100 dollars a year. Now Morgan Keay says the average is 3 to 4 times that. Money also goes into a community account. Four years ago the Tsaatan had fewer than 500 reindeer. Now the herd has already reached 900. Morgan Keay says the Tsaatan are becoming economically independent for the first time. The Mongolian government is now considering a development plan written by the community that deals with education, health, the environment and economics. What if reindeer in the Tsaatan community have died out according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>the Local people will lose economic resource.
<extra_id_1>The Tsaatan community will have to move to another place.
<extra_id_2>The Tsaatan community will also die out gradually.
<extra_id_3>Another anirnal will be raised by the Tsaatan instead of reindeer.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>A famous teacher was speaking to the students at our school.He began his lesson by holding up a Y=100 bill.Then he said to the three hundred students,"Who would like this Y=100 bill?"The students began to put up their hands at once. Then he said,"I am going to give this Y=100 to one of you,but first,let me do this."He then made the bill into a ball.Then he said,"Who wants it now?"The hands went back into the air. "Well,"he said,"what if I do this?"and he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it.He picked up the dirty,crumpled bill and said,"Who still wants it?"Hands went back into the air. "My friends,"he said,"you have learned a valuable lesson today.No matter what I did to the money,you still wanted it because it did not go down in value .It was still worth Y=100!" Many times in our lives,we are dropped,crumpled,and stepped on by the chances we take and the things that happen to us.We feel as if we are worth nothing.But remember,no matter what has happened to you,you will never lose your value:you are always valuable to those people who love you.Your value doesn't come from what you do or whom you know,but who you are. You are special and valuable.Don't ever forget it! Your value doesn't come from what you do but _ .
<extra_id_0>who you know
<extra_id_1>who made you
<extra_id_2>who you remember
<extra_id_3>who you are
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Students at the Yale School of Architecture handed over the keys to a house that they designed and built to its new owners at a ceremony on Sept. 25 at 20 King Place. The ceremony held to hand over the house will mark the completion of the school's First-Year Building Project 2008. since 1967, the Yale School of Architecture has offered its first-year graduate students the opportunity to design and build a structure as a part of their education. Unique among architecture schools, this program is compulsory for all members of the class, and students frequently refer to it as their reason for applying to Yale. This year's class of 64 worked to design, develop and document an idea for a 2,100-square-foot, wheelchair-accessible, two-family house. Students had to use sustainable resources and energy-efficient technology. The budget for the project is always less than actual construction costs, and the builders-in-training had to seek supplementary donations, mostly in the form of construction materials. The result this year was a "designer" home, dressed entirely in cedar , fitted inside with Swedish-designed cabinetry and partially powered by solar energy. The floors are bamboo, another natural material prized for being quickly replenished . This year, the student-builders used a pre-cast foundation system, which, in addition to its other labor-saving virtues, uses 75% less concrete than the poured system. The first-year class of 2008 raised $100,000-worth of donated materials. But when it came to constructing the inside steps of the house, they used old drafting tables from the School of Architecture that would otherwise have been thrown out. Ground was broken in May for the house at King Place, and the whole class worked on site until the construction was finished. The construction costs of the house were financed by _ .
<extra_id_0>the school's budget for the project
<extra_id_1>donations from society
<extra_id_2>the budget for the project and donations
<extra_id_3>raised funds from students
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Here below we will talk about the American expressions using the word "Dutch". Many of the "Dutch" expressions heard in American English were first used in England in the seventeenth century. Britain used to be called "empire on which the sun never sets",which gained its supreme power mostly by its naval( )military forces. The period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars was a time of fierce naval competition between England and the Netherlands. At that time, the British used "Dutch" as a word for something bad, or false, or mistaken. A "Dutch agreement" was one made between men who had drunk too much alcohol. "Dutch courage" was the false courage produced by the effects of drinking alcohol. And "Dutch leave" was what a solider took when he left his base without permission. Some of these old expressions are still used today with a little different meaning. "Dutch treat" is one example. Long ago, a Dutch treat was a dinner at which the invited guests were expected to pay for their own share of the food and drink. Now, Dutch treat means that when friends go out to have fun, each person pays his own share. Another common expression heard a few years ago was "in Dutch", which simply referred to the country then. Nowadays, if someone says to you, you are in Dutch, they are telling you that you were in trouble. An important person, a parent or teacher perhaps, is angry with you. Some of the Dutch expressions heard in American English have nothing to do with the Dutch people at all. In the 1700s, Germans who moved to the United States often were called Dutch. This happened because of mistakes in understanding and saying the word "Deutsch", the German word for German. Families of these German people still live in the eastern United States, many in the state of Pennsylvania. They are known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. During the American Civil War, supporters of the northern side in the central state of Missouri were called Dutch, because many of them were German settlers. In California, during the Gold Rush, the term Dutch was used to describe Germans, Swedes, and Norwegians as well as people from the Netherlands. President Theodore Roosevelt once noted that anything foreign and non-English was called Dutch.One expression still in use, "to talk to someone like a Dutch uncle", did come from the Dutch.The Dutch were known for the firm way they raise their children. So if someone speaks to you like a Dutch uncle, he is speaking in a very severe way. And you should listen to him carefully. Most probably, a man with Dutch courage would _ .
<extra_id_0>invite his friends to dinner.
<extra_id_1>beat a strange passer-by without any reason.
<extra_id_2>speak to a Dutch uncle.
<extra_id_3>become angry with the teacher.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>China is a great country with the largest population in the world.In order to solve the population problem,our governmentcarried outone-child policy before.When it is carried out for some time,many people not only see its advantages but also disadvantages. From 2016,two-child policy is put into effect.In my opinion,two-child policy is good.First of all,two-child policy is the gift for some only child.For some families,maybe the parents are only child and they also can have only child.Besides the loneliness of their child,when their child grows up and they grow older,their child marry an only child girl,the burden on their child and his wife is too heavy.Their child and his wife have to take care of two couples.Usually,a young couple looking after an old couple is a little difficult.But if their parents have two children,they can share the burden of taking care of their parents.It would be much better.Secondly,two-child policy can guarantee the number of Chinese population. All in all,one-child policy has been out of date.And two-child policy is needed and necessary.It can solve the problems of nowadays and the future. Our government carried out one-child policy before in order to _ .
<extra_id_0>solve the population problem
<extra_id_1>take care of two old couples
<extra_id_2>share the burden of taking care of their parents
<extra_id_3>argue that two-child policy should be put into effect
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>There is a big supermarket near Mrs. Green's home. She usually goes there to buy food. The shop assistants are polite and helpful. The things are cheap, too. One day, Mrs. Green goes to the supermarket. She buys some noodles. Biscuits are also their children's favorite food. And she buys some milk. Her children always have milk for breakfast. Mimi likes fish and Tim likes hot dogs. She buys some fish and sausages for them, too. Mrs. Green doesn't have any rice at home. So she buys a bag of rice, but she can't take it. It is very heavy. Her husband, Mr. Green is coming to the supermarket and carry the rice. . Who likes biscuits?
<extra_id_0>Mrs. Green and Mr. Green.
<extra_id_1>Mrs. Green and Tim.
<extra_id_2>Mrs. Green and Mimi.
<extra_id_3>Tim and Mimi.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Johnny Smith was a good math student at a high school. He loved his computer. He came home early every day, then he worked with it till midnight. But Johnny was not a good English student, not good at all. He got an F in his English class. One day after school Johnny joined his computer to the computer in his high school office. The school office computer had the grades of all the students: the math grades, the science grades, the grades in arts and music, and the grades in English. He found his English grade. An F! Johnny changed his English grade from an F to A. Johnny' parents looked at his report card. They were very happy. "An A in English!" said Johnny's Dad. "You're a very clever boy, Johnny." Johnny is a hacker. Hackers know how to take information from other computers and put new information in. Using a modem, they join their computers to other computers secretly. School headmasters and teachers are worried about hackers. So are the police, for some people even take money from bank computer accounts and put it into their own ones. And they never have to leave home to do it! They are called hackers. When Johnny's parents saw the report, they were happy because _ .
<extra_id_0>Johnny was good at math
<extra_id_1>Johnny loved computers
<extra_id_2>Johnny could join one computer to another
<extra_id_3>they thought Johnny was not poor in English any longer
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503.He was working on a special painting for a church at the time, but the church painting was not going well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of the businessman's second wife. This is the woman who can be seen in the Mona Lisa. All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci's work. Da Vinci uses darkness and light in a clever way in the painting. Da Vinci loved science and maths. Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and round shapes like balls. Even her smile can be seen as a small part of a large circle. The woman in the painting is sitting on a balcony , and mountains can be seen behind her. Da Vinci loved to study rocks and mountains, so these can be seen over and over in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees to the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are held together in front of her. This way of sitting is now used by many artists when they are painting a picture of a man or woman today. Where is the woman in the painting?
<extra_id_0>On a balcony.
<extra_id_1>On a knee.
<extra_id_2>On a mountain.
<extra_id_3>On a rock.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Billie Holiday was one of the greatest jazz singers in America. Her life was just a mixture of success and tragedy . Her singing expressed her experiences and feelings. Billie Holiday's parents Sadie Fagan and Clarence Holiday were young when their daughter was born. Their marriage failed because Clarence Holiday was often out. He traveled as a musician with some of the earliest jazz bands and inspired his daughter. Sadie cleaned people's houses to make a living. Later she moved to New York City where the pay was higher, for which she had to send her daughter to one of her s. The young girl changed her name to Billie, because she liked a movie star, Billie Dove. The talented Billie Holiday loved singing. She sang and listened to music whenever she could. In one place near her home there was a machine that played records. The building was a theater where many famous singers also performed their newly-made songs for free. Billie cleaned floors and did other jobs for the theater so that she could listen to the records. It was there that young Billie first heard the records of some famous black American blues artists of the 1920s. She heard Bessie Smith sing the blues. And she heard Louis Armstrong play the horn. Both musicians had a great influence on her. Billie Holiday once said, "I do not think I'm just singing. I feel like I am singing the song from my heart. What comes out is what I feel." According to the passage, Billie Holiday's success mainly lies in _ .
<extra_id_0>her childhood experience
<extra_id_1>her work in the theatre
<extra_id_2>her feeling and love in her songs
<extra_id_3>her learning from the others
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>The months and years went by. I had been Joe's _ for four years. One evening, Joe and I were sitting in the village inn. A stranger came in, a big, tall man, with heavy eyebrows. The man had large, very clean white hands. To my surprise, I recognized the man. I had seen him at Miss Havisham's many years before. He had frightened me then. He frightened me a little now. 'I think there is a blacksmith here----name of Joe Gargery,' the man said in his loud voice. 'That's me!' Joe answered. He stood up. 'You have an apprentice, known as Pip,' the stranger went on. 'Where is he? ' 'Here!' I cried, standing beside Joe. 'I wish to speak to you both. I wish to speak to you privately, not here,' the man said. 'Perhaps I could go home with you.' We walked back to the workshop in silence. When we were in the sitting room, the man began to speak. 'My name is Jaggers,' he said. 'I am a lawyer in London, where I am well-known. I have some unusual business with young Pip here. I am speaking for someone else, you understand. A client who doesn't want to be named. Is that clear?' Joe and I nodded. 'I have come to take your apprentice to London,' the lawyer said to Joe. 'You won't stop him from coming I hope?' 'Stop him? Never! ' Joe cried. 'Listen, then. I have this message for Pip. He has ---- great expectations!' Joe and I looked at each other, too surprised to speak. 'Yes, great expectations' Mr. Jaggers repeated. 'Pip will one day be rich, very rich. Pip is to change his way of life at once. He will no longer be a blacksmith. He is to come with me to London. He is to be educated as a gentleman. He will be a man of property.' And so, at last, my dream had come true. Miss Havisham----because Mr. Jaggers' client must be Miss Havisham----had plans for me after all. I would be rich and Estella would love me! Mr. Jaggers was speaking again. 'There are two conditions,' he said, looking at me. 'First, you will always be known as Pip. Secondly,' Mr. Jaggers continued, 'the name of your benefactor is to be kept secret. One day, that person will speak to you, face to face. Until then, you must not ask any questions. You must never try to find out this person's name. Do you understand? Speak out!' 'Yes, I understand,' I answered. 'My benefactor's name is to remain a secret.' 'Good,' Mr. Jaggers said. 'Now, Pip, you will come into your property when you come of age----when you are twenty-one. Until then, I am your guardian. I have money to pay for your education and to allow you to live as a gentleman. You will have a private teacher. His name is Mr. Matthew Pocket and you will stay at his house.' I gave a cry of surprise. Some of Miss Havisham's relations were called Pocket. Mr. Jaggers raised his eyebrows. 'Do you not want to live with Mr. Pocket? Have you any objection to this arrangement?' he said severely. 'No, no, none at all,' I answered quickly. 'Good. Then I will arrange everything,' Mr. Jaggers went on. 'Mr. Pocket's son has rooms in London. I suggest you go there. Now when can you come to London?' I looked at Joe. 'At once, if Joe has no objection,' I said. 'No objection, Pip old chap,' Joe answered. 'Then you will come in one week's time,' Mr. Jaggers said, standing up. 'You will need new clothes. Here is some money to pay for them. Twenty guineas.' He counted the money and put it on the table. 'Well, Joe Gargery, you are saying nothing,' Mr. Jaggers said to Joe firmly. 'I have money to give to you too.' At the end of the passage above, Mr. Jaggers says he also has money to give Joe because _ .
<extra_id_0>he believes he can also help Joe become a gentleman
<extra_id_1>he is repaying money loaned to Joe previously by the benefactor
<extra_id_2>the secret benefactor wants Joe to be his personal blacksmith
<extra_id_3>Joe will have to hire a new worker
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>My 9-year-old daughter, Susan and 5-year-old son, Robbie went to the shopping centre with me. As we got there, we saw a big sign. It said, "Petting Zoo". The kids jumped up and asked, "Daddy, can we go?" Both my wife and I were out of work. However, I said, "Sure", giving them a quarter each. They went away, leaving only fifty cents left in my pocket. A petting zoo is an enclosure for kids to play with little animals while parents shop. A few minutes later, I saw Susan walking along behind me. I was surprised and asked why. She said sadly, "Well, Daddy, a ticket for Petting Zoo costs fifty cents. So I gave Robbie my quarter." Then she said my family motto , "Love is Action!" I knew no one loves little animals more than Susan. She often watched my wife and me do and say "Love is Action!", and now she had put _ it _ into her lifestyle. It had become part of her. She knew not only "Love is Action!", but also "Love is Sacrificial Action!" I was moved. We went back to the Petting Zoo. Susan stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Robbie feeding the animals. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket. I put my hand into my pocket and took out the money. Sure, I must do that! The writer had _ members in his family.
<extra_id_0>three
<extra_id_1>four
<extra_id_2>five
<extra_id_3>six
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>When I was a seven-year-old girl, I used to go door-to-door with my mother to ask the residents for donations to the American Lung Association. Some would give a few coins; others, on rare occasions, a whole dollar; but most would silently shake their heads. No matter what the amount was, my mother always thanked the givers, wrote their names and addresses on her large envelope, and placed the money inside. And then we returned to our apartment, and my mother counted the money. The yield didn't match the effort: I don't think she collected more than $10. Still, she sent the collection to the organization. Even as a child, I knew my mother's actions were great, which aroused my pride in her. Asking poor people to give to an organization which aimed to help others wasn't what you did. Other charities gave to these folks; you didn't ask them to give. To them , her efforts likely seemed foolish. But to me, her efforts had an influence on me as I grew up. Although my charitable giving is modest, I faithfully and regularly donate to the organization which is aimed at fighting AIDS; to stop hunger, and homelessness; to support public broadcasting, the arts, and public education; and to heal families. And I volunteer my time to teach little girls and fix our badly broken public schools. I do these things because I believe I've been given much, so much is required of me. I never asked my mother why she collected those donations, and, besides, the lung cancer that killed her twenty-one years ago prevents me from asking now. But had I asked, my mother's response would have been simple:"Because I can."That's what she would have said. But from that look in her eyes and her daily efforts to make life a bit brighter, I know she also acted on hope that tomorrow would be better and that her actions somehow would make a difference. How did the author feel about his mother's actions?
<extra_id_0>Satisfied
<extra_id_1>Foolish
<extra_id_2>Proud
<extra_id_3>Embarrassed
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>Garry Golden is a futurist. Futurists are scientists who analyze the way the world is today and use that information.to predict what the world will be like in the future. Golden focuses on the study of transportation. He spends his days studying the relationships between cars, subways, and trains. But he's most excited about imagining the way these relationships will change in the future. Many public transportation supporters dislike big cities because they spend hours driving from one side of the city to the other. And there aren't enough buses and. subways. However, Golden sees a trend toward fewer cars' in the future. He explains, "Cities have a cost of car ownership, which is a challenge. All these vehicles cost the city in services, in having to repair roads and other things. "Cars also take up a lot of space. Golden points out that having so many parking spaces is wasteful. Much of the time the parking spaces sit empty. What is the solution?"I think cities will make new laws to limit the number of cars people can have ," says Golden. "Instead, people will use taxis, subways, and buses. New technology, like smartphones, can make these forms of public transportation even better. Imagine if everyone had a smartphone and used them to signal when they wanted to ride the bus. Buses could change their route to meet people's requests." How soon would these changes come? Golden admits that it will take several years. Cities can be slow to change. Also, new systems of transportation can be expensive. "But it's coming," he says. "The trend of the empowered city will be here soon. " The other trend that excites Golden is electric cars. Golden especially believes in the future of electric cars that have sensors to understand the world around them. "If we have cars that can communicate with one another, they can adjust speeds to cut down on traffic jams,"he says. Rush hour in big cities would be much less painful. One challenge is that it is hard to cheaply produce batteries that are strong enough for these cars. But Golden argues we could, also make cars out of strong plastic composites . The cars would then be much lighter and much cheaper to make. Golden remains positive about the future. "There are so many exciting developments ,"he says. "In thirty years we will live a different world. " Which of the following statements is true according to Golden?
<extra_id_0>New buses will take the place of cars as a way of transportation.
<extra_id_1>Electric cars with sensors will be able to put an end to traffic jams.
<extra_id_2>Future cars could be lighter because of strong and powerful batteries.
<extra_id_3>Future buses can receive signals and change their routes accordingly:
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Researchers questioned nearly 9,800 people over the age of 50 about their lives and found women were happier than men and enjoy life more in old age. Dr Elizabeth Breeze, one of the researchers, said that women could become happier as they get older as they no longer have to worry about looking after their families. She said:"There is a difference between the way men and women view their quality of life and they are influenced by slightly different things. Women are affected negatively by caring for someone else or if they are not in employment but if they see their children and family more they are positively affected." "A strange thing happens to male actors, especially movie stars, in my experience," said Helen Mirren, a 62-year-old Hollywood actress."A young male actor feels that all the girls want him-he's a star. As actors get older they bad-tempered for they have lost that sense of being in control of their destiny ." Wealth also helps you live longer with the poorest people more than twice as likely to die earlier than the richest, researchers at University College London discovered. In some age groups. the difference was even greater. The poorest women between 60 and 74 are six times more likely to have died than the richest women of the same age. According to the study, you have more chances of living longer if you are married, educated to certain degree or a professional. single people are twice as likely to die early as those who are married or living with a partner. What may be the best title of the passage ?
<extra_id_0>Why Women Are Happier Than Men in Old Age .
<extra_id_1>How to Live Longer.
<extra_id_2>Women Happier Than Men in Old Age.
<extra_id_3>The Difference between Women and Men in Old Age
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>My name is Clyde. I am am a cat. I have had a life full of adventure. I started out as a small kitten living in a house. I lived with my human family. I also lived with my mother and brothers and sisters. There were some other animals there too. They were not cats but they were not humans. I am not sure what they were but they were big and friendly. I left his house and moved into different house. I had to leave my family. There were new humans now. They took me in this thing they called a car. It scared me! Everything was moving so fast. There was another one of those different animals. I think the humans called it a dog. His name was Rex. The humans were very nice to me but the dog was not. He would chase me around the house. I would have to hide under the couch or in some other small space. I heard the humans talk about taking me some place else to live. Next thing I know I am in the car again. I am living in another house. Uh oh! This house has a dog and other humans. This dog, who they call Sophie, was very nice to me. She smelled me and licked me like my mother used to do! We became close friends. I liked this new house. The humans were nice to me too. They had two small humans. Their names were Thomas and Nicole. I liked them because they like to play with me a lot. One day a big truck came to the house and the humans put me in a room and closed the door. I was in there for a long time. When I came out all the human stuff was not there. They had put it all into the truck. I was scared again that I would have to go with new humans. This time, the humans took me with them! We moved to a new apartment in the city. I knew that these were not my humans. They loved me. They were my new family. What was the name of the first dog that Clyde lived with?
<extra_id_0>Rex
<extra_id_1>Sophie
<extra_id_2>Thomas
<extra_id_3>Nicole
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>As a foreigner,I don' t know the situation in the US well. Seeing all kinds of recent shooting incidents,I think it should be controlled more strictly than now. Somebody said that the person who has it in mind to kill another can do it without a gun,so the causes of murders are not guns but the trend of despising life in the US. And they also insist that there is no clear evidence that the increasing number of murders is connected with possession of guns,so the personal rights should not be restricted by the reason that there is not enough evidence. Several months ago,I agreed with that partly. But as we know,the private groups like NRA have used the public opinion and persuaded the government to protect their profit. Other weapons such as knives,razors ,bats are made for their own usage. But guns are made for only one reason--to kill someone. Of course,there are people who have guns to protect themselves from the criminals. But crime is getting more cruel and severe nowadays,so actually even if someone has a gun,it is impossible to guard himself completely. As a substitute ,I think,if the possession of guns is controlled more strictly,people can live safer lives than now. There are other reasons to oppose the gun control (e.g.the possession of guns is historical inheritance and represents that people's resistance will be against tyrannical government),but none of them can justify and explain today's serious situation in the US. According to the writer, _ should be banned in the society.
<extra_id_0>knives
<extra_id_1>guns
<extra_id_2>knives and guns
<extra_id_3>knives,razors and bats
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>A producer is relocated from a small pot into a wild forest. The producer is able to do this with relative ease:
<extra_id_0>acclimate
<extra_id_1>rhyme
<extra_id_2>befriend
<extra_id_3>float
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>When most of us hear the word chocolate, the verb that comes to mind is probably "eat", not "drink", and the most proper adjective would seem to be "sweet". But for about 90 percent of chocolate's long history, it was strictly a beverage , and sugar didn't have anything to do with it. The Origin of Chocolate Many modern historians have estimated that chocolate has been around for about 2000 years, but recent research suggests that it may be even older. In the book The True History of Chocolate, authors Sophie and Michael Coe prove that the earliest linguistic evidence of chocolate consumption dates back three or even four thousand years. Valuable and Fashionable Chocolate Beverage It's hard to discover exactly when chocolate was born, but it's clear that it was cherished from the start. For several centuries in pre-modern Latin America, cacao beans were considered valuable enough to use as currency. 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen, according to a 16th-century Aztec document. Sweetened chocolate didn't appear until Europeans discovered the Americas and sampled the native cuisine. Chocolate didn't suit the foreigners' taste at first -- one described it in his writings as "a bitter drink for pigs" -- but once mixed with honey or cane sugar, it quickly became popular throughout Spain. By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal functions. But it remained largely a privilege of the rich until the invention of the steam engine made mass production possible in the late 1700s. The Birth of Solid Chocolate In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate. His product became known as "Dutch cocoa", and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate. In 1847, Joseph Fry created the first modern chocolate bar. By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England. Milk chocolate hit the market a few years later. Prosperous Chocolate Industry In America, chocolate was so valued during the Revolutionary War that it was used instead of wages. Even now, statistics show that the humble cacao bean is still a powerful economic force. Chocolate manufacturing is a more than 4-billion-dollar industry in the United States, and the average American eats at least half a pound of the stuff per month. The earliest chocolate was most probably _ .
<extra_id_0>a dish
<extra_id_1>a drink
<extra_id_2>a bar
<extra_id_3>a candy
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>Hailey stood in her kitchen. She was looking for ideas of what to make for dinner. She could make pasta, soup, chili, or steak. She opened the refrigerator and took out a cartoon of juice. She sat down at the table and tried to write a list of ingredients she would need. She finally thought she would make chili for dinner. She took a sip of her juice and she saw she had all the ingredients she needed except meat. Hailey saw she was losing daylight. This made her want to take her car to the store in order to buy the meat. It would be faster than walking. She quickly went to the back of the store where she knew the meat was stored and took her find to the cashier. When she made her way back into the lot she ran into her friend, Beth, and invited Beth to come to her house for dinner. When they both returned to her home they cooked dinner together and had a wonderful evening. What did Hailey finally want to make for dinner?
<extra_id_0>Chili
<extra_id_1>pasta
<extra_id_2>steak
<extra_id_3>pork-chops
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Food,football and fashion--Milan has it a11.The city is perhaps most famous for its annual Milan Fashion Week and its world-class soccer teams AC Milan and Inter Milan.And May will see it host the six-month Milan Expo,the theme of which is food and nutrition. Milan may not the first place tourists think of when they think of Italy.Rome is the most famous city in Italian history,Venice draws visitors who want to travel along its canals and Florence is popular with art lovers.Yet Milan can often be left off tourists'lists.But although some see Milan as the"ugly sister"of these cities,according to Lonely Planet,in 2015 the city is"suddenly back in fashion in a big way". The Milan Expo will look at the future of food,trying to answer the question of how Earth's fast-growing population can be fed in the future.According to Lonely Planet website."144 countries will set up shop northwest of central Milan,forming a mini city-within-a-city". Milan's famous opera house,La Scala,normally closed in the summer,will also host daily performances during the expo,reported Fox News. Not interested in opera?Don't worry.Visitors who prefer sports may want to visit the San Siro stadium,home of the soccer teams AC Milan and Inter Milan.Tile stadium is one of the most famous in Europe and has seen many important games over the years,both in Serie A and the European Champions League. So even if all of its fashion and beautiful people can make Milan seem"soulless",as Lonely Planet said.it still has"a serious sense of history and place".Many people will be discovering it this year,and eating great food from all over the world to help solve world problems.Will you? What's the attitudes of the editors from Lonely Planet towards the city of Milan?
<extra_id_0>uninterested.
<extra_id_1>modest.
<extra_id_2>favorable.
<extra_id_3>dissatisfied.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>It was a comfortable sunny Sunday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited to hear all his news. My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem - I could text him to say I would be delayed. He would understand. But... where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd forgotten it at home. No mobile phone. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, _ and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: two-thirds of us experience 'nomophobia', the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. That's according to a study from 2012 which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones. It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, that women are more 'nomophobic'than men, and that 18-24 year-olds are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes. Do you have nomophobia ? * You never turn your phone off * You obsessively check for texts, missed calls and emails* You always take your phone to the bathroom with you* You never let the battery run out It's funny to think that around 20 years ago the only people with mobile phones would be businessperson carrying their large, plastic 'bricks'. Of course, these days, mobile phones are everywhere. A UN study from this year said mobile phone subscriptions would outnumber people across the world by the end of 2014. And when there are more phones than people in the world, maybe it's time to ask who really is in charge? Are you in control of your phone, or does your phone control you? So, what happened with my university friend? When I arrived a few minutes late he just laughed and said: "You haven't changed at all - still always late!" And we had a great afternoon catching up, full of jokes and stories, with no interruptions and no nagging desire to check my phone. Not having it with me felt strangely liberating. Maybe I'll leave it at home on purpose next time. What does the passage talk about ?
<extra_id_0>The history of mobiles.
<extra_id_1>The story of meeting an old university friend.
<extra_id_2>The addiction of playing mobile phone.
<extra_id_3>The terrible feeling of being without their mobiles.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Mary is an American girl. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Smith find work in China. So Mary is living in China now with her parents. Mr. Smith works in a big shop. Mrs. Smith teaches English in a middle school. Mary goes to school from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays she goes to the library with her mother. She likes reading magazines there very much. Then she eats dinner at a restaurant with her parents. On Sundays, Mary often helps her mother do the housework. That makes her mother very happy. But last week Mary had a busy Sunday. On Sunday morning, she stayed at home and studied for an exam. On Sunday afternoon she went to the park and played tennis with her friend, Lee. What did Mary do last Sunday afternoon?
<extra_id_0>She visited her friend.
<extra_id_1>She played tennis.
<extra_id_2>She went to the library.
<extra_id_3>She helped her mother.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>The President of the United States recognizes the country of Ruritania and undertakes diplomatic relations with its government through the Secretary of State. Ruritania is governed by a repressive totalitarian government. In an appropriate federal court, Dunn brings a suit against the President and Secretary of State to set aside this action on the ground that it is inconsistent with the principles of our constitutional form of government. Dunn has a lucrative contract with the United States Department of Commerce to provide commercial information about Ruritania. The contract expressly terminates, however, "when the President recognizes the country of Ruritania and undertakes diplomatic relations with its government." Which of the following is the most proper disposition of the Dunn suit by the federal court?
<extra_id_0>Suit dismissed, because Dunn does not have standing to bring this action.
<extra_id_1>Suit dismissed, because there is no adversity between Dunn and the defendants.
<extra_id_2>Suit dismissed, because it presents a nonjustifiable political question.
<extra_id_3>Suit decided on the merits
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_2> |
<extra_id_5>An example of playing a musical instrument is what?
<extra_id_0>driving
<extra_id_1>flying
<extra_id_2>walking
<extra_id_3>banging drums
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Last year I ruined my summer vacation by bringing along a modern convenience that was too convenient for my own good: the iPad. Instead of looking at nature, I checked my e-mail. Instead of paddling a small boat, I followed my Twitter feed . Instead of reading great novels, I stuck to reading four newspapers each morning. I was behaving as if I were still in the office. My body was on vacation, but my head wasn't. So this year I made up my mind to try something different: withdrawal from the Internet. I knew it wouldn't be easy, since I'm bad at self-control. But I was determined. I started by giving the iPad to my wife. The cellphone signal at our house was worse than in the past, making my attempts at cheating an experience in frustration . I was trapped, forced to go through with my plan. Largely cut off from e-mail, Twitter and my favorite newspaper websites, I had few ways to connect to the world except for the radio--and how much radio can one listen to, really? I had to do what I had planned to do all along: read books. This experience has had a happy ending. With determination and the strong support of my wife, I won in my vacation straggle against the Internet, realizing finally that it was I, not the iPad, that was the problem. I knew I had won when we passed a Starbucks and my wife asked if I wanted to stop to use the Wi-Fi. "I don't need it," I said. However, as we return to post-vacation life, a harder test begins: Can I continue when I'm back at work? There are times when the need to know what's being said right now is great. I have no intention of giving up my convenience completely. But I hope to resist the temptation to check my e-mail every five minutes, which leads to checking my Twitter feed and a website ortwo. I think a vacation is supposed to help you reset your brain to become more productive. Here I hope this one worked. What is the author's opinion of a great vacation in the passage?
<extra_id_0>A vacation is having nothing to do but read all day.
<extra_id_1>A vacation proves that a life of pleasure is overvalued.
<extra_id_2>A vacation is a period of time to do whatever one wishes to.
<extra_id_3>A vacation means a change of pace to make one more creative.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently--animals. That's right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives. One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It's not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It's also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and "earthquake nerves". A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach. A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes. A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing. In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists. Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?
<extra_id_0>An Arabian horse tried to escape from his enclosure.
<extra_id_1>A cougar had an upset stomach unexpectedly.
<extra_id_2>An Australian horse was perfectly calm.
<extra_id_3>A cat acted very strangely in a zoo.
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>BEIJING--Heavy haze still covered north and east China on Saturday, with highways closed and flights delayed or canceled . The smoggy weather affected the country's land from north to south, including Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangxi and Guangdong, with visibility less than 50 meters in some areas. Cities like Shanghai and Nanjing have been enveloped in the grey sky for the past several days. Many walkers in the street had to wear masks. In the Lukou airport in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, more than 60 inbound and outbound flights were canceled on Saturday because of the hazy, which also forced primary and middle schools and kindergartens to stop classes on Thursday and Friday in Nanjing. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said earlier this week that there were several main reasons behind the widespread haze: unfavorable weather conditions making it difficult for pollutants to diffuse , motor vehicle exhaust , coal use for winter heating. The Chinese government now plans to clean up the air by cutting coal use, closing some factories and promoting cleaner production. "We must face up to the realities," said Yan Naiqiang, a professor of environmental science at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. "The treatment of smog will be a long battle." Which city was not affected by the smoggy weather on Saturday?
<extra_id_0>Hunan
<extra_id_1>Zhejiang
<extra_id_2>Guangdong
<extra_id_3>Hainan
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |
<extra_id_5>Now, it is winter and as you have probably noticed, virus are everywhere--runny noses, sore throats, nothing quite like the common cold to make you feel so uncomfortable. But experts believe that there is no link between cold weather and catching colds. So why are we particularly easy to catch colds this season? Internal Medicine expert, Dr Meenakshi Jain of Max Hospital says, "One reason could be because people are likely to stay indoors, so the virus can spread easily. Also the virus grows strong and healthy under wet conditions." The common cold can be caused by any of up to 250 kinds of virus. The most common group of them is the kind of virus that hits the nose, which is called rhinovirus . Rhinoviruses cause a third and half of all common colds. "The kind of virus is spread through the nose and respiratory passages , by touch, and by contact with particles in the air that are created by sneezing or coughing," says Dr Jain. There is no way to treat the common cold. However, there are some tips that can help. Wash your hands regularly, so that germs get killed. Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth, which can limit your chances of infection . Don't share drinking glasses with anyone as this will prevent the spread of the virus. Drink lots of water. Make sure to eat enough fruits to _ your immune system . Get enough sleep and you'll certainly become stronger. A third and half of all common colds are caused by _ .
<extra_id_0>the cold weather in the winter
<extra_id_1>the virus that hits people's nose
<extra_id_2>the condition of the human body
<extra_id_3>the warm temperature in the room
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_1> |
<extra_id_5>TUESDAY, July11 SHANGHAI---The 12thInternational Processing, Packaging & End-Line Printing Exhibition opens at Shanghai New International Expo Centre ( to July 13) Tel: 021 6209 5209 HONGKONG---The Hong Kong International Textile and Garment Machinery and Technology Fair 2006 opens at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ( to July 14). Tel: +852 2584 4333 THURSDAY, July 13 SHANGHAI---The China(Shanghai) International Wedding Photographic Equipment Exhibition (Autumn) opens at Shanghai Mart ( to July16 ). Tel: 021 6272 2828 HARBIN, Heilongjiang Province---The Ninth Harbin International Automobile Industry Exhibition and Sports Centre ( to July 17 ). Tel : 0451 5363 5464 FRIDAY, July 14 HONG KONG---The Hong Kong Wedding, Banquet & Wedding Accessories Expo 2006 opens at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ( to July 16 ). Tel: +852 2367 8385 WEDNESDAY, July 19 SHANGHAI---The 14thShanghai International Advertising Technology & Equipment Exhibition / Shanghai International Media Technology & Equipment opens at Shanghai New International Expo Centre ( to July 22 ). Tel: 021 6328 8899 SHANGHAI---The Shanghai International Outdoor AD Illuminating Technology & Equipment Exhibition, Outdoor Media Promotion Exhibition opens at Shanghai New International Expo Centre ( to July 22 ). Tel: 021 6321 7522 SHANGHAI---PAPERTECH Shanghai 2006 opens at Shanghai New International Expo Centre ( to July 22 ). Tel: 021 6328 8899 The text is likely to be a (an) _
<extra_id_0>business diary
<extra_id_1>product advertisement
<extra_id_2>private timetable
<extra_id_3>magazine
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_0> |
<extra_id_5>Some time ago I received a gift from both of my children. It had nothing to do with Father's Day. Yet, at the same time it had everything to do with Father's Day. My son was studying in a high school in Colorado. He lived in the school. While we were talking on the phone he shared some wonderful news with me. He said, "You know Dad, I am really happy with my life. I can't think of a thing that I would change about the way that I grew up, or the way that my life is now. " My daughter was living with her mother in Northern California at that time. She said almost the same thing to me just a few days later. Of course, I was delighted to hear this from both of them. And I told them both how happy I was, not only that they were happy ,but that they expressed it to me. And that was the gift that they were giving me ---with the heart to communicate. Certainly I hope for good news when I hear from them. But mostly I love that they will share their real feelings with me. Happy or sad, I love to be touched by their real thoughts and feelings. For a child, Father's Day isn't really about giving Dad a gift. It is about understanding the love that fathers express when they help put food on the table, teach their child to ride a bike, cheer at a soccer game, etc. For a father, Father's Day isn't so much about receiving gifts for a job well done. Remember, the greatest gift that we give our children is the real expression of our love. It isn't enough for them to feel love inside ourselves: we need to express that love. What is the main idea of this article?
<extra_id_0>Understanding the love of parents
<extra_id_1>Receiving gifts from children
<extra_id_2>Feeling the love inside
<extra_id_3>Expressing your love to your families
<extra_id_4> | <extra_id_3> |