user: Q: Article: Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. "Yes, honey. Of course." she said. "Can we write him a letter?" She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, "Yes." My heart jumped. "How? Does the mailman go there?" I asked. "No, but I have an idea." Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for. "Just wait, honey. You'll see." Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Mom was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face. She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining. "Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three." The balloon, carrying my letter, darted upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds. Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, dart up, and finally transcend this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary. I prayed to be a balloon. Question: When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother   _  . Yes or no, is the answer "felt it hard to answer"?
A: No


Q: Article: When asked to point out one or two things that are most important to themselves, many put friends ahead of homes, jobs, clothes and cars. A true friendship carries a long history of experience that determines who we are and keeps us connected. It is a treasure we should protect. Unfortunately, the better friends you are, the more probably you'll have disagreements. And the result can be what you don't want--an end to the relationship. The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended. First, don't let your pride get in your way. Most of us can forgive each other when differences are brought out in the open. Second, apologize when you're wrong -- even if you've been wronged. Over the course of a friendship, even the best people make mistakes. Sometimes, it may be best if the _ takes the lead and apologizes. When you apologize, give your friend a chance to admit  that he has been wrong. Third, see things from your friend's point of view. And finally, accept that friendships change as our needs and lifestyle change. Making friends can sometimes seem easy. The hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that have an effect on all relationships. My suggestion: consider friendship as an honor and a gift, and worth the effort to treasure and nurture . Question: According to the passage, a friendship can be long only if   _  . Yes or no, is the answer "we treat our disagreements wisely"?
A: No


Q: Article: Why should you learn Sign Language? Do you want to improve your communication with a family member or friend who is deaf? Do you want to be able to communicate with deaf people in general? Would you like to advance in your career by being able to communicate in ASL? Do you want to be a Sign Language interpreter? Sign language is not just a random   collection of gestures but a full-blown   language in its own right, complete with its own grammatical rules. Each country or region has its own sign language, as different from each other as English is from Spanish. Each version of sign language is somewhat linked to the spoken language in its region. For example, American sign language does share similarities with English, even though it is its own language. The advantages of knowing sign language in addition to a spoken language are many. Communication becomes possible on many levels with the deaf community, with other people either hearing or not in any of the above situations, as well as many more. While other languages take years to learn, American Sign Language can be taught in a much shorter time period. It is one of the easiest languages to learn because most of the signs were developed to mimic the actual word or phrase it is representing. Even the alphabet signs look like the letters of the English alphabet. American Sign Language, or ASL, is the third most used language in the United States. Used by the deaf community, interpreters, and friends and family of the deaf. There are a lot of sites on the internet that not only shows you the sign with video, but will help you practice reading signs as well. Teaching even hearing babies sign language seems to be the fashion in recent years and for good reason. Communicating in sign language is fun and natural as babies naturally use body gestures in early communication. Teaching baby sign language actually appears to enhance the learning of verbal skills and brain development of the children involved. Question: Sign language   _  . Yes or no, is the answer "is a collection of gestures"?
A: No


Q: Article: A Special Appointment Years ago I moved to Woodland Hills to take a job in a small hospital's emergency department.No one wanted to work on Christmas Eve, so the shift   went to me.I kissed my family goodbye and went off to spend the night in the hospital.It was a thankless job. At 9 pm, the ambulance brought in a man in his 60s who was having a heart attack.His face was pale, and he was frightened. The whole night I did my best to save his life.Before I left in the morning to spend Christmas with my family, I stopped by to see how he was doing.It was still tough, but he had survived the night and was sleeping. The following year I got Christmas Eve duty again.At 9 pm sharp, the ward clerk told me there was a couple who wanted to speak with me.When I approached them, the man introduced himself as Mr.Lee and said, "You probably don't remember me, but last Christmas Eve you saved my life.Thank you for the year you gave me." He and his wife hugged me, handed me a small gift, and left. The following year a new doctor had joined the group, but I wanted to see if Mr.and Mrs.Lee would return.This time, I volunteered for the shift.I kept an eye on the door.Once again, at exactly 9 pm, the Lees appeared, carrying a warmly wrapped bundle.It was their new grandchild. Mr.Lee, his family and I spent 13 Christmas Eves together.In the later years the staff all knew about the story and would work to give me time with him in the break room, where we spent a half-hour each Christmas Eve. The last year I saw him, he brought me a gift.I carefully opened the package and found a crystal   bell inside.It was engraved   with a single word: Friendship.Now, my family, friends and I ring that bell every Christmas Eve at exactly 9 pm and offer our best wishes to the man who we won't forget. Question: Why does the author ring the bell on Christmas Eve? Yes or no, is the answer "To remember an old friend of hers."?


assistant: A: No