Article: Education cuts have become routine over the past few years, which has made it difficult for students to learn. The results of a survey of 1,850 Los Angeles County high school students show just how much the cuts are affecting students. Because of teacher layoffs , class sizes at some high schools have risen to 50 students -- even in math and English classes. Some 37 percent of students report that they sometimes don't have a desk to sit at. Sixty-seven percent say crowded classrooms make them feel the teachers don't have enough time to teach, and 30 percent say they've not been able to join in a program because it's no longer offered at their school. At a time when technology is an important skill, 52 percent of students say there aren't enough computers. Or they're often broken, and there's no one to fix them. Fifty-one percent say they've had to share textbooks with a classmate because there aren't enough copies to go around. Fifty-seven percent say they've had to copy information because their school doesn't have enough paper to make copies. "We have only one science teacher for the entire high school," writes Felix Ruano, a 16-year-old student. He goes on to describe how that teacher, who is only _ to teach chemistry, is teaching physics -- or, at least, is trying to do so. "He shows physics videos and we teach ourselves from our textbook," says Ruano. And, as has been seen elsewhere, "all but one of the restrooms" at Ruano's school "have been closed because we don't have enough people to clean them." Ruano notes that though faced with the challenges, 97 percent of students say they plan to go to college. But without "properly trained teachers and the best resources," says Ruano, it's not likely that every student will achieve that goal. "Unless schools fix these problems," he says, "students could lose hope." Question: According to Ruano, _ . Yes or no, is the answer "most students plan to go to college"?
No

Article: In the frozen continent of Antarctica scientists fear an alien invasion -- not from outer space, but carried in people's pockets and bags. Seeds and plants accidentally brought to Antarctica by tourists and scientists may introduce alien plant species which could threaten the survival of native plants in the finely balanced ecosystem. "The people that were carrying the most had lots and lots of seeds. They really were real threats," said Dana Bergstrom, from the Australian Antarctic Division. "When we take things in through hitchhiking then we get species which are competitive. The plants and animals there are not necessarily competitive, so we'd start losing various precious biodiversity on the (Antarctic) continent", Bergstrom told Reuters. Amongst the alien species discovered were the Iceland Poppy, and Annual Winter Grass -- all from cold climates and capable of growing in Antarctica. The Antarctic Peninsula, where most tourists travel, is now considered a "hot spot" on the frozen continent and the warmer the climate, the easier for seeds to grow. "The peninsula is warming at some of the greatest rates on the planet," said Bergstrom. The study, the first continent-wide assessment of invasive species in Antarctica, surveyed about 1,000 passengers during 2007-2008, the first year of the International Polar Year, an international effort to research the polar areas. Bergstrom said the one alien seed that had gained a foothold is Annual Winter Grass. It is a strong weed in the sub-Antarctic and is on the Antarctic island of King George. It has also made its way to the tail part of the Antarctic continent. Question: What is the effect of alien plant seeds to Antarctica? Yes or no, is the answer "They break the balance of the natural environment of plants."?
Yes

Q: Article: Without any hesitation, he said, "I'd be better off dead." Hearing those words come out of my best friend's mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording. I met him about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learned that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal thoughts. He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. Nevertheless, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. Therefore, when it comes to helping him, _ . It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, for he always comes first. Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice scars on his arms from cutting. As he sees it, other kids have every right to make fun of him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going. My best friend once told me that if he had not had me, he would not be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can influence someone's life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement. Question: What does the author learn from his experiences? Yes or no, is the answer "The importance of encouragement."?
A: Yes

(Question)
Article: The United States is faced with serious traffic problems. Too many cars travel on the freeways to and from the city. This heavy traffic causes delays and lots of pollution from cars that are using their engines but not moving anywhere. Many cars going nowhere is called a "traffic jam." While many cities in the United States have traffic problems, some of the worst are in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles is a big city with a large downtown area. One of the reasons why there is so much traffic is that few people use public transportation to get around Experts say one possible solution to the traffic problem in Los Angeles would be to make people want to use the public transportation system of buses instead of their own cars. People say the buses should be made easier, faster, less costly and more dependable than driving a car. One suggestion is to reduce the cost of riding the bus. People who usually drive their cars could save a lot of money on gas and parking costs. Also, Los Angeles could make the buses easier for people to use. The buses could travel to more places in the city. And there could be more special lanes on the freeways that only buses could drive in. These changes would make taking the bus faster and easier than driving a car. Other experts have said that the best way to ease traffic problems is to charge people money to drive on the freeways. These charges, or tolls, would be for the most crowded roads. The tolls would be in effect during the times of day when most people drive to work and home again. These times in the morning and late afternoon are called "rush hour". People would try to avoid driving on these roads, which would decrease the amount of traffic. Also ,the money collected from these tolls could be used to improve the roads and public transportation system. Question: Which is NOT the effect caused by the heavy traffic? Yes or no, is the answer "Too many private cars."?
(Answer)
No